# Paul Rudd
**Paul Rudd** (born 1969) is an American actor known for a three-decade career that runs from the 1995 teen comedy *Clueless* through studio comedies of the 2000s to the Marvel superhero Ant-Man, along with a recurring television presence on *Friends* and *Only Murders in the Building*. His public image as an unusually amiable performer has stayed steady even as his roles have included embittered cynics and buffoons.[1](https://www.biography.com/actors/paul-rudd) • [2](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/jul/09/paul-rudd-ant-man-hollywoods-nice-guy-english-parents-kansas)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | Paul Stephen Rudd, 1969, Passaic, New Jersey, to British parents; raised primarily in Overland Park, Kansas[1](https://www.biography.com/actors/paul-rudd) |
| Breakthrough | Josh, the love interest in *Clueless* (1995)[3](https://www.tomsguide.com/entertainment/streaming/5-best-paul-rudd-movies-ranked) |
| Comedy turning point | *Anchorman* (2004) and *The 40-Year-Old Virgin*, which he credited with taking his career in a new direction[2](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/jul/09/paul-rudd-ant-man-hollywoods-nice-guy-english-parents-kansas) |
| Superhero role | Scott Lang / Ant-Man from 2015, in three standalone films plus *Captain America: Civil War* and *Avengers: Endgame*[3](https://www.tomsguide.com/entertainment/streaming/5-best-paul-rudd-movies-ranked) |
| Writing and producing credits | Co-wrote *Role Models* (2008) and the film *Ant-Man*; co-created the cult series *Party Down*[4](https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/article/how-role-models-made-paul-rudd-a-bankable-leading-man/) |
| Nominations | Emmy, SAG, and Golden Globe nominated actor, producer, and writer[5](https://d13jj08vfqimqg.cloudfront.net/uploads/press_release/document/834/TF26_Talks__Reunions_%2B_Retrospectives_Announcement.pdf) |
| Family | Married to Julie Yaeger since 2003; a son, Jack, and a daughter, Darby[1](https://www.biography.com/actors/paul-rudd) |
## Early life and training
Rudd was born in [Passaic, New Jersey](https://www.edgepedia.org/passaic-new-jersey), in 1969 to British parents, and his family moved frequently before settling in [Overland Park, Kansas](https://www.edgepedia.org/overland-park-kansas), when he was 10. His father worked for the airline TWA. In interviews Rudd has connected his comic persona to that childhood: always the new kid at school, with British parents and a Jewish background that set him apart in Kansas, he learned he could be accepted by making people laugh at his own expense. Watching his father laugh at *Monty Python* planted the idea of comedy as a career.[2](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/jul/09/paul-rudd-ant-man-hollywoods-nice-guy-english-parents-kansas)
He enrolled at the [University of Kansas](https://www.edgepedia.org/university-of-kansas) to study drama, earned the Spencer Tracy Scholarship after two years of honors work to study at the [American Academy of Dramatic Arts](https://www.edgepedia.org/american-academy-of-dramatic-arts) in Los Angeles, and later attended a three-month workshop at Oxford University's British Drama Academy, where he helped produce a [Globe Theatre](https://www.edgepedia.org/globe-theatre) production of Howard Brenton's *Bloody Poetry* and played the title role in *Hamlet* in a production directed by Ben Kingsley.[1](https://www.biography.com/actors/paul-rudd)
## 1990s: debut and breakthrough
Returning to the United States in the early 1990s, Rudd took a recurring television role as aspiring filmmaker Kirby Philby on the NBC drama *Sisters*, appeared in the short-lived sitcom *Wild Oats* (1994), and made his feature debut as Tommy Doyle in *Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers* (1995), a part he predicted he would be teased about.[1](https://www.biography.com/actors/paul-rudd)
The same year brought *Clueless*, in which he played Josh, the college-aged stepbrother and eventual love interest of [Alicia Silverstone](https://www.edgepedia.org/alicia-silverstone)'s Cher in the comedy's modernized retelling of [Jane Austen](https://www.edgepedia.org/jane-austen)'s *Emma*. The film was a sleeper hit and became his best-known early credit; he later said he was simply happy to be part of something that struck a chord with so many people, calling its success "just a fluke."[3](https://www.tomsguide.com/entertainment/streaming/5-best-paul-rudd-movies-ranked) • [2](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/jul/09/paul-rudd-ant-man-hollywoods-nice-guy-english-parents-kansas) He also appeared briefly in [Baz Luhrmann](https://www.edgepedia.org/baz-luhrmann)'s *Romeo + Juliet* and took lead parts in romantic comedies that reached smaller audiences, and played a World War II pilot in *The Cider House Rules* (1999).[6](https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/guide/all-paul-rudd-movies-ranked) • [1](https://www.biography.com/actors/paul-rudd)
## 2000s: the comedy run
Rudd's career changed course in 2004 with *Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy*, where he played reporter Brian Fantana, followed by *The 40-Year-Old Virgin* (2005). He credited these two films with taking his career in a new direction after the 1990s heartthrob roles.[2](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/jul/09/paul-rudd-ant-man-hollywoods-nice-guy-english-parents-kansas) Both films connected him to producer-director [Judd Apatow](https://www.edgepedia.org/judd-apatow), and he became a recurring presence in that circle, including *Knocked Up* (2007), in which he and [Leslie Mann](https://www.edgepedia.org/leslie-mann) played the more settled married couple opposite [Seth Rogen](https://www.edgepedia.org/seth-rogen) and Katherine Heigl's new parents.[3](https://www.tomsguide.com/entertainment/streaming/5-best-paul-rudd-movies-ranked)
**First lead hits.** *Role Models* (2008), which Rudd co-wrote and in which he starred as the misanthropic Danny opposite [Seann William Scott](https://www.edgepedia.org/seann-william-scott), has been described as his first hit as a leading actor. In the same period he co-created the cult comedy series *Party Down*, which drew partly on his own experience emceeing at bar mitzvahs.[4](https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/article/how-role-models-made-paul-rudd-a-bankable-leading-man/) • [7](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2013/sep/29/paul-rudd-prince-avalanche-anchorman-2) His other signature comedy from the era is *I Love You, Man* (2009), a bromance pairing him with [Jason Segel](https://www.edgepedia.org/jason-segel).[3](https://www.tomsguide.com/entertainment/streaming/5-best-paul-rudd-movies-ranked) Reviewers of the period also note his lighter, absurd turns, such as camp counselor Andy in *Wet Hot American Summer* (2001), a film that became a cult favorite.[2](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/jul/09/paul-rudd-ant-man-hollywoods-nice-guy-english-parents-kansas)
## Ant-Man and the MCU
Rudd joined the [Marvel Cinematic Universe](https://www.edgepedia.org/marvel-cinematic-universe) in 2015 as Scott Lang, the ex-convict who becomes the shrinking hero Ant-Man. The production had a rocky development: original director [Edgar Wright](https://www.edgepedia.org/edgar-wright), who had co-written the screenplay with Joe Cornish, left over creative differences during pre-production and was replaced by Peyton Reed; the film went on to become a critical and commercial success.[4](https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/article/how-role-models-made-paul-rudd-a-bankable-leading-man/) Rudd himself co-wrote the script with Adam McKay, describing their work as a substantial rewrite intended to stay faithful to Wright and Cornish's draft while opening it up.[2](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/jul/09/paul-rudd-ant-man-hollywoods-nice-guy-english-parents-kansas) He has said the role made sense to him precisely because Ant-Man is a regular person rather than someone born with superhuman ability.[8](https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2023/02/16/paul-rudd-antman-quantumania-interview/)
He reprised the part in *Captain America: Civil War* (2016), *Ant-Man and the Wasp* (2018), *Avengers: Endgame* (2019), and *Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania* (2023), and is slated to appear in 2026's *Avengers: Doomsday*.[3](https://www.tomsguide.com/entertainment/streaming/5-best-paul-rudd-movies-ranked) *Endgame* ranks among the highest-grossing films ever made.[8](https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2023/02/16/paul-rudd-antman-quantumania-interview/) The third standalone film drew mixed reviews: critics noted Rudd's enduring appeal even as the movie's larger scale divided reviewers, with some ranking it near the bottom of the MCU.[9](https://time.com/6999341/best-marvel-movies-ranked/)
## Television and later work
Rudd's television credits include the recurring role of Mike Hannigan, Phoebe's boyfriend and eventually husband, on *Friends* from 2002, which he described somewhat dismissively, saying he mainly felt out of place on a sitcom set.[1](https://www.biography.com/actors/paul-rudd) • [2](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/jul/09/paul-rudd-ant-man-hollywoods-nice-guy-english-parents-kansas) In 2019 he starred in Netflix's *Living with Yourself*, playing both a depressed man and his improved clone, a dual role that earned a Golden Globe nomination.[1](https://www.biography.com/actors/paul-rudd) • [10](https://www.backstage.com/magazine/article/paul-rudd-acting-advice-69758/) He has had an Emmy-nominated turn in *Only Murders in the Building*.[3](https://www.tomsguide.com/entertainment/streaming/5-best-paul-rudd-movies-ranked)
In 2025 he co-starred with Tim Robinson in *Friendship*, the A24 debut feature of writer-director Andrew DeYoung, playing Austin Carmichael, a charismatic weatherman whose budding friendship with Robinson's socially awkward suburban dad curdles. The film's satirical take on male loneliness drew broad critical attention.[11](https://apnews.com/article/b3a265f347c30d1399d7941a8cda1829) Upcoming projects include *The Statement*, a darkly comic drama based on Nathaniel Rich's book *Losing Earth*, directed by Tom McCarthy and executive produced by Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, which began shooting in 2026.[12](https://www.axios.com/local/new-orleans/2026/03/02/paul-rudd-movie-the-statement-filming-louisiana)
## Image and off-screen work
Rudd's reputational signature is likability. Interviewers and co-stars repeatedly describe his niceness; Amy Poehler has called him "Mr Perfect" and Stephen Colbert, breaking his on-air persona, called him "the nicest person on the planet." He is also known for a running joke of showing a clip from the poorly received film *Mac and Me* instead of a clip from whatever film he is promoting on *Conan*.[2](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/jul/09/paul-rudd-ant-man-hollywoods-nice-guy-english-parents-kansas) • [4](https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/article/how-role-models-made-paul-rudd-a-bankable-leading-man/)
He has described his own approach to acting as wanting to be a working, "viable" actor rather than a star, comparing a career built in pieces to yard work, and he has said he came to terms early on that he would not have the kind of career of a Brad Pitt. He lives in New York, has been married since 2003, and credits steady theater work between films, including *The Last Night of Ballyhoo*, with grounding his career.[7](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2013/sep/29/paul-rudd-prince-avalanche-anchorman-2) • [2](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/jul/09/paul-rudd-ant-man-hollywoods-nice-guy-english-parents-kansas)
## References
1. [Paul Rudd Biography, Biography.com](https://www.biography.com/actors/paul-rudd)
2. [Paul Rudd on Ant-Man, being Hollywood's go-to nice guy and growing up with English parents in Kansas, The Guardian (2015)](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/jul/09/paul-rudd-ant-man-hollywoods-nice-guy-english-parents-kansas)
3. [5 best Paul Rudd movies, ranked, Tom's Guide (2025)](https://www.tomsguide.com/entertainment/streaming/5-best-paul-rudd-movies-ranked)
4. [How Role Models Made Paul Rudd a Bankable Leading Man, Rotten Tomatoes (2018)](https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/article/how-role-models-made-paul-rudd-a-bankable-leading-man/)
5. [Tribeca Festival 2026 Talks, Reunions + Retrospectives Announcement](https://d13jj08vfqimqg.cloudfront.net/uploads/press_release/document/834/TF26_Talks__Reunions_%2B_Retrospectives_Announcement.pdf)
6. [All Paul Rudd Movies Ranked | Rotten Tomatoes](https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/guide/all-paul-rudd-movies-ranked)
7. [Paul Rudd: Hollywood's most lovable man, The Guardian/Observer (2013)](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2013/sep/29/paul-rudd-prince-avalanche-anchorman-2)
8. [Paul Rudd became Ant-Man and remained Paul Rudd, The Washington Post (2023)](https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2023/02/16/paul-rudd-antman-quantumania-interview/)
9. [Every Movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Ranked, TIME](https://time.com/6999341/best-marvel-movies-ranked/)
10. [Paul Rudd's Best Acting Advice for Marvel and Netflix, Backstage](https://www.backstage.com/magazine/article/paul-rudd-acting-advice-69758/)
11. [Movie Review: Dark bromance 'Friendship' hysterically explores modern men's awkward embrace, AP News (2025)](https://apnews.com/article/b3a265f347c30d1399d7941a8cda1829)
12. [Paul Rudd to film movie in New Orleans, Axios New Orleans (2026)](https://www.axios.com/local/new-orleans/2026/03/02/paul-rudd-movie-the-statement-filming-louisiana)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › American actors: 2000s onward › Surnames Ro to R*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license