Paul Adelstein (born April 29, 1969) is an American television and film actor, best known for the role of Agent Paul Kellerman in the television series, Prison Break, and his current role as pediatrician Cooper Freedman in the series Private Practice.

Life and career

Adelstein was born in Chicago, Illinois in 1969 to a Reform Jewish family. Prior to his professional acting career, Adelstein attended the progressive Francis W. Parker School, then Bowdoin College where he graduated Phi Beta Kappa and summa cum laude with a degree in English. He began his career in theatre, working with New Crime Productions, a company founded by John Cusack, and later with the Steppenwolf Theatre Company.

Making his film debut in 1990 in The Grifters, Adelstein went on to appear in several television series which include Cupid, ER, Without a Trace and Scrubs and to have a number of significant supporting roles in films such as Bedazzled (2000), Intolerable Cruelty (2003), Memoirs of a Geisha (2005), and Be Cool (2005). In 2005, he received his most significant role to date as a member of the regular cast of Prison Break. Interestingly, though he played the role of Paul Kellerman, he had originally auditioned for the role of Lincoln Burrows. When he left the show in 2007, he joined the regular cast of Private Practice.

In November 2006, Adelstein married actress Liza Weil, who played Paris Geller on Gilmore Girls. They had their first child in April 2010, a girl named Josephine Elizabeth Weil-Adelstein. Adelstein is also lead singer and guitarist of a band called Doris.

Filmography

1990 The Grifters Sailor - Young Paul

1997 Peoria Babylon Brad Kessler

1998–1999 Cupid Mike Television episodes (1x01, 1x02, 1x06, 1x07, 1x09, 1x11, 1x14)

1999 Turks Officer Cliff Fowler Television series

ER Hank Loman Television episode (6x09)

2000 Bedazzled Bob/Roberto/Beach Jock/Sportscaster

2002 R.U.S./H. Tom Epstein Television movie

ER Television episode (8x17)

Breaking News Julian Kerbis Television series

2002–2003 Hack Sergeant Aldo Rossi Television episodes (1x13, 1x14, 1x20, 2x04, 2x10)

2003 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Steven Kellerman Television episode (4x14)

Partners and Crime Television movie

Intolerable Cruelty Wrigley

The Lyon's Den Snyder Television episode (1x09)

Without a Trace Dave Television episode (2x05)

2004 Lawrence Melm

Bandwagon Joe Rice

Collateral Fed #3

Las Vegas Alex Brooks Television episode (2x11)

2005 Medium Craig Television episode (1x14)

Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law Murro Television episode (3x02)

Memoirs of a Geisha Lieutenant Hutchins

Be Cool Hy Gordon

2005–2007, 2009 Prison Break Paul Kellerman Series regular

2006 Nobody's Watching Jeff Tucker Television series

Scrubs Dr. Stone Television episode (5x21)

2007 Grey's Anatomy Cooper Freedman Television episodes (3x22, 3x23)

2007–present Private Practice Cooper Freedman Series Regular

2009 Land of the Lost Astronaut (voice)

The Missing Person Drexler Hewitt