Paul Lieberstein Biography: Wife, Age, Net Worth, The Office, Height, Movies & TV Shows, Awards

Paul Lieberstein is an American actor, screenwriter, television director, and producer, best known for his role as Toby Flenderson on the NBC sitcom The Office, where he also served as a writer, executive producer, and showrunner for seasons five through eight.

His multifaceted contributions to television have earned him multiple Emmy Awards and a lasting legacy in comedy.

Profile

• Full Name: Paul Bevan Lieberstein
• Stage Name: Paul Lieberstein
• Born: February 22, 1967
• Age: 58 years old
• Birthplace: Westport, Connecticut, United States
• Nationality: American
• Occupation: American Actor, Screenwriter, Television Director, Television Producer
• Height: 5 feet 9
• Parents: Judith Lieberstein (mother, clinical psychologist), and Stanley Lieberstein (father, lawyer)
• Siblings: 2, Susanne Daniels (older sister), and Warren Lieberstein (younger brother)
• Spouse: Janine Serafin Poreba (m. 2008)
• Children: None
• Relationship: Married
• Net Worth: $14 million to $15 million

Early Life and Education

Paul Bevan Lieberstein was born on February 22, 1967, in Westport, Connecticut, to Judith, a clinical psychologist, and Stanley Lieberstein, a lawyer who worked with a theater company. Raised in a Jewish household as the middle child with an older sister, Susanne Daniels (entertainment executive), and younger brother, Warren Lieberstein (writer-producer), Paul grew up in a creative family.

He attended Conard High School (some sources cite Staples High School) in Westport, where he wrote his first sitcom with friends in a school TV studio and played vibraphone in the band.

He later enrolled at Hamilton College in Clinton, New York, majoring in economics with aspirations to become a financier, joining the Chi Psi fraternity, and a band called Picture This (not the pop band). He graduated in 1989 and received an Honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts from Hamilton in 2011.

After college, he briefly worked as an auditor at Peat Marwick International in New York City and part-time at his father’s law firm, which allowed him to pursue screenwriting.

Career

Lieberstein’s career began in 1991 when he and a writing partner signed with William Morris and moved to Los Angeles, landing a writing job on Nickelodeon’s Clarissa Explains It All (episode “President Ferguson”). After parting with his partner, he was fired but wrote for shows like Weird Science (1994), The Naked Truth (1995–1996), and Greg the Bunny.

His brother-in-law, Greg Daniels, hired him as a writer for King of the Hill (1997–2000), where he wrote 12 episodes. He served as co-executive producer for 25 episodes of The Drew Carey Show (2000–2001), writing episodes like “Drew Pops Something on Kate,” and was a producer on The Newsroom (2014).

His defining role came with The Office (2005–2013), where he wrote 16 episodes, directed episodes starting with “Money” (2007), and played Toby Flenderson, the soft-spoken HR representative, a role he had no prior acting experience in. He became the showrunner from seasons five to eight and executive producer in 2008.

Lieberstein stepped down as showrunner in 2012 to develop a spin-off, The Farm, featuring Rainn Wilson’s Dwight Schrute, which NBC declined. He wrote, directed, and starred in the 2018 film Song of Back and Neck, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival, inspired by his chronic back pain.

In 2017, he replaced Kevin Etten as showrunner for Ghosted, and in 2020, he developed the TV movie Out of Office, a sitcom about remote work during COVID-19. He has also directed episodes of The Mindy Project (2013–2014) and People of Earth (2017).

Awards and Nominations

• Primetime Emmy Awards: • 1999: Won Outstanding Animated Program for King of the Hill. • 2006: Won Outstanding Comedy Series for The Office (as co-executive producer). • Nominated eight times, including Outstanding Directing for The Office (“Money”).
• Screen Actors Guild Awards: • 2007: Won Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series for The Office. • 2008: Won Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series for The Office. • Nominated five times (2009–2013) for The Office ensemble.
• Daytime Emmy Awards: • 2007: Won Outstanding Broadband Program – Comedy for The Office: The Accountants webisodes (two awards).
• Writers Guild of America Awards: • 2006: Won for The Office. • 2007: Won Episodic Comedy for The Office. • Nominated for “The Coup” (2006).
• Gold Derby Award: • 2007: Won Ensemble of the Year for The Office.
• TV Land Awards: • 2008: Won Future Classic Award for The Office. Note: Awards reflect both individual and ensemble contributions.

Social Media

• Instagram Handle: @paullieberstein
• Twitter Handle: @PaulLieberstein

Personal Life

Paul Lieberstein lives in Los Angeles’ Brentwood neighborhood with his wife, Janine Serafin Poreba, an English instructor at Santa Monica College with degrees from Harvard and the Monterey Institute. They married on July 19, 2008, at Battery Gardens in New York City, attended by The Office cast members like Angela Kinsey.

Janine appeared as Amy, Toby’s girlfriend, in The Office episode “Dunder Mifflin Infinity.” Despite rumors of a 2014 pregnancy, no sources confirm they have children. Lieberstein’s first marriage ended in divorce, with no details about his first wife.

He is the former brother-in-law of Angela Kinsey (married to his brother Warren, 2000–2010) and brother-in-law to Greg Daniels (married to his sister Susanne). Of Jewish descent, he enjoys basketball and football and supports Young Storytellers, an arts education nonprofit.

Fans speculated about his health after visible weight loss in The Office’s seventh season, with unconfirmed rumors of cancer or overwork, but he later regained weight, and no official statement confirmed illness. Fans on X praise his dry humor as Toby and his writing, though some note his character’s unpopularity due to Michael Scott’s disdain. Lieberstein maintains a low profile, avoiding controversies.

Filmography

• The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard (2009) – Selleck Customer
• Bad Teacher (2011) – Supporting role
• Song of Back and Neck (2018) – Fred (also writer, director, producer)
• TV (Selected): • King of the Hill (1997–2000) – Writer (12 episodes) • The Drew Carey Show (2000–2001) – Co-executive producer (25 episodes), writer • The Office (2005–2013) – Toby Flenderson (actor), writer (16 episodes), director, showrunner (seasons 5–8) • The Office: The Accountants (2006, web series) – Toby Flenderson • The Newsroom (2014) – Producer, minor role • The Mindy Project (2013–2014) – Director (3 episodes), guest role • People of Earth (2017) – Supporting role • Ghosted (2017) – Showrunner • Space Force (2020) – Executive producer • Out of Office (2022, TV movie) – Writer, producer

Net Worth

Paul Lieberstein’s net worth is estimated at $14 million to $15 million. His wealth stems from his multifaceted roles in The Office (acting, writing, producing, directing), with reported earnings of $50,000–$100,000 per episode as showrunner, plus residuals from syndication. Additional income includes King of the Hill, Song of Back and Neck, and producing projects like The Newsroom and Space Force.