Biografia

Low-key, sardonic sense of humor

Deadpan delivery

Frequently co-stars with Steve Carell and Seth Rogen

Sarcastic wit

Often cast by Judd Apatow.

Has been friends with Jennifer Aniston since they were age 21, before they both succeeded.

Was a disc jockey at bar/bat mitzvahs before he became successful.

Improvised the "You know how I know you're gay?" sequence in O Virgem de 40 Anos (2005) with Seth Rogen.

As part of a running gag during his appearances on Late Night with Conan O'Brien (1993), Rudd often brought a clip from the film Mac - O Extraterrestre (1988) where wheelchair user Eric (Jade Calegory) flies off a cliff while Mac watches on, instead of showing clips from the actual movie he is there to promote. The only exception was when he came to promote Ligeiramente Grávidos (2007). Judd Apatow showed up specifically to make sure Rudd would not do so.

His parents were both born in Britain. His father was from Edgware and his mother was raised in Surbiton, both in London. Both of his parents' families were Jewish (they moved from Poland, Belarus, and Russia to the UK). Paul's paternal grandfather, born Davis Rudnitsky, had anglicized his family's surname from Rudnitzky to Rudd, while Paul's maternal grandfather, born Louis Goldstein, anglicized his family's surname to Granville. Paul was raised in Reform Judaism, and had a bar mitzvah.

Theater is the most enriching and thrilling thing to do as an actor. It trumps movies and all that other stuff. People say, "You must love the instant feedback," and we're all attention whores for sure - that's why we choose this profession. But it goes beyond that: There's something magical about a shared experience in a theater, with actors and an audience. I don't know if the audience members realize just how huge a part they play in a production. How they are determines how we are, and when it all works, it's magical.

There's a feeling of enrichment and challenge when it comes to doing a play, and especially doing, you know, a classical play or a tragic play. In a way, it works a different set of muscles, I guess. But I do love it, and I love great writing, whatever it is, and there are so many great plays, and a lot of the writing in a lot of plays is just stellar, and no one is making movies like that, or if they are, I'm certainly not getting cast in them. But you know, working on a comedy with your friends. Like, I would say that with O Âncora: A Lenda de Ron Burgundy (2004) and O Virgem de 40 Anos (2005) and Mais um Verão Americano (2001), I was working with people who are completely inspiring. I love being around that company, and I try and step up to the level of their game.

I can, and do, walk the street. No one bothers me or anything, because most people wouldn't know who I am.

When I was doing Arte, Amor e Ilusão (2003), which we'd done as a play, it was just so tired by the time we rolled tape.

I think there's something great and generic about goldfish. They're everybody's first pet.