Paul Lieberstein Biography and Family Life of The Actor

Paul Lieberstein is an American screenwriter, TV director/producer, and actor best known for his role as Toby Flenderson on NBC’s The Office. He is also known as a writer and executive producer on the sitcom. 

When the news about Paul Lieberstein’s cancer struggle started making the rounds in mid-2019, it caused a great stir among his millions of fans across the United States, especially those who have avidly followed his work in the comedy series The Office. 

The witty actor and producer went from the backroom to become one of the most beloved characters of the NBC situation comedy series, from its fifth to ninth season.

While the news of his battle with cancer is still fresh in the air, fans and followers are keen to know the tidbits about his health, and of course, how his rich family tree could have served as a safety net for the actor. You know what they say about family being the ultimate support system, right? Well, let’s see how it all adds up!  

Summary of Paul Lieberstein’s Biography

• Full name: Paul Bevan Lieberstein
• Gender: Male
• Date of birth: February 22, 1967
• Place of Birth: West Hartford, Connecticut
• Paul Lieberstein’s Age: Use Age Shortcode
• Ethnicity: White
• Nationality: American
• Zodiac Sign: Pisces
• Religion: Jewish
• Sexual Orientation: Straight
• Marital Status: Married
• Paul Lieberstein’s Wife: Janine Serafin Poreba ​(m. 2008)
• Paul Lieberstein’s Children: 5
• Siblings: Susanne Liberstein Daniels and Warren Liberstein is a
• Paul Lieberstein’s Parents: Judith and Stanley Lieberstein
• Paul Lieberstein’s Height in Inches: 69.6
• Paul Lieberstein’s Height in Centimetres: 177 cm
• Paul Lieberstein’s Net worth: $14 million
• Famous for: Being a writer, as executive producer, and as supporting cast member Toby Flenderson on the NBC sitcom The Office.
• Paul Lieberstein’s Instagram: paullieberstein
• Twitter: Paul Lieberstein

Who is Paul Lieberstein?

Paul Lieberstein is an American actor, screenwriter, director, and producer who has a net worth of $14 million. Paul Lieberstein was born (Paul Bevan Lieberstein) on 22nd February 1967, in Westport, Connecticut, USA, to the Jewish family of Stanley and Judith Lieberstein. His father worked as an attorney, while his mother was a clinical psychologist. Being the second of three children, Lieberstein spent the better part of his childhood in Westport alongside his two siblings; an elder sister christened Susanne, and a younger brother by the name Warren.

Lieberstein had both his elementary and high school education in Westport. He graduated from Staples High School, Westport, Connecticut, after which he proceeded to study Economics at Hamilton College, Clinton, New York. There, he acquired a bachelor’s degree in 1989. Unlike most graduates of his time, Young Liberstein didn’t job-hunt for too long.

Almost immediately after graduation, he landed an appointment (as an auditor) with the accounting firm, Peat Marwick International. However, for reasons he rarely talks about, he only lasted half a year on the job. What followed was a part-time position at his father’s law firm. In hindsight, Liberstein admits to doing more of screenwriting in his father’s firm than his regular job.

Paul Lieberstein’s Fact Sheet

How He Started His Showbiz Career

It all began in 1992, Paul Lieberstein had just moved to Los Angeles, and with a writing partner, he recorded one of his earliest writing credits on an episode of the Nickelodeon situation comedy series Clarissa Explains It All. However, things went south after one season, and Liberstein had to make do with a few other less-rewarding positions in The Naked Truth and Weird Science until 1998 when he landed another major writing role on the Fox situation comedy series, King of the Hill. 

Lieberstein would go on to write several episodes in the show’s first five seasons, and his genius didn’t go unnoticed. A year later, he shared the 1999 Primetime Emmy Award for ‘Outstanding Animated Program.’ He also wrote and produced other programs such as The Drew Carey Show, The Newsroom and Ghosted until 2018 when he wrote and directed his maiden feature film titled Song of Back and Neck. Nevertheless, no other role equals his work in the NBC mockumentary series The Office.

Success With The Office

After serving as a writer, producer, director, and supporting actor on the show, Paul Lieberstein switched gears in season 5, serving as the showrunner up until season 8 of The Office. In season 9, Liberstein played the supporting role of Toby Flenderson, a role that landed him the 2006 SAG Award for “Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series.” In the following year also, Lieberstein was on stage again sharing, for the third time, an Emmy. This time, the 2007 Daytime Emmy Award for “Outstanding Broadband Program–Comedy.”

The actor did not stop at writing and producing sitcoms only. He also appeared in several films, including the comedy film, The Goods: Live Hard (2009), Sell Hard (2009), The Newsroom (2014), Bad Teacher (2014) and People of Earth (2017). His last known appearance was in the 2018 comedy film Song of Back and Neck (2018), which he directed. Liberstein was gunning for more in his career until the shocking news about his cancer battle hit the air. But with close friends and family denying this claim, no one wants to stand in limbo right now. Which begs the question, does he or does he not have cancer?

His Struggles With Cancer

First, no sources are quoting any announcement from Paul Liberstein or confirming his struggle with cancer. Be that as it may, the rumors have been gaining momentum since they first surfaced in 2013. Here is how it all happened.

Back in early 2013, sources believed that Lieberstein had been diagnosed with cancer and was battling leukemia. It all started when viewers couldn’t help but notice Liberstein’s shriveled form on set the final episodes of the NBC sitcom series The Office. More so, several sources revealed that Lieberstein showed symptoms such as dizziness and nausea within the said period. However, no one could tell for sure if it was cancer or simply a huge mileage of stress taking its toll.

By mid-2019, Paul Liberstein’s two-month absence from the show further fueled the rumors, with tabloids speculating that he was receiving chemotherapy at the New York Cancer Hospital. On the nature of cancer, there’s no full-proof either. Most sources, however, believe that he may be struggling with lung cancer, due to his smoking history. If that is the case, then fans have no reason to worry at all as medical advancements have made Lung cancer less of a death sentence today.

As of this writing, Paul Liberstein has since returned to form, and his normal production roles of course. His family, Liberstein says, has been the backbone of his career success, as well as his rumored battle with cancer. Well, who are those that make up his family?

Meet Paul Lieberstein’s Wife and Family 

First of all, we are starting nowhere else but his heartthrob, Janine Serafin Poreba. The two have been married since July 19, 2008. If you ever want to know more about them, well, you’re not in so much luck. The Liebersteins have made a sport out of keeping their personal life private. Nevertheless, our cameras pried a little bit into Mrs. Liberstien’s life.

Janine is an English Language educator at Santa Monica College, Santa Monica, California, USA. While this may be Janine’s first marriage, the same cannot be said of Paul. Though details about his first marriage are hardly spoken of, we know he has five lovely children from both marriages. Their names, so far as we know, will come up the radar only when their parents agree to go that far in future interviews.

His Other Family Ties

Beyond his nuclear family, Paul Liberstein is part of a long string of family ties, mostly in the showbiz. We begin with his elder sister Susanne. Susanne Liberstein Daniels was born on 7th May 1965. She is married to the American TV comedy writer, Greg Daniels, and they have four children. Susanne currently works as head of original content for the video-sharing site, YouTube. Before that, her previous portfolio included leadership roles at MTV, Lifetime TV, The WB, Fox Television, and several others.

Paul’s younger brother, Warren Liberstein is also a writer and producer who, together with Paul, worked on the series, The Office. Warren was married to Angela Kinsey, who appeared as Angela in The Office. Together, they have a daughter. However, their union hit rocks in 2010 after being married for ten years. Today, Warren is married to fellow TV producer and writer, Audrey Wauchope, and they have two children. By relationship, Paul and Warren are brother-in-laws to Greg Daniels.