Paul Johansson

Paul Johansson, born January 26, 1964, is an American-born Canadian actor and director who has achieved significant recognition in both film and television. Johansson's career started with a role in the soap opera Santa Barbara in 1989. He quickly made appearances in television shows such as Parker Lewis Can't Lose, Beverly Hills, 90210, and Lonesome Dove: The Series. Notably, in 90210, he played John Sears, a fraternity brother who was involved in burglaizing a professor’s office. Johansson continued to broaden his acting portfolio with appearances in films like Soapdish, John Q, Alpha Dog, and The Notebook. He is best known for portraying the character Dan Scott in the TV series One Tree Hill beginning in 2003 until the series finale in 2012. He notably had a part in Takashi Miike's 2003 film Gozu as a man with a cow's head. Beyond acting, he demonstrated an aptitude for directing, directing several episodes of One Tree Hill and the 2011 film adaption of Ayn Rand's novel, Atlas Shrugged: Part I. As well as his talent, Johansson's personal life is equally interesting. He was born in the US, but was raised in Canada, and holds dual citizenship. His mother, Joanne Leone Johansson, had a long 20-year battle with breast cancer and tragically passed away on October 15, 2011. His father, Earl Johnson, was a professional hockey player with a significant influence on Johansson's life. Earl later changed his family name to Johansson to reflect his Swedish heritage.