Hollywood’s Award-Winning ‘Black Bird’ Star Opens Up About Body Image, Addiction, Divorce and Remarriage
PLANO, Texas, Jan. 11, 2024 — In a timely new White Chair Film series released by global storytelling organization I Am Second, Golden Globe-winning Actor Paul Walter Hauser shares his life’s journey alongside his wife Amy – just in time for the upcoming Emmys, airing January 15, in which Hauser is currently nominated for an “Outstanding Supporting Actor” award for his notable role as infamous serial killer Larry Hall in “Black Bird.”
Beyond his dark role of portraying a psychopath, Hauser is widely recognized for his iconic comedic performances in Hollywood. But who is this man beyond the camera?
Rare, vulnerable and raw, Hauser opens up about his own failures, the ripple effects of his choices and, subsequently, the depths of the rich love he has come to know on the other side of it all. In this gripping four-part series, the Hauser’s share their story – apart and together – weaving the audience through the compelling hardships of their lives that led them where they are today.
Episode 1 overviews their personal lives, from childhood to Hollywood to meeting one another. The film details Paul’s struggle with identity, an eating disorder, his start in television and opening the door to drugs – meanwhile, telling Amy’s story of escaping an abusive relationship and turning to alcohol.
“I tried to take on the [persona of] other people that I deemed like me – Chris Farley, John Belushi, [eventually] Philip Seymour Hoffman,” shares Hauser. “What I would later come to realize is that all those guys are dead. The common denominator is not just that they’re talented; the common denominator is that they’re all very depressed...and addicted...and died way too young.”
Episodes 2 & 3 dive into the couple’s swift dating timeline and their short-lived marriage, where Hauser filed for divorce in the middle of his wife’s pregnancy with their firstborn son, ultimately sending him into a severe depression, substance abuse and the crux consideration of taking his own life.
“I was...thinking about suicide; it wasn’t a thought I had all the time, but it really made residence in my head and lived rent-free when I had been drinking,” Hauser reveals, talking about his lowest moment. “I realized I [had] to get sober.”
Episode 4 shares the result of Hauser’s decision to get sober and reconcile with his family, concluding with where the Hauser's are today – living in an entirely different truth – filled with love, learning, sobriety and healthy accountability practices, inclusive of therapy and counseling. Hauser admits, referencing the growth and happiness he has come to know through his dedication in becoming a connected husband and present father, “I thought our marriage was over, and it was really just beginning.”
“Every day, I see the changed Paul,” Hauser’s wife, Amy, concludes. “He shows up every day, and he loves us so well...He’s still home to me.”
To watch the exclusive I Am Second film series, visit iamsecond.com/film/paul-amy-hauser/.
About I Am Second
I Am Second is a nonprofit launched in 2008 that ignites hope and inspires people to live for God and for others. Its website, iamsecond.com, features written and film-based stories of more than 190 athletes, actors, models, musicians, cultural influencers and everyday people who have stepped in front of the camera and declared, “I Am Second.” For information, visit iamsecond.com.
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Media Contact:
Lauren Briggs
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