About Paul

Paul Edwin Genisius McGill III was born on September 3, 1987 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  He grew up in the same house where his dad was born and raised, which was built in 1904!!  He has an older sister named Emily, who got started in acting first and got Paul interested.  They are still very close, and they share an apartment in New York.

Here is a picture of Paul and Emily on a family vacation:

Paul and Emily McGill on vacation. Look at those blue eyes!

Paul is “bi-coastal”, keeping homes in both Los Angeles and New York.  He goes back and forth for auditions, appearances, and acting gigs!

 

STAGE CAREER

It was while watching Crazy for You at the Byham Theater in Pittsburgh that Paul, then only eight years old, vowed to act on the stage someday.  He returned to the Byham the very next season, but this time as an actor setting out on what would prove to be a remarkable career.

Paul has appeared regionally in Footloose, playing the part of Ren (which was played by Kevin Bacon in the 1984 movie version, and is currently being played by Chace Crawford in the remake), Crazy for You, playing the part of Bobby, and Oklahoma!, playing the part of Will.  At the age of 15, Paul was cast in A Chorus Line at the Pittsburgh Musical Theater, playing Frank, and understudying Mike and Richie.

Due to his remarkable rise to prominence at a young age, Paul is known as one of the “Broadway Babies”.  It was at the age of 17 that he made his Broadway debut in the ensemble of the La Cage aux Folles revival, which won the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical and the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Revival of a Musical.  Paul moved to the East Village in Manhattan, by himself, and attended the Performing Arts High School (where he met future FAME co-star Paul Iacono).

After La Cage closed, Paul thought he was done with Broadway for a while, and returned to Pittsburgh to finish high school with his friends.  But he didn’t stay long.  As only a senior in high school, Paul was cast to originate the role of Mark in the Broadway revival of A Chorus Line at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre, alongside Broadway luminaries such as Michael Berresse, who became Paul’s mentor and friend.  Paul remained a member of the cast until the revival’s close (after 18 previews and 759 performances) on August 17, 2008, performing during that time with Mario Lopez in the role of Zack.  It may sound like a glamorous life, but being a dancer on Broadway is hard work.  At one point, Paul broke his back, but he just kept on dancing…

Though not yet a Tony winner himself, Paul has performed at the Tony Awards twice, once with the cast of A Chorus Line and once with the cast of La Cage aux Folles.  He and the cast of A Chorus Line also appeared on the special live 100th episode of ABC’s hit show Dancing with the Stars on May 6, 2008.

Paul returned to Broadway in June of 2010 to join the cast of Memphis, the 2010 Tony Award Winner for Best Musical.  He was initially a swing, but quickly became a member of the ensemble.

FILM CAREER

Paul had his silver screen debut in the critically acclaimed 2008 documentary film Man on Wire, which chronicles Philippe Petit’s 1974 high-wire walk between the Twin Towers of New York’s World Trade Center, and is based on Petit’s book, To Reach the Clouds.  The film won the BAFTA for Outstanding British Film, beating In Bruges and Slumdog Millionaire (which went on to win the Academy Award for Best Picture).  Paul plays the young Philippe Petit, showcasing his athleticism and grace in a number of dreamlike flashbacks.  About his nude scenes, Paul said “I grew up in the theater, nothing phases me!”  Man on Wire won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature in February of 2009, catapulting Paul into the elite company of young actors who have performed in an Academy Award winning film.

Though not featured prominently, Paul also appears briefly in the critically acclaimed documentary film Every Little Step, which chronicles the emotionally grueling audition process for A Chorus Line.  For those not familiar with Broadway, the film highlights what an amazing triumph it was for Paul to securing one of 17 spots from among over 3000 who auditioned…and at the age of 18!

Shortly after finishing his run with A Chorus Line in August 2008, Paul considered taking a role in the Broadway revival of West Side Story.  Instead, he moved to Los Angeles for the first time to star in his second major motion picture, a reinvention of the 1980 movie musical, FAME.  The story follows a group of students through four years at New York’s Performing Arts High School (of which Paul is a real-life alumnus).  Paul plays Kevin, a dancer.  The film was released on September 25, 2009.

In March of 2010, Paul traveled to Charlottesville, VA to take on the role of Jason in Eric Hurt’s latest horror film, House Hunting.  Set on a desolate farm, House Hunting expounds on the theme in Jean-Paul Sartre’s play No Exit, that “Hell is Other People”.  The film is expected to be released in late 2010 or early 2011.

Want to read about Paul in his own words?  Here’s a link to a blog he wrote while he was in A Chorus Line on Broadway!  Click here.

STAGE CREDITS

* Memphis (2010) … Ensemble

* A Chorus Line (2008) … Mark

* La Cage aux Folles (2004) … Brandi

FILM AND TV CREDITS

* House Hunting (2010) … Jason

* FAME (2009) … Kevin

* Man on Wire (2008) … Philippe Petit

* Merry F %$in’ Christmas (2005)

 

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