Paul Rudd sat down for a virtual chat with his Marvel co-star Chris Evans as part of the digital series Variety Studio: Actors on Actors.
The hysterical co-stars touched on every topic from paycheck size to the myth that Rudd ‘doesn’t age’ and the 51-year-old opened up about his experience as a recurring character on Friends, admitting that he felt like a ‘prop’.
From 2002-2004 Rudd played Phoebe’s love interest and eventual husband Mike Hannigan on the iconic NBC sitcom.
Candid conversation: Paul Rudd sat down for a virtual chat with his Marvel co-star Chris Evans as part of the digital series Variety Studio: Actors on Actors and revealed he felt like a ‘prop’ while filming Friends
‘In something like Friends, the show was about them, but it’s an interesting thing to be a part of,’ Paul told Chris Evans. ‘I was only in it for just a blip.’
‘I felt, “I’m like a prop on this show. It’s not about Mike Hannigan,”‘ he continued. ‘But there’s a very interesting feeling to be a part of something that has that kind of profound impact on pop culture.’
Rudd’s assessment might not be too off track since when Lisa Kudrow was asked by ET in 2016 about what her character would be up to in the future, she barely remembered that Phoebe married Mike.
During that interview, Courteney Cox couldn’t recall that Rudd had played Mike and had no memory of their wedding episode.
‘In something like Friends, the show was about them, but it’s an interesting thing to be a part of,’ Paul told Chris Evans. ‘I was only in it for just a blip.’
Chatting: The hysterical co-stars touched on every topic during the interview from paycheck size to the myth that Rudd ‘doesn’t age’
Phoebe first connected with Mike in the series’ penultimate season when Joey forgot to find someone to accompany her on a double date, so he just called out for a random person named ‘Mike’ in the coffee shop.
Their character’s dated on and off through the ninth and tenth seasons, and she ultimately married him at the end of the series after a brief flirtation with a first-season fling, played by Hank Azaria.
Despite the nearly 15 years since Rudd guest starred on the show, he doesn’t seem to have aged a bit. His Picture of Dorian Gray-eqsue ability to stay looking so young has become a modern Hollywood urban legend.
Iconic: From 2002-2004 Rudd played Phoebe’s love interest and eventual husband Mike Hannigan on the iconic NBC sitcom
‘I felt, “I’m like a prop on this show. It’s not about Mike Hannigan,”‘ he continued. ‘But there’s a very interesting feeling to be a part of something that has that kind of profound impact on pop culture.’
‘Why don’t you age?’ Evans asked him during their Actors on Actors talk. He added jokingly: ‘Are you drinking baby blood?’
‘I most certainly age,’ Rudd responded, in spite of all evidence to the contrary.
During their chat, the Hollywood hunks also discussed working together in the Marvel Cinematic Universe where Evans is Captain America and Rudd suits up as Ant-Man.
‘There’s pressure at every single movie you’re making in the Marvel world. You don’t want to be the weak link,’ Rudd said.
‘Why don’t you age?’ Evans asked Rudd during their Actors on Actors talk. He added jokingly: ‘Are you drinking baby blood?’ (Pictured L in 1999 and R in 2020)
Topic change: During their chat, the Hollywood hunks also discussed working together in the Marvel Cinematic Universe where Evans is Captain America and Rudd suits up as Ant-Man
‘A character like Ant-Man, yeah, very few people knew,’ he continued. ‘They’d say, “Well, what does Ant-Man do?” And I’d say, “He can shrink to the size of an ant, but he also retains strength, and he can control ants and talk to ants.” And people would just laugh.’
‘A character like Ant-Man, yeah, very few people knew,’ he continued. ‘They’d say, “Well, what does Ant-Man do?” And I’d say, “He can shrink to the size of an ant, but he also retains strength, and he can control ants and talk to ants.” And people would just laugh.’
Recently Rudd flexed his acting muscles by playing two characters in one show (clones) on the Netflix dark comedy Living With Myself.
He explained how challenging it was to film a series with the majority of the scenes being between two characters – both played by Rudd.
Double-duty: Recently Rudd flexed his acting muscles by playing two characters in one show (clones) on the Netflix dark comedy Living With Myself
‘I was going to ask you the thing everyone wants to know,’ Evans chimed in. ‘Did you get paid double?’
‘I was going to ask you the thing everyone wants to know,’ Evans chimed in. ‘Did you get paid double?’
Rudd responded bluntly. ‘No.’
‘That’s bulls**t,’ Evans exclaimed.
Netflix hasn’t yet announced if there would be a season two of Living With Yourself.
‘No’: Rudd didn’t get paid double to play two characters on his Netflix series, which Evans called ‘bulls**t’