- Tom O'Brien, Chris Beachum, Misty Holland
- Film
Photo by Lia Toby/Getty Images
Besides being famous for never aging a day in his life, Paul Rudd is living proof that being a terrific actor and the nicest guy in show business are terms that aren’t mutually exclusive. A classically-trained actor, Rudd realized early on that comedy was his forte, and he soon found himself much in demand for television work. Not surprisingly, his feature film debut was in a comedy, Amy Heckerling‘s 1995 “Clueless,” which brought Rudd the best reviews of his still-growing career. More film work followed, mostly in comedy but occasionally in dramas, one of which, 1999’s “The Cider House Rules,” brought Rudd his first SAG Award nomination as part of that film’s ensemble cast.
With 2004’s “Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy,” Rudd began a collaboration with filmmaker Judd Apatow that would change his career. Over the next decade, Rudd would co-star in six films that were either produced or directed by Apatow that remain among the most successful of the young actor’s career. Whether he played the loyal best friend or took on a wild character part, Rudd was always there to provide a laugh just when it was needed most.
So let’s raise a glass and offer a toast by ranking and counting down, from worst to best, his 12 top screen performances! Our photo gallery includes ‘Ant-Man,’ ‘Knocked Up,’ ‘Wet Hot American Summer’ and more.
12. WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE’S ROMEO + JULIET (1996)
Director: Baz Luhrmann.
Writers: Craig Pearce, Baz Luhrmann.
Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Claire Danes, Brian Dennehy, John Leguizamo, Paul Rudd, Harold Perrineau, Pete Postlethwaite.
In traditional productions of Shakespeare’s tragedy, the character of Count Paris, a nobleman who wishes to marry the fair Juliet, is usually portrayed as being a bit of a dullard. However, in Baz Luhrmann’s modern dress version, Rudd’s Dave Paris adorns magazine covers as “Bachelor of the Year!” with all eyes on his astronaut costume at Verona’s chicest masquerade party of the season. It’s a delightfully fresh take on the otherwise uptight character, even though Rudd’s beaming face as Paris will prove to be no rival to Leonardo DiCaprio’s bedroom eyes as Romeo.
11. ROLE MODELS (2008)
Director: David Wain.
Writers: David Wain, Paul Rudd, Ken Marino, Timothy Darling.
Starring Paul Rudd, Seann William Scott, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Elizabeth Banks, Jane Lynch.
Rudd received his first screenwriting credit for this 2008 comedy in which he portrays energy drink salesman Danny, who is ordered, along with his partner Wheeler (Seann William Scott), to perform 150 hours of community service pairing children with adult role models. It does not go well. Rudd and Scott have an appealing bro chemistry together, and although the raunch is ever-present, there’s a sweetness to the film’s screenplay that tempers the gross-out moments. A who’s who of comic character actors offer solid support as well.
10. WET HOT AMERICAN SUMMER (2001, 2015, 2017)
Director: David Wain.
Writers: David Wain, Michael Showalter.
Starring Janeane Garafolo, David Hyde Pierce, Paul Rudd, Christopher Meloni, Bradley Cooper, Amy Poehler, Molly Shannon.
When it was first released in 2001, David Wain’s low-budget summer camp comedy looked like it would be quickly forgotten. But over the years, it began to gather a cult following, thanks largely to its little-known cast becoming major comedy stars in the intervening years. Rudd plays Andy, a cad of a counselor at Camp Firewood, where he is dating the sweet Katie but cheating on her behind her back, and everybody knows it. The actors seem to be having a blast with the silly material (Rudd primarily among them), so it’s little wonder that most of the cast, including Rudd, returned for a prequel miniseries in 2015 and a sequel series two years later.
9. FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL (2008)
Director: Nicholas Stoller.
Writer: Jason Segel.
Starring Jason Segel, Kristen Bell, Russell Brand, Mila Kunis, Bill Hader, Jonah Hill, Paul Rudd, Liz Cackowski.
With Bill Hader taking on Rudd’s usual role as the hero’s best friend, Rudd is free to let loose as Chuck, the surfing instructor at a posh Hawaiian resort who teaches our hero Peter (Jason Segel) how to ride the waves. Chuck, who insists on being called by his Hawaiian name (Kunu) and would be considered an air-head by any name, is the kind of instructor who insists that, even if he is bitten by a shark, Peter should keep on surfing. Yeah, that guy. Because of his intelligent demeanor as an actor, Rudd rarely gets the opportunity to portray morons, so that watching him here being all kinds of stupid is an absolute joy.
8. THE CIDER HOUSE RULES (1999)
Director: Lasse Hallström.
Writer: John Irving, based on his novel.
Starring Tobey Maguire, Michael Caine, Charlize Theron, Paul Rudd, Erykah Badu, Delroy Lindo, Kieran Culkin, J.K. Simmons.
Though he had been primarily known for his comedy chops, Rudd slid effortlessly into the dramatic ensemble of director Lasse Hallström’s film version of John Irving’s best-selling novel. Rudd’s Wally Worthington, a young soldier on military leave, visits the medical clinic of Dr. Wilbur Larch (Oscar winner Michael Caine) with his girlfriend Candy Kendall (Charlize Theron) in search of an abortion, and his scenes with both Theron and Tobey Maguire (as Dr. Lynch’s assistant) are among the loveliest in the film. As a member of the film’s ensemble cast, Rudd earned his first nomination for the Screen Actors Guild Award.
7. THE 40 YEAR-OLD VIRGIN (2005)
Director: Judd Apatow.
Writers: Steve Carell, Judd Apatow.
Starring Steve Carell, Catherine Keener, Paul Rudd, Romany Malco, Seth Rogen, Elizabeth Banks, Leslie Mann, Jane Lynch, Mindy Kaling.
The idea of helping out your best buddy from work is raised to new heights in Judd Apatow’s hit comedy in which word gets out that shy Andy Stitzer (Steve Carell), aged 40, has never had sex. David (Rudd), his best friend at work who is a bit of a mess himself, kindly tries to help his pal’s predicament by introducing him to speed dating, reuniting him with his ex-girlfriend (Mindy Kaling) and even lending Andy his own porn stash, because that’s what friends are for. Rudd’s comic chemistry with his “Anchorman” co-star Carell, so strong in that film, is on full blast once again here.
6. THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER (2012)
Writer/Director: Stephen Chbosky, based on his novel.
Starring Logan Lerman, Emma Watson, Ezra Miller, Mae Whitman, Paul Rudd, Nina Dobrev, Dylan McDermott, Melanie Lynskey.
Whether it’s the roles he plays or just great P.R., Rudd has always had the image of being a super nice guy who’s always going to have your back in support. If the image is truly a misunderstanding, then blame it on Rudd’s performance as Mr. Anderson, the kindly English teacher in Stephen Chbosky’s beloved teen drama. Mr. Anderson is every supportive teacher that we all wish we had, and the empathy that Rudd brings to the role and the genuine encouragement that Mr. Anderson shows to wallflower Charlie (Logan Lerman) results in one of the standout performances of Rudd’s career.
5. I LOVE YOU, MAN (2009)
Director: John Hamburg.
Writers: John Hamburg, Larry Levin.
Starring Paul Rudd, Jason Segel, Rashida Jones, Andy Samberg, J.K. Simmons, Jane Curtin.
Though they are once again strongly supported by a bevy of hilarious comic actors, “I Love You, Man” is at its core “The Paul and Jason Show,” and that’s just fine. Nervous groom Peter Klaven (Rudd) realizes that he has no one to stand up for him on his wedding day, so he quickly conducts a frantic search for an instant best man. His final choice, Sydney Fife (Jason Segel), is so perfect for the job that he and Peter conduct a whirlwind romance that is so blissful that Peter’s fiancee Zoey (Rashida Jones) becomes extremely jealous. Sometimes it’s enough for a movie just to be funny, and Rudd’s performance here seals that deal.
4. CLUELESS (1995)
Writer/Director: Amy Heckerling.
Starring Alicia Silverstone, Stacy Dash, Brittany Murphy, Paul Rudd, Donald Faison, Jeremy Sisto, Elisa Donovan, Dan Hedaya.
Rudd’s screen debut was an impressive one, co-starring in Amy Heckerling’s classic coming-of-age comedy loosely based on the Jane Austen novel “Emma.” The primary hobby of carefree high school student Cher Horowitz (Alicia Silverstone) is making love matches for others at school, and, in her spare time, she bickers with her know-it-all stepbrother Josh (Rudd), who is home from college and whom she absolutely loathes. That is, for now. Rudd’s sparring scenes with Silverstone are among the core joys of the film and launched Rudd’s film comedy career on an impressively high note.
3. ANCHORMAN: THE LEGEND OF RON BURGUNDY (2004, 2013)
Director: Adam McKay.
Writers: Will Ferrell, Adam McKay.
Starring Will Ferrell, Christina Applegate, Paul Rudd, Steve Carell, David Koechner, Chris Parnell, Kathryn Hahn.
In the mid-1970s, mustachioed lothario Brian Fantana (Rudd) prowls the local San Diego newsroom wearing his signature cologne Sex Panther (“It’s made with bits of real panther, so you know it’s good”) before he goes on the air every night with legendary anchorman Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell) to deliver the latest news. In Adam McKay’s comedy (which spawned a 2013 sequel), Rudd created one of his signature roles with Brian, who’s a hilarious mixture of lounge lizard sleaziness and utterly sincere phoniness. A gem.
2. KNOCKED UP (2007) / THIS IS 40 (2012)
Writer/Director: Judd Apatow.
Starring Paul Rudd, Leslie Mann, Jason Segel, Maude Apatow, Iris Apatow.
With his two films “Knocked Up” and “This is 40,” writer/director Judd Apatow gave Rudd and Leslie Mann a unique opportunity to develop their characters — Pete, a rock talent scout turned record shop owner and Debbie, owner of a unique boutique — from supporting roles in the first film to the primary characters in the second. As they both face the fact that they are both turning 40 and that time may be running out to do something meaningful with their lives, Pete and Debbie find that same pressure tearing their marriage apart at the seams. Rudd and Mann come for the smart laughs in “Knocked Up” and stay for the memorable anxiety of “This is 40.”
1. As Scott Lang/Ant-Man in the MCU Universe (2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2023)
While the dual roles of likeable thief Scott Lang and miniaturized superhero Ant-Man may not be the deepest roles that Rudd has been given the chance to play, they have, in the course of five films, offered the actor the golden opportunity to show his stuff in a variety of genres, from action to drama and from comedy to adventure. At the same time, amid the CGI wizardry and traditional Marvel bombast, there are enough moments throughout the “Ant-Man” series in which Rudd can simply act with such screen giants as Michael Douglas and Michelle Pfeiffer, and that’s when Rudd the actor really gets to shine.
