Paul Rudd

Photo of Paul Rudd

Biography

Armed with effortless charm and a disarming smile, actor Paul Rudd made his name on stage and screen in a number of notable projects, as well as cultivating an avid following as both a sensitive leading man and as a comic foil. While he became vaguely recognizable thanks to several prominent film and television roles - namely as Alicia Silverstone's know-it-all stepbrother in "Clueless" (1995), Phoebe's husband on "Friends" (NBC, 1994-2004), …
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Job Title

Actor, Producer, Writer, Music

Born

Paul Stephen Rudd on April 6, 1969 in Passaic, New Jersey, USA

Career Milestones

2012

Reprised "Knocked Up" role in "This Is 40," co-starring Leslie Mann and directed by Apatow

2012

Played Logan Lerman's English teacher in feature adaptation of "The Perks of Being a Wallflower," written and directed by the novel's author Stephen Chbosky

2012

Co-starred with Jennifer Aniston as a married couple who try to escape modern society in "Wanderlust"; also produced

2011

Played the title role in the comedy "Our Idiot Brother"

2010

Co-starred with Reese Witherspoon, Owen Wilson and Jack Nicholson in James L. Brooks' "How Do You Know"

2010

Co-starred opposite Steve Carell in the comedy "Dinner for Schmucks"

2009

Voiced Reese Witherspoon's fiancé in the computer-animated 3-D feature "Monsters vs. Aliens"

2009

Co-starred with Jason Segel in the comedy "I Love You, Man"

2008

Co-wrote (with David Wain) the comedy feature "Role Models"; also co-starred with Seann William Scott

2008

Played a supporting role in the Apatow produced comedy "Forgetting Sarah Marshall"

2007

Starred as Katherine Heigl's brother-in-law in the Judd Apatow directed "Knocked Up"

2006

Joined Bradley Cooper and Julia Roberts in the Broadway production of Richard Greenberg's "Three Days of Rain"

2005

Cast as Steve Carell's buddy in Judd Apatow's "The 40 Year-Old Virgin"

2004

Portrayed journalist Brian Fantana in the comedy "Anchorman" with Will Ferrell

2003

Starred in "House Hunting" with Zooey Deschanel and Felicity Huffman, written and directed by Amy Lippman

2003

Reprised role of Adam in the film adaptation of Neil LaBute's "The Shape of Things"

2002

Played the recurring role of Mike Hannigan, the boyfriend and later husband of Lisa Kudrow's Phoebe Buffay on "Friends" (NBC)

2001

Played Adam in Neil LaBute's London stage production of "The Shape of Things"

2001

Portrayed Nick Carraway in the A&E adaptation of "The Great Gatsby"

2000

Made London stage debut playing Jamie Tyrone in "Long Day's Journey Into Night"

2000

Starred opposite Andie MacDowell in the short "Reaching Normal," written and directed by Anne Heche; screened at Sundance before airing on Showtime

1999

Co-starred as WWII pilot Wally Worthington in "The Cider House Rules"

1999

Appeared as a recently jilted guy depressed over his love life in the indie comedy "200 Cigarettes"

1998

Returned to Broadway stage as Orsino to Helen Hunt's Viola in "Twelfth Night"; production aired on PBS' "Live From Lincoln Center" under the direction of Kirk Browning (August 30)

1998

Appeared in first leading role in a mainstream feature as a gay schoolteacher who befriends an unwed pregnant woman (Jennifer Aniston) in "The Object of My Affection," directed by Nicholas Hytner

1997

Made Broadway stage debut in Alfred Uhry's "The Last Night of Ballyhoo"

1997

Reteamed with Ashley Judd in "The Locusts"

1996

Made guest appearance on sitcom adaptation of "Clueless" (ABC) as a date of Cher (Rachel Blanchard)

1996

Portrayed glibly preppy Dave Paris in Baz Lurhmann's "William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet"

1995

Landed breakthrough screen role in "Clueless" as Josh, the stepbrother and would-be love interest of Alicia Silverstone's Beverly Hills socialite Cher Horowitz

1995

Cast in feature film debut "Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers" (filmed before "Clueless," but released after)

1994

Co-starred on short-lived Fox sitcom "Wild Oats"

1993

Made TV miniseries debut in "The Fire Next Time" (CBS)

1992

Made TV acting debut as Kirby Philby, the husband of Reed Halsey (originated by Ashley Judd and then played by Noelle Parker) on NBC series "Sisters"

Raised in Overland Park, KS

Awards

2012

Critics' Choice TV Award for Best Guest Performer in a Comedy Series in Parks and Recreation

2012

Critics' Choice Award for Best Actor in a Comedy in This Is 40

2010

MTV Movie Award for Best Kiss in I Love You, Man

2009

MTV Movie Award for Best Kiss in I Love You, Man

2006

MTV Movie Award for Best On-Screen Team in The 40-Year-Old Virgin

2005

MTV Movie Award for Best Musical Performance in Anchorman

2005

MTV Movie Award for Best On-Screen Team in Anchorman

2000

Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture in The Cider House Rules