With aspirations of being a working actor, he studied theater at the University of Kansas, the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and overseas at the British American Drama Academy in Oxford, England. He did odd jobs and even DJ’ed at local bat and bar mitzvahs as a side hustle until he landed his first on-camera gig in 1992. (The trivia answer: Playing AshleyJudd’s boyfriend on the NBC drama Sisters.) “The one thing I have had, I must say, is tenacity and focus and drive,” he says. “I didn’t just fall into this. I had to make a concerted effort because nobody in my family had ever done it.” Looking back on his impressive 30-year career, he notes “I’ve had an interesting ride where I feel like Forrest Gump and have found myself mixed up in all these different worlds.” Rudd has a point: He’s the rare actor who enjoyed a recurring role on Friends (as the husband of LisaKudrow’s Phoebe), is a regular on director JuddApatow’s comedy circuit (The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Knocked Up, This Is 40), and, with his role as bionic thief-turned-superhero Ant-Man, is part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He also singles out comedy favorites Clueless (1995), Wet Hot American Summer (2001) and Anchorman (2004), telling DanAykroyd that he’d “for sure” do a third film for the latter. He’s hosted SNL four times and holds his first go-round in 2008 closest to his heart. Taking the stage just two weeks after his father died, “it was a bit strange and surreal to be completely honest because I was dealing with the aftermath of a loved one passing away,” he says. “But I remember doing it thinking my dad knew that I was hosting this show and was so excited for me and so I was excited to do it.” Plus, he basked in the thrill of a 90-minute live variety show: “There’s just elation when it’s over because nothing beats that adrenaline rush.” With that working actor’s mentality, Rudd has little free time. His new offbeat comedy series with WillFerrell, The Shrink Next Door, just premiered on Apple TV+. He’s been filming the Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania in London and used a rare break to fly home to the downtown New York City apartment he shares with his former publicist wife, JulieYaeger, and their two school-aged kids, Jack and Darby. “I have to go back to England in a few days,” he says. And yet he didn’t hesitate to sign on for Ghostbusters: Afterlife, which filmed in Alberta, Canada, pre-pandemic. “I got the script and of course I had to do it,” he says. “I’ve been able to sustain my career, which is exciting. But now to find myself in situations even like where I’m working and now I’m on a call with Dan and we’re talking about Ghostbusters? It becomes too much to process, really. I’m still pinching myself.” Next, Ghostbusters: Afterlife Director Jason Reitman Says He Was ‘Scared of This Project’ But Eventually ‘Developed the Courage’ to Carry of His Father’s Legacy
