21. Mr. Nice Guy
Even when Rudd jumps to new genres, he is still usually playing likeable characters. Rudd owns the label now, but does admit that being a nice guy was frustrating early in his career. During his twenties, he sometimes grew irritated with the branding he was given by execs, ranging from “has no edge” to “nothing dangerous.”
22. Woke up This Morning
Rudd’s family moved to Kansas City when he was 10, but he was born in Passaic, New Jersey. Most of Rudd’s early memories involve New Jersey or New York. As Rudd says, “My grandparents lived in every Sopranos location.” I wonder if his grandparents ever moved mid-sentence.
Adithyavr, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
23. Foreshadowing
As a child, Rudd had a phase where he was fascinated with English pop star Adam Ant. Rudd wanted to copy Ant’s look, even asking his mom to shave his scalp back so that he could emulate Ant’s receding hairline. His mom refused, but you have to respect Rudd’s dedication.
Aaron Rubin, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
24. Cool off
The lower back of the Ant-Man suit contained openings to which Rudd could connect tubes. These tubes were then connected to a briefcase containing cold water, allowing the cold water to be circulated through the suit, keeping Rudd cool on set.
25. Rudd Van Gogh
Rudd originally wanted to be a painter, with a graphic artist as a close backup option. His priorities changed thanks to an unnamed teacher who helped him “discover possibilities within.”
26. The Angry Lenexan
Ever read the angry letters that get sent to a newspaper editor? If you read Kansas newspapers back in the day, you might have come across the Angry Lenexan a.k.a. Paul Rudd’s dad. The nickname came from Rudd’s friends, but Mr. Rudd owned it, signing his letters with the name. The most frequent targets of the Angry Lenexan’s rage were people who criticized things such as stem cell research.
27. Across the Pond
Rudd believes his family stood out in Kansas. His parents were both non-religious Jews and also leaned farther left on the spectrum in comparison to their neighbors. However, Rudd still believes that Kansas City residents are genuinely happier and nicer than those who live elsewhere. Rudd says the kindness and happiness comes from living in an area “you know is not the cool place to be.”
28. Thespian
Rudd has graced the stage in Shakespearean productions, and director Sir Nicholas Hytner, who directed Rudd in Twelfth Night, praised Rudd for his “emotional and intellectual volatility.” High praise, since Sir Hytner is also the director of the National Theatre in London.
Roberto Ricciuti, Getty Images
29. Thanks?
Leslie Mann, Rudd’s Knocked Up and This is 40 co-star, describes him as someone who is “really good-looking, but he behaves like somebody who isn’t.”
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30. Thanks for the Memories
Rudd and Adam Scott (best known as Ben in Parks and Recreation) spent a lot of time together in their twenties while they navigated Hollywood. Scott affectionately remembers listening to music and drinking with Rudd until 6 a.m in Scott's apartment, which was apparently pretty run-down. As Rudd says, it was a "bad, filthy, dangerous location.” Ah, sounds like your early twenties.
Patrick McMullan, Getty Images
31. Real Talk
Rudd isn’t afraid to admit that a career in acting is ultimately about wanting attention. He finds it amusing when contestants on shows like American Idol try to rationalize the truth of this by saying, “I was born to sing.”
Kevork Djansezian, Getty Images
32. What’s His Secret?
Aside from playing nice guys, Rudd is also known for his immunity to aging. Rudd will be 50 next year, but could still pass for someone in his 30s. Rudd’s genes have lead his friend Jon Hamm to accuse him of drinking virgin’s blood to stay youthful.
33. Keeping Things Light
Humor plays a big part in grieving for Rudd, which is why serious moments in comedies he co-writes often include some jokes to soften the blow. He also recalls a cross-country road trip with some friends where he played a song that involved a blind father who dies. One of his friends took offence because his dad is blind, and Rudd responded with, “Well, my dad’s dead, so I win.” Rudd imagines his dad laughing at that joke.
34. No More Mr. Nice Guy
The scenes that Rudd finds to be the most emotional are the ones where nice guys snap and spill their emotions, whether it is in sadness or anger. In particular, Rudd remembers crying in the theater when he watched Timothy Spall’s breakdown scene in Secrets and Lies: “…one of the most profound moments I’ve ever experienced watching a movie.”
35. Family Time
Back when his son Jack was four years old, Rudd said he and Jack would regularly rewatch the 1985 Live Aid charity concert. Rudd described it as his favorite thing to do with his son, taking in the pop music of the 1980s with acts such as the Style Council and Ultravox.
Squelle, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
36. Avid Reader
Rudd loved comics as a kid, but superhero issues weren’t on the list. His go-tos were Dennis the Menace, The Bash Street Kids and Beano and Dandy: Desperate Dan.
37. Pinky Up
Growing up with English parents and visiting England while growing up led Rudd to adopt the most stereotypical English trait: The love of tea. He doesn’t hold the American-manufactured teas in high regard, being spoiled on UK-manufactured PG Tips. Milk is the only suitable addition.
38. One True Love
Following Clueless, Rudd appeared in Friends. Despite the show’s popularity, Rudd kept it real and describes the entire process as something foreign to him. Making a sitcom felt unnatural, and he compared the experience to his upbringing “being the Jew with English parents in Kansas.” However, Rudd was still able to make an impression as Mike, Phoebe’s love interest, and his performance led the writers to pencil him in as Phoebe’s eventual choice instead of the original choice, Hank Azaria’s David.
39. Tiny Dude Is Big Now
Captain America: Civil War was the first of his films that Rudd got to share with his son, Jack. Jack attended the premiere, and Rudd was “proud and nervous” for his son to see his work. As Rudd says, the best part of anything is sharing it with your family.
40. Odd Job Rudd
Rudd graduated from the Universty of Kansas with a theater degree and then decided he wanted to study at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. Rudd had worked a few odd jobs, like DJing and delivering newspapers, but one that stands out from this time was a job glazing hams for the Holiday Ham Company. Rudd describes the job as pretty monotonous, but his description of the process might make you hungry. Basically, he would move sugar from a tub onto a heated ham and then use a propane torch to melt the sugar and turn it into a glaze. Rudd still remembers going home smelling like ham everyday. The smell also earned him the nickname of "Paul Ham Glazer," a play on actor Paul Michael Glaser from Starsky and Hutch.
41. Exposed
Like the best of us, Rudd had his own awkward moments during puberty. Adolescence brought on some pretty bad acne, and for a while Rudd refused to pop any of his zits since he worried doing so would leave scars. Lo and behold, Rudd was hanging out with friends (including a girl he liked, Kelly) at a football game and had a “swimming pool” of pus on his chin. In true Rudd fashion, he resorted to self-deprecating humor, joking about the zit to play it off. It must have worked out, because Kelly was his first kiss.
42. City of Broken Dreams
Just before he started shooting Clueless, Rudd lost a friend in a car crash in LA, and he began to resent the town. He was then mugged and shot at while filming the cult hit. In fact, he had to go into work the very next day after the attack to film the club scene, still shaken. After some advice from a fellow actor, Rudd was finally convinced to make the move to New York.
