Aaron Paul

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Paul's journey began in Emmett, Idaho, where he was born Aaron Paul Sturtevant. After graduating from Centennial High School in 1997, he drove to Los Angeles with his mother and $6,000 in savings. His early career included roles in music videos for Korn and Everlast, guest spots on shows like The X-Files and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, and a recurring role as Scott Quittman on HBO's Big Love.

In Their Own Story

In 2008, Paul began playing Jesse Pinkman. Although the character was originally meant to die in the first season, series creator Vince Gilligan changed his mind after witnessing the chemistry between Paul and lead actor Bryan Cranston. This decision turned a minor role into a main character arc that spanned five seasons. Following Breaking Bad, Paul expanded his range with roles in films like Need for Speed (2014) and Exodus: Gods and Kings (2014), as well as voice work as Todd Chavez in BoJack Horseman (2014–2020). He later portrayed Caleb Nichols in Westworld (2020–2022) and lent his voice to the protagonist Robert Robertson III in the 2025 video game Dispatch.

Reader's Guide

Paul was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series five times (2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, and 2014), winning three of those years (2010, 2012, and 2014). In November 2022, he legally dropped his birth surname, Sturtevant. He and Bryan Cranston launched a mezcal line called Dos Hombres in 2019.

Did You Know?

• Paul was born a month premature in his parents' bathroom in Emmett, Idaho.
• Before moving to Los Angeles, he appeared on the game show The Price Is Right under his birth name, overbidding his Showcase by $132.
• He legally changed his surname from Sturtevant to Paul in November 2022 so that he and his family would share the same last name.
• In October 2013, Governor Butch Otter declared October 1 'Aaron Paul Sturtevant Day' in Boise, Idaho.