Born on January 20, 1966 in Seattle, Washington, Rainn Dietrich Wilson is the son of Robert G. Wilson, writer and business consultant, and Shay Cooper, a yoga teacher and actress. He was educated at Tufts University, University of Washington, New York University and Tisch School of the Arts before launching his acting career.
In talking about growing up, Wilson said, "It's funny because I grew up a kind of sad, nerdy individual. There was one point in high school actually when I was on the chess team, marching band, model United Nations and debate club all at the same time. And I would spend time with the computer club after school. And I had just quit pottery club, which I was in junior high, but I let that go. I also played bassoon in the orchestra … so you can imagine. I was kind of pimply. I was a pimply youth. So I really understand what it is to be an outsider and I think that the nerds are kind of taking over now. I don't know if you noticed this, but I saw a girl walking through a mall and she was kind of hot and she had a T-shirt that said ‘I Love Nerds' on it. That wasn't the case when I was young. Now you've got these nerd rock bands and these nerdy actors. Even the leading men of today, Tobey Maguire and Jake Gyllenhaal, they kind of have a nerdy side to them. So I guess I understand that and it's just what's interesting to me."
Prior to working on the role he is most known for, Dwight Schrute of NBC's The Office, Wilson admitted to having worked in a real office. "I worked at the Multiple Sclerosis Society of New York, first as a receptionist, then an assistant office manager, then an assistant in events coordination. But I was let go," the actor said. "I was fired by my boss because he literally said to me, “I want someone to work for me who when I say ‘jump' says ‘how high.''' He literally said that clich? with a straight face. And the ironic thing is so many of the people that worked there went around in those little wheelie carts, so they couldn't jump at all."
Aside from his work on The Office, he also gained recognition for playing the eccentric Arthur Martin in HBO's Six Feet Under. Wilson also appeared on television series such as One Life to Live, Charmed, Dark Angel, CSI, Law & Order: SVU, Monk, Numb3rs and Six Feet Under. Moving on to films, he has worked on Full Frontal, My Super Ex-Girlfriend and Juno. He is also the star of the Fox Atomic comedy The Rocker. Wilson and his father are both art collectors, buying and selling fine art mostly of contemporary artists.
Juno, Monk, Numb3rs, Law and Order:SVU, Six Feet Under, and other guest appearances.