Paul Rudd
Paul Rudd | |
|---|---|
 Rudd at Hollywood Life magazine's 8th Annual Breakthrough Awards, December 2007 | |
| Born | Paul Stephen Rudd April 6, 1969 Passaic, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Actor, screenwriter, producer |
| Years active | 1992–present |
| Spouse |
Julie Yaeger (m. 2003) |
Paul Stephen Rudd (born April 6, 1969) is an American actor and screenwriter. He primarily appears in comedies, and is most well-known for his roles in the films Clueless, Wet Hot American Summer, Anchorman, Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers, The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Knocked Up, Dinner For Schmucks, The Object of My Affection, Role Models, I Love You, Man and How Do You Know. On television, he is also well known for his role on the NBC sitcom Friends, playing Mike Hannigan, Phoebe Buffay's boyfriend and later husband.
Early life
Rudd was born in Passaic, New Jersey.[1] His parents, who emigrated from England, were Jewish, and Rudd had a bar mitzvah celebration.[2][3][4] His ancestors had moved from Russia and Poland to England, and his family's original surname, "Rudnitzky", was changed by his grandfather to "Rudd".[5][6] Rudd's father, Michael, was a historical tour guide who was formerly the vice president of World Airways, while Rudd's mother, Gloria, was a sales manager at the television station KSMO-TV.[7][8] When he was ten, Rudd's family moved to Overland Park, Kansas, where he was raised.[9][10] He attended high school at Shawnee Mission West and college at the University of Kansas, where he became a member of Sigma Nu fraternity.[11][12] He spent three months studying Jacobean drama at the British American Drama Academy based in Oxford, UK.[13][14]
Career
Rudd made his breakout performance in the 1995 film Clueless, which turned him into a minor teen idol. Additional early-career credits include Wet Hot American Summer, Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers, The Cider House Rules, William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet, and The Object of My Affection. He also garnered recognition with a recurring role on Friends as Mike Hannigan, who married Phoebe Buffay. Rudd's Broadway credits include The Last Night of Ballyhoo (1997), Twelfth Night (1998), and Three Days of Rain (2006). He guest-starred as a has-been 1990s rock star, Desmond Fellows, on the television series, Veronica Mars, in an episode titled "Debasement Tapes". He has also appeared in the audiobook recordings of John Hodgman's books The Areas of My Expertise and More Information Than You Require. In 2006, he appeared in several episodes of Reno 911! as "Guy Gerricault" (pronounced "jericho"), the coach of a lamaze class, and portrayed a drug lord in the film Reno 911!: Miami.
Rudd became a full fledged comedy star with his co-starring roles in Judd Apatow pictures The 40-Year-Old Virgin (directed by Apatow) and Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (produced by Apatow). In 2007, he starred as frustrated husband Pete in Knocked Up, his third collaboration with Judd Apatow and Seth Rogen. That year he also starred in indie favorite The Oh in Ohio and The Ten, which reunited him with David Wain and Michael Showalter. The former film was a box-office and critical disappointment as was his next starring vehicle, Over Her Dead Body opposite Eva Longoria. He quickly bounced back with a memorable supporting role as Kunu (Hawaiian for "Chuck") the drug-addled surf instructor in Nicholas Stoller's Forgetting Sarah Marshall which also starred Jason Segel and was produced by Apatow. The film was a hit, as was his next comedy Role Models, where he starred opposite Seann William Scott as a depressed energy drink salesman forced to perform community service at a child mentoring program. Rudd also cameoed in Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story, Year One and Night at the Museum.
In 2009, he starred with Jason Segel in I Love You Man. He lent his voice to the star studded Dreamworks computer animated hit Monsters Vs. Aliens. In 2010, Rudd reunited with Steve Carell for the first time since Knocked Up, The 40 Year Old Virgin, and Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy for the Jay Roach-directed comedy Dinner for Schmucks, also starring Zach Galifinakis and Ron Livingston.
Rudd has become one of the most popular and marketable stars of Judd Apatow's films and others in the same vein, starring often with other Apatow regulars like Seth Rogen (four films), Jonah Hill (three films), Leslie Mann (three films), Kristen Wiig (three films), Jason Segel (three films), Steve Carell (four films), and less noticeably Joe Lo Truglio (five films).
Running gags on television
As part of a running gag during his appearances on Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Rudd has brought clips from the film Mac and Me, where the wheelchair-using Eric (Jade Calegory) flies off a cliff while Mac watches on, instead of showing clips from the actual film he is there to promote.[15][16] He also has appeared on stage for Conan O'Brien's live tour.
Personal life
In 2003, Rudd married his girlfriend of five years, Julie Yaeger; the two have a son, Jack Sullivan, and live in Manhattan, New York. Rudd frequently travels to Overland Park, Kansas, where he went to high school.[17] He is a fan of the National Football League's Kansas City Chiefs, for whom he narrated the HBO special Hard Knocks in 2007.
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers | Tommy Doyle | as Paul Stephen Rudd |
| Clueless | Josh | ||
| 1996 | Romeo + Juliet | Dave Paris | |
| The Size of Watermelons | Alex | ||
| 1997 | The Locusts | Earl | |
| 1998 | Overnight Delivery | Wyatt Trips | |
| The Object of My Affection | George Hanson | ||
| 1999 | 200 Cigarettes | Kevin | |
| The Cider House Rules | Wally Worthington | ||
| 2000 | Gen Y Cops | Ian Curtis | |
| The Great Gatsby | Nick Carraway | TV | |
| 2001 | Wet Hot American Summer | Andy | |
| Reaching Normal | Kenneth | ||
| The Château | Graham Granville | ||
| 2003 | The Shape of Things | Adam Sorenson | |
| Two Days | Paul Miller | ||
| House Hunting | Daniel | ||
| 2004 | Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy | Brian Fantana | |
| P.S. | Sammy Silverstein | ||
| Wake Up, Ron Burgundy: The Lost Movie | Brian Fantana | ||
| 2005 | The Baxter | Dan Abbott | |
| The 40-Year-Old Virgin | David | ||
| Tennis, Anyone...? | Lance Rockwood | ||
| 2006 | The Oh in Ohio | Jack Chase | |
| Diggers | Hunt | ||
| Night at the Museum | Don | ||
| 2007 | Reno 911: Miami | Ethan the Drug lord | |
| I Could Never Be Your Woman | Adam Pearl | ||
| The Ex | Leon | ||
| Knocked Up | Pete | ||
| The Ten | Jeff Reigert | Also Producer | |
| Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story | John Lennon | Uncredited Cameo | |
| 2008 | Over Her Dead Body | Dr. Henry Mills | |
| Forgetting Sarah Marshall | Chuck or "Kunu" | ||
| Role Models | Danny Donahue | Also Writer | |
| 2009 | I Love You, Man | Peter Klaven | |
| Monsters vs. Aliens | Derek | Voice Only | |
| Year One | Abel | Uncredited Cameo | |
| 2010 | Dinner for Schmucks | Tim Conrad | |
| How Do You Know | George Madison | ||
| 2011 | Our Idiot Brother | Ned | |
| Wanderlust | George | Producer, Post-Production | |
| 2012 | Casting By | Himself | Post-Production[18] |
| The Perks of Being a Wallflower | Bill | Filming [19] | |
| This is Forty (Knocked Up Spin-Off) | Pete | Pre-Production [20] |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992–1995 | Sisters | Kirby Quimby Philby | Recurring guest star |
| 1994 | Wild Oats | Brian Grant | Series regular |
| 1996 | Clueless | Sonny | Guest star, episode: "I Got You Babe" |
| 2000 | Deadline | Zander Price | Guest star, episode: "Lovers and Madmen" |
| Strangers with Candy | Brent Brooks | Guest star, episode: "The Last Temptation of Blank" | |
| 2002–2004 | Friends | Mike Hannigan | Recurring guest star 18 episodes |
| 2005 | Stella | Greg | Guest star, episode: "Office Party" |
| 2006 | Cheap Seats | Dave Penders | Guest star, episode: "1996 Spelling Bee: Part 2" |
| Robot Chicken | Jasper the Douchebag Ghost, Ang Lee | Guest star, episode: "Book of Corrine" | |
| 2006–2007 | Reno 911! | Guy Gerricault | Recurring guest star |
| 2007 | The Naked Trucker and T-Bones Show | Antagonistic Passenger | Guest star, episode: "Gold Watch" |
| Veronica Mars | Desmond Fellows | Guest star, episode: "Debasement Tapes" | |
| Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Kansas City Chiefs | Himself | Narrator | |
| 2008 | Little Britain USA | French president | Guest Star |
| Saturday Night Live | Himself | Host (November 15) | |
| 2009 | Delocated | Himself | Guest Star (February 13) |
| Saturday Night Live | Himself | Cameo (May 16) | |
| 2010 | Saturday Night Live | Himself | Cameo (March 6) |
| Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! | Himself, Celery Man, Oyster, Tayne | Guest star, episode: "Man Milk" | |
| The Simpsons | Homer's Therapist, Dr. Zander | Guest star, season 22 | |
| Saturday Night Live | Himself | Host (December 11) |
References
- ^ Paul Rudd interview: He's happy to have a job – any job.
- ^ Alfred Uhry by Paul Rudd
- ^ Vancheri, Barb (August 30, 2007). "Paul Rudd fondly re-members black-and-gold fever". Pittsburgh Post Gazette. Retrieved September 1, 2007.
{{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - ^ Bangitout.com: Movies that Bang! Hiller Movie Reviews: The Shape of Things (2003)
- ^ An `Object' of Affection: Talking with Paul Rudd
- ^ De Vries, Hilary (September 1, 2002). "Simply Rudd: Actor Paul Rudd may finally be ready to be the Next Big Thing... if he can just quit being an artist". HighBeam Research. Retrieved December 10, 2007.
{{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - ^ Weiner, Caren (April 26, 1998). "FILM; Suddenly the Object Of Much Attention". The New York Times. Retrieved December 10, 2007.
{{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - ^ Garron, Barry (October 23, 1994). "Actor takes his career in stride For Paul Rudd, the cancellation of 'Wild Oats is merely a bend in the road". The Kansas City Star. Retrieved November 10, 2008.
{{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - ^ Spotlight on Paul Rudd: Comedy's go-to guy improvises his next career move after Knocked Up
- ^ Mills, Nancy (July 26, 2010). "Paul Rudd's offbeat 'Dinner' date". Reading Eagle. Retrieved July 3, 20100.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) [dead link] - ^ Paul Rudd – Yahoo! TV
- ^ Question & answer with Paul Rudd
- ^ Heath, Chris (May 2009). "You Know You're Paul Rudd When..." GQ. Retrieved June 2, 2010.
{{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - ^ http://www.badaonline.com/127/alumni/alumni.html
- ^ YouTube: MAC AND ME (1988) – infamous wheelchair scene
- ^ Paul Rudd on Conan promoting Role Models
- ^ Visitkc.com story on Rudd's Kansas City area roots
- ^ Casting By at IMDb
- ^ The Perks of Being a Wallflower at IMDb
- ^ This Is Forty at IMDb
External links
- 1969 births
- Actors from Kansas
- Actors from New Jersey
- American film actors
- American Jews
- American people of Russian-Jewish descent
- American people of Polish-Jewish descent
- American stage actors
- American television actors
- American people of British-Jewish descent
- Jewish actors
- Jewish writers
- Living people
- People from Overland Park, Kansas
- People from Passaic, New Jersey
- University of Kansas alumni