Paul Walter Hauser (born October 15, 1986) is an American actor and professional wrestler. He starred as murderer Larry Hall in the 2022 true crime miniseries Black Bird, for which he won a Golden Globe Award and a Primetime Emmy Award, and is also known for his portrayal of Stingray in the Netflix series Cobra Kai. His breakout performance was as the title character in Clint Eastwood's drama film Richard Jewell in 2019. He has also provided the voice of Embarrassment in Pixar's Inside Out 2 in 2024. The following year, he portrayed Bruce Springsteen's recording engineer in Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere and supervillain Harvey Elder / Mole Man in The Fantastic Four: First Steps. As an occasional professional wrestler, Hauser is signed to Major League Wrestling.

Early life and education Hauser was raised in Saginaw, Michigan. His parents are Deborah and Rev. Paul Hauser, a Lutheran minister.

He attended Valley Lutheran High School, a private parochial school in Saginaw. He attended Concordia University Chicago before dropping out to pursue a career in the entertainment industry.

Career Hauser portrayed Shawn Eckhardt in the 2017 film I, Tonya, Dale in the 2010 film Virginia, and Keith in the television series Kingdom. Hauser was initially cast as an extra for Virginia as his acting debut, and complimented director Dustin Lance Black for his speech after winning the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay in 2009 for Milk (2008); this led to Black writing him a larger role in the movie.

He had the recurring role of Deshawn in the Amazon web series Betas, and in 2018 appeared as Lonnie Laloush in Super Troopers 2 and as Ivanhoe in BlacKkKlansman. He has also appeared as a guest star on the television series Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, The Night Shift, Superstore, Key & Peele, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Community, Blunt Talk, I Think You Should Leave, Bupkis, and Cobra Kai. In 2019, he starred in Clint Eastwood's Richard Jewell, portraying the title role, Richard Jewell, the real life security guard who spotted the bomb at the Centennial Olympic Park bombing. In 2020, he starred in Songbird, a film based on the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2021, Hauser played Horace Badun in the crime comedy-drama Cruella, a Disney live-action prequel/spin-off of One Hundred and One Dalmatians. Hauser also starred as Raymond Porter, better known by his nickname Stingray, in Cobra Kai. He appeared as a recurring character in Season 2, and a major anti-hero in Seasons 4 & 5. Although known for his comedic turns, Hauser gained broad recognition and critical praise for his portrayal of the serial killer Larry Hall in the 2022 Apple TV+ true crime miniseries Black Bird, adapted from James Keene's memoir In with the Devil. Critic Nick Schager wrote of Hauser's performance, "even in a sea of maniacal villains, his Larry Hall stands out as a uniquely cunning madman, so unpredictable and unnerving as to be downright unforgettable."

In 2022, Hauser debuted as a rapper under the moniker Signet Ringer. He released his first EP, Murder for Higher, on July 8, 2022.

In 2024, he voiced a lead role in the DreamWorks Animation film Orion and the Dark and the role of Embarrassment in the Pixar film Inside Out 2. In 2024, Hauser became attached to the true-crime drama Fruitcake alongside Jennifer Garner; the lead role in a bio-pic about actor-comedian Chris Farley; a reboot of The Naked Gun franchise; the Marvel Cinematic Universe film The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025); a biographical film about Bruce Springsteen titled Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere in the role of recording engineer and guitar tech Mike Batlan; and the comedy Balls Up alongside Mark Wahlberg. That same year, he starred in The Luckiest Man in America, in which he plays Michael Larson, a contestant accused of cheating on the game show Press Your Luck in 1984.

Hauser made his professional wrestling debut at Pro Wrestling REVOLVER in Los Angeles in November 2023 defeating Matthew Palmer. His next appearance with the promotion was in a Slammy Vs. Emmy Winner Take All match where he defeated Matt Cardona in March 2024. Hauser has made sporadic appearances for All Elite Wrestling (AEW) as well on the independent circuit. He signed with Major League Wrestling (MLW) in May 2024. He faced Danhausen to a no contest at Pro Wrestling REVOLVER in June 2024. In February 2025, he made his debut with Defy Wrestling in Seattle Street Fight defeating Joey Janela with Aubrey Edwards as the special guest referee. Hauser won his first title in wrestling by capturing the PROGRESS Wrestling Proteus Title at PROGRESS Chapter 179: PROGRESS Las Vegas on April 17, 2025, where he defeated the champion Simon Miller, Adam Priest, Charles Crowley, and Effy in a five way match. In July 2025, Hauser wore his PROGRESS Proteus Title belt to the World premiere of The Fantastic Four: First Steps in Los Angeles. Hauser was a special guest commentator for AEW on their August 9, 2025, episode of Collision. On August 29, 2025, at Ring of Honor (ROH) Death Before Dishonor, he wrestled QT Marshall in a Fight Without Honor.

Personal life Hauser married Amy Elizabeth Boland on July 23, 2020. They have three children. Hauser is a Christian. He and his wife Amy were featured in a video series for online Christian multimedia movement I Am Second. Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 2010 Virginia Dale 2011 Demoted Bothered Salesman Uncredited 2013 iSteve Pastey Jones 2017 I, Tonya Shawn Eckhardt 2018 Super Troopers 2 Lonnie Laloush BlacKkKlansman Ivanhoe 2019 Late Night Eugene Mancuso Beats Terrence Richard Jewell Richard Jewell 2020 Adam Trent Da 5 Bloods Simon Eat Wheaties! James Fisk Songbird Michael Dozer 2021 Silk Road Curtis Clark Green Cruella Horace Badun Queenpins Ken Miller 2022 Delia's Gone Bo Aqua Teen Forever: Plantasm Elmer (voice) 2023 Americana Lefty Ledbetter Old Dads Tracy 2024 Orion and the Dark The Dark (voice) Inside Out 2 Embarrassment (voice) The Instigators Booch The Luckiest Man in America Michael Larson Also executive producer 2025 The Fantastic Four: First Steps Harvey Elder / Mole Man The Naked Gun Capt. Ed Hocken Jr. PlaydateZack Galifinack-ishUncredited Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere Mike Batlan 2026 Balls Up Elijah Jackass: Best and Last Himself Guest appearance Resident Evil Paul TBA Richard Linklater Unveiled As EP On Temple Baker’s ‘Deep Eddy’ With Paul Walter Hauser, Sasha Lane & Hassie Harrison As Filming Wraps In Austin Pug Browder Post-production

Television Year Title Role Notes 2005 Too Late with Adam Carolla Various roles (voice) 2 episodes 2010 Community Student #3 Episode: "Messianic Myths and Ancient Peoples" It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia Richie Episode: "Dee Reynolds: Shaping America's Youth" 2013 Key & Peele Various roles 2 episodes 2013–2014 Betas Dashawn 4 episodes 2014–2017 Kingdom Keith Recurring role, 27 episodes 2015 The Night Shift Oren Edwards Episode: "Ghosts" Blunt Talk Audience Member Episode: "Who Kisses So Early in the Morning?" 2017 Superstore Vince Episode: "Rebranding" A Midsummer's Nightmare Nick Bottoms Television film 2018–2019 Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt Tripp Knob 2 episodes 2019–2025 Cobra Kai Raymond "Stingray" Porter Recurring role, 15 episodes (seasons 2, 4–6) 2019 WWE Smackdown Himself 1 episode 2020 Reno 911! Jeffy Renee Chisholm Recurring role, 6 episodes 2021 Calls Floyd (voice) Episode: "Me, Myself, and Darlene" I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson Scott Episode: "Everyone just needs to be more in the moment." 2022 The Late Show With Stephen Colbert No One (voice) 1 episode Black Bird Larry Hall Miniseries, 6 episodes 2023 AEW Dynamite Himself 1 episode AEW Rampage 1 episode The Afterparty Travis Gladrise Main role, 10 episodes (Season 2) Bupkis Hauser Episode: "Show Me the Way" 2025–present The Chosen Adventures Sheep Voice only, 14 episodes 2026 King of the Hill Cosplayer (voice) Episode: "Hank Encounters of the Nerd Kind" 2027 Scooby-Doo: Origins Owner of Scooby-Doo Filming

Acting accolades Year Organizations Category Work Result 2020 Astra Film Awards Game Changer AwardRichard Jewell Breakthrough Performance Actor 2021 Astra Midseason Film Awards Best Supporting Actor Cruella 2024 Astra TV Awards Best Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Streaming Movie Black Bird 2025 Children's and Family Emmy Awards Outstanding Voice Performer in a Children's or Young Teen Program Orion and the Dark 2023 Critics' Choice Television Awards Best Supporting Actor in a Movie/Miniseries Black Bird 2019 Detroit Film Critics Society Breakthrough Performance Richard Jewell / Late Night / Beats / 7 Days to Vegas 2021 Garden State Film Festival Best Ensemble (Feature) 7 Days to Vegas 2023 Golden Globe Awards Best Supporting Actor – Limited or Anthology Series or Television Motion PictureBlack Bird 2019 Indiana Film Journalists Association Best Actor Richard Jewell 2019 National Board of Review Breakthrough Performance 2024 Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie Black Bird 2021 Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture Da 5 Bloods 2023 Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series Black Bird 2019 Women Film Critics Circle Best ActorRichard Jewell

Championships and accomplishments Progress Wrestling Progress Proteus Championship (1 time, current)

Pro Wrestling Illustrated Ranked no. 374 out of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2026

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