People of the Year 2004: Paul Giamatti

Paul Giamatti, 37, may be America's finest character actor. This year he outdid himself in Alexander Payne's comic-tragic Sideways. As a failed novelist finding solace in his wine expertise, he showed us the roots of drunken unhappiness in a performance that has him in line for an Oscar. Giamatti, a Yale drama grad who lives in New York, is the son of the late baseball commissioner Bart Giamatti. He's also a die-hard Red Sox fan, a good thing to be in 2004.

Any surreal moments this year?

It's kind of nonstop with me. I met Paris Hilton -- that was pretty surreal.

Did she know who you were?

No! No! She looked at me like I was something on the bottom of her shoe.

How did you react to the election?

I was fascinated and repelled and terrified, all those things at once.

At any point did you fly off the handle?

No, I'm fairly mild-mannered. I only do it when I'm being paid to do it on camera. I get it all out, I guess.

What was your favorite movie this year?

I would say Dawn of the Dead, sir. I enjoyed that picture a lot. But I saw only two movies, so it was either that or Dodgeball.

Why only two movies?

When I'm not working, my wife and I tend to stay home with our kid. I was all over the place this year and not home as much as I would have liked. I was in Toronto shooting Cinderella Man [with Russell Crowe], and I'm in Florida now, filming The Hawk Is Dying. Jesus, I was working all the time. That's never a highlight.

What was the best gift you received?

We moved into a new apartment, and my kid got his own bedroom, and he doesn't come crawling into our bed all the time, so I sleep . . . more.

What was your biggest regret this year?

I'm a big Red Sox fan. I saw all of the playoffs, but I didn't get to see many of the World Series games.

What made you the happiest?

The Red Sox [laughs]. That's also what made me most depressed, because I don't know what happens now. My brother says, "Well, they'll lose again next year. So we'll go right back to the old days."

Who changed your life in 2004?

Maybe Johnny Damon. I don't know. I try to avoid people as much as possible. They might change my life!

Next: Jon Stewart