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Paul Sparks

Paul Sparks

Actor · Born October 16, 1971 (55) · Lawton, Oklahoma, USA

2 Screen Actors Guild Awards · Primetime Emmy nominee · 1 other major award body

Paul Sparks is an American actor. He is known for his role as Mickey Doyle in the HBO period drama series Boardwalk Empire and for his Primetime Emmy Award-nominated role as Thomas Yates in the Netflix political drama series House of Cards. He has also appeared in the films Deception (2008), Afterschool (2008), The Missing Person (2008), Mud (2012), Parkland (2013), and Stealing Cars (2015).

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
October 16, 1971 (55)
From
Lawton, Oklahoma, USA
Works as
Actor
Titles
47 on MovieCove · 60 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Down 33% in 30 days

What are Paul Sparks' films like?

Across their 26 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Morality.

Genres

Drama9 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 42nd percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Comedy4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 58th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Adventure2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 70th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Adventure movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Self
29%
Morality
18%
Bonds
18%
Power
16%
Survival
10%
Society
7%
Ideas
2%
Family bonds9 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity6 titles, browse their movies with this themeCorruption4 titles, browse their movies with this themeGuilt4 titles, browse their movies with this themePower4 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth3 titles, browse their movies with this themeComing of age3 titles, browse their movies with this themeRedemption4 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 18 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Dark: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their dark movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 2 · Serious 6 · Dark 10

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 8 · Stylized 8 · Heightened 2

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 1 · Charged 9 · Intense 8

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 5 · Shifting 8 · Whiplash 5

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 14 · Some laughs 3 · Funny 1

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

A split, not a type: Slow burn 9 · Even-paced 8 · Relentless 1

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

A split, not a type: Casual 3 · Engaged 7 · Full focus 8

Heavy: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their heavy movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

Easy watch 1 · Affecting 6 · Heavy 11

Open-ended: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their open-ended movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

A split, not a type: Resolved 4 · Open-ended 5 · Ambiguous 9

Roles they play

13 analyzed roles

Usually the Shadow: 3 of 13 analyzed roles.

Shadow
3 of 13
Ally
2 of 13
Trickster
2 of 13
Mentor
2 of 13
Shapeshifter
1 of 13
Threshold guardian
1 of 13
Herald
1 of 13
Hero
1 of 13
Show the 13 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
21
Melancholic
16
Dread
9
Contemplative
8
Cold
4
Other
15

How their films linger

Thought-provoking17 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteDevastating2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 7 with a twist

  • Happy2
  • Bittersweet8
  • Tragic3
  • Ambiguous13

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Paul Sparks' films?

As of October 24, 2026, 41 of their 47 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (11).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Paul Sparks' titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

60 credits, 47 with a MovieCove page.

  • The Mortuary Assistant(2026)

    as Raymond Delver

    Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all films

  • The Lowdown(2025)

    Show 2 episodes · as Mark Sternwick

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all shows

  • The Better Sister(2025)

    Show 5 episodes · as Ken

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all shows

  • Eric LaRue(2023)

    as Steve Calhan

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • Lost on a Mountain in Maine(2024)

    as Mr. Donald Fendler

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • The Bikeriders(2023)

    as Gary Rogue Leader

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Hands That Bind(2021)

    as Andy Hollis

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • Giving Birth to a Butterfly(2021)

    as Daryl

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • Joe Pickett(2021)

    Show 10 episodes · as Wacey

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all shows

  • Physical(2021)

    Show 30 episodes · as John Breem

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all shows

  • Human Capital(2019)

    as Jon

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • The Lovebirds(2020)

    as Moustache

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • Random Acts of Flyness(2018)

    Show 1 episode · as Joel

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all shows

  • Castle Rock(2018)

    Show 10 episodes · as John "Ace" Merrill

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all shows

  • Sweetbitter(2018)

    Show 14 episodes · as Howard

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all shows

  • Thoroughbreds(2017)

    as Mark

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Waco(2018)

    Show 6 episodes · as Steve Schneider

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all shows

  • The Greatest Showman(2017)

    as James Gordon Bennett

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Get Shorty(2017)

    Show 1 episode · as Owen

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows

  • Buried Child(2016)

    as Tilden

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • The Crown(2016)

    Show 1 episode · as Reverend Billy Graham

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • In the Radiant City(2016)

    as Michael Yurley

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • The Night Of(2016)

    Show 6 episodes · as Don Taylor

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows

  • All the Birds Have Flown South (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    as Stephen

  • The Girlfriend Experience(2016)

    Show 13 episodes · as David Tellis

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all shows

  • Stealing Cars(2015)

    as Conrad Sean Lewis

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • Midnight Special(2016)

    as Agent Miller

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Parkland(2013)

    as Harry McCormick

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • Sparrows Dance(2012)

    as Wes

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Mud(2012)

    as Carver

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • Trust Me(2013)

    as Ray

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • House of Cards(2013)

    Show 39 episodes · as Thomas Yates

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • The Understudy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    as Bobby

  • Forgetting the Girl(2012)

    as Tanner

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • Person of Interest(2011)

    Show 1 episode · as Wilson

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows

  • Mildred Pierce(2011)

    Show 1 episode · as Ted Hobey

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all shows

  • Return (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    as Ed

  • Boardwalk Empire(2010)

    Show 56 episodes · as Mieczysław 'Mickey' Doyle

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows

  • Please Give(2010)

    as Blind Date

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Edge of Darkness(2010)

    as Northampton Police Detective

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Afterschool(2008)

    as Detective Eclisse

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • The Missing Person(2009)

    as Gus Papitos

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Synecdoche, New York(2008)

    as Derek

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Rachel Getting Married(2008)

    as 12-Step Meeting Member

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • Deception(2008)

    as Detective Burke

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • Blackbird (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    as Baylis

  • Doris (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    as Hubert

  • Brotherhood(2006)

    Show 2 episodes · as Aaron

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all shows

  • Headspace(2005)

    as Jason

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films

  • Law & Order: Criminal Intent(2001)

    Show 1 episode · as Keith Durbin

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all shows

  • Law & Order: Special Victims Unit(1999)

    Show 1 episode · as Marty Potter / Marvin Posey

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • Law & Order(1990)

    Show 1 episode · as Paul Luterik

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all shows

  • A Company of Thieves (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Actor

  • A Great Depression (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    as Mark Turner

  • First Person Singular (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    as Peter

  • King Snake (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Actor

  • Liminal (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Actor

  • New England Toys (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Actor

  • Rooster (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Actor

  • The Stalemate (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Actor

Career shape

Star power in the 98th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 59 titles, 51 of them dated from 1990 to 2026; peak year 2017.

Biggest box office

The Greatest Showman (2017)

$472M worldwide

Highest rated

House of Cards (2013)

Midcredits 98th

Most popular right now

Boardwalk Empire (2010)

Film career

MilestoneAward winNomination
19902026

Peak 2017 · steadily prominent in film for years. Top draw in 5 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting59 of 59: 59 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score66th

By decade

1990s2 · acting2000s10 · acting2010s27 · acting2020s12 · acting

Billing

usually 10th · top billed in 0% of 19 roles
0515

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

Awards

2 Screen Actors Guild Awards and 1 other major award from 8 major nominations, 2011–2016.

WinNomination
  1. 2016
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
  2. 2015
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
  3. 2014
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
    • +1 other major body · 1 win
      • Independent Spirit Award, won
  4. 2013
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
  5. 2012
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, won · Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
  6. 2011
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, won · Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series

Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.

How do Paul Sparks' films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 48th percentile, the median of all 27; across their 18 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 51st percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

51stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 18

Approval · how many liked their films

44thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 18

Reach · how many have seen their films

74thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 18

Midcredits score across 47 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up15
  • 50th to 74th15
  • 25th to 49th15
  • Below 25th2

Shape of the crowd

21 of their 47 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved9
  • Universally Panned1
  • Divisive1
  • Cult Classic3
  • Crowd Pleaser21
  • Broadly Agreed2
  • Mixed10

Most divisive · actor

Buried Child (2016)

75th percentile spread · 22% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

House of Cards (2013)

Midcredits 98th · 93% liked

Reviewers score the acting 76/100 in their films, across 17 reviewed titles; fans 82, detractors 52. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Paul Sparks' work okay for kids?

Across up to 15 MovieCove titles with content scores, sex & nudity and profanity run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore15 titles27–83 · median 54 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity15 titles13–77 · median 45 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity14 titles29–76 · median 64 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs13 titles20–81 · median 39 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense13 titles30–85 · median 44 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Paul Sparks work with?

People who share at least 2 of Paul Sparks' MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Michael Shannon shares the most, 6.

Directors

Actors

Cinematographers

Producers

Mixed roles