Paul Rudd picks out his two funniest comedy movies
Paul Rudd, that affable and weirdly ageless actor, has carved a unique path through Hollywood. With a career spanning decades, he’s seamlessly transitioned from teen heartthrob to comic heavyweight to versatile leading man and bonafide superhero in the gargantuan MCU. However, it’s his undeniable presence in the American comedy landscape that has cemented his status as a beloved figure in modern entertainment.
Rudd’s journey to stardom began with relatively humble origins in television and film. Early roles on popular shows like Friends and Clueless catapulted him into the limelight, endearing him to audiences with his charming wit and boyish good looks. But it was his knack for comedy that truly set him apart — and will undoubtedly be what the actor is most remembered for.
Fast forward to the present, and Rudd is now a household name, thanks in no small part to his numerous collaborations with Judd Apatow in comedies like The 40-Year-Old Virgin and This Is 40. In a recent video interview with GQ, Rudd delved into his eclectic career, shining a spotlight on two of his comedies that hold a special place in his heart and that stand out to him as the “two funniest” films he’d done: Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy and Wet Hot American Summer.
While discussing his role in the 2004 hit Anchorman, Rudd revealed his initial reaction to the script, which involved him reading it twice. “It’s rare to read a script that it’s just so fun to read just you that you want to reread for pleasure and certainly with comedies. I did that with Wet Hot American Summer, and then I did that again with Anchorman,” Rudd explains.
Probably the most well-known of the two, and undoubtedly the most quotable, is Anchorman. Directed by Adam McKay, the film became a genuine cult classic that redefined the genre entirely. In it, Rudd plays Brian Fantana, a character Rudd describes as having “unearned confidence”, which nevertheless masks his “staggering insecurity”.
Following the shenanigans of a news crew in 1970s San Diego, the film’s “absurdity” and “meta” elements resonated with Rudd, who appreciated the script’s unconventional approach. He described working with comic legend Will Ferrell and McKay as “just bliss” and how their collaboration was a whole different way of working on a big-budget movie: “It was thrilling”.
Three years earlier, David Wain’s comedy classic Wet Hot American Summer offered a wildly different comedic experience. Set in a summer camp in 1981, the film took place in a real, working camp, which caused the production to halt halfway through when it was “booked out for a bar mitzvah.” Rudd reminisced about the shoot as nothing short of “a blast” and highlighted the camaraderie on set, where actors would watch each other’s scenes when not filming. He recalled the cast’s “collective” awareness that the film may not be for everyone but that those “who do get it will find it really funny.” Over 20 years later, we’re pretty sure everyone did get it.
