Rookie ghostbuster Paul Rudd is a nice guy who plays nice guys

After our interview, Paul Rudd asked his assistant to hand him his cell phone. He shared a photo with us showing him kissing his son, whose eyes were red from tears of joy. The photo was taken during the Super Bowl in February 2020, and the Kansas City Chiefs had just beaten the San Francisco 49ers. Rudd is from Kansas, and has long been known as a dedicated Chiefs fan. It was the team’s first Super Bowl win in 50 years. “When I visit my parents and have some downtime, I always head to the stadium with all my fan gear,” he laughs. “That was the season we finally made it to the final. Back when the team was just average, my son became a big fan and I wondered why I had subjected him to that. But then everything turned around, and we made it to the Super Bowl. He begged me to go. That picture captures the exact moment we realized victory was just seconds away, and my boy just went absolutely wild!” The photo shows a warm father-son moment, the perfect portrait of Paul Rudd. The comedy star has been married for 30 years without any scandals; he’s an actor who has made it to the top playing good guys. Now he’s in Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, playing a high school science teacher who ends up chasing ectoplasms for love.

Paul Rudd’s early career followed the same journey of many actors who work tirelessly without garnering much recognition. After graduating from the University of Kansas, he studied at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City. In 1991, he had a small breakthrough in a Super Nintendo commercial, leading to roles in television series. When the Fox series Wild Oats was canceled after four episodes, Rudd went straight to his film debut in Clueless (1995). “It’s funny, you know? I’ve spent years playing supporting roles in all kinds of movies, but people only seem to remember me from comedies. It’s all because I crossed paths with Judd Apatow’s gang, and I say that in a good way.” Though known for his role as Phoebe’s third husband on Friends, Rudd gained widespread attention for his performances in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, The 40-Year-Old Virgin and Knocked Up. “But the one that really changed my life was I Love You, Man back in 2009, you know, because I was the co-star in that movie. It seems like my career has been steadily rising since then, but honestly, I never really had a plan.”

Rudd argues that his acting résumé doesn’t truly convey the risks he has taken. “I always looked for scripts that I really enjoyed, reflecting my life through cinema or music,” he says. He’s very musical and likes to link each role to a song or music genre). “So, I gravitate towards stories that are a bit unconventional, probably sounding a tad strange to many. Blockbusters were never my thing, and I plan to keep it that way. But then, I found my way into the Marvel universe. Up until that point, I’d always found myself in movies with an indie vibe, in comedies that didn’t aim to please everyone. We never guessed they’d turn out to be big hits!” He says it with a smile, but is absolutely serious about this. “Now, it might sound a bit odd now, but I focus on the artistic side of projects, not just the entertainment value.” Is that why he studied Jacobean drama at Oxford? “Of course. Back in the day, theater actors were my heroes, and they still are. When Clueless came out, I packed my bags and moved from Los Angeles to New York. I still live there because it’s the theater capital of the country. I’m there to keep learning, diving into Shakespeare, soaking up insights from fellow actors who keep me on my toes. I still feel like I’ve got a lot more life to live and learn.”

Does that passion mean that there are no lines he wouldn’t cross, no limits on what he would or wouldn’t do? “I’m sure there will be things I won’t do, and there are probably people who will shy away because they sense that I won’t have any chemistry with them. However, I can’t think of any particular subjects I’d refuse. Many films I’ve been in have probably caused other people to break out in hives.”

Marvel Studios signed Rudd to play Ant-Man in five films, three as the main character, which led to some changes in his career plans. “It forced me spend more time away from home, which hurts. Sure, it brought me some fame, but nothing too crazy. They allowed me to infuse that role with my usual persona — a regular Joe who finds himself in extraordinary situations. I’m an expert in playing that character, you know, the guys who are forced to step up, stay real within their own limitations, and do it all with a down-to-earth humor and a bit of insecurity. That’s pretty much my take on life too.” Things could have gone badly when People magazine named him the sexiest man alive in 2021. “That’s true. I got an avalanche of messages from friends with all sorts of jokes.”

At Marvel, Paul Rudd gained valuable experience in another side of the industry that helped him in Ghostbusters. “You know, feeling the weight of being part of this franchise, a saga that means so much to so many folks, can be intense. But you have to navigate through that because it could mess with how you approach the character. My focus is just on doing my best work. The script for Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021) was something else, the way it weaved the original crew in with the new generation. And now, we were even in the original firehouse. It was a seamless transition from Ivan Reitman (original director) and Harold Ramis (original actor and co-scriptwriter) — both gone now — résumé to his son, Jason Reitman [co-scriptwriter] and his buddy, director Gil Kenan... It all flowed naturally in a real team effort.”

Regarding learning from the best, Rudd said that was the reason he wanted to appear in the third season of Only Murders in the Building. “I signed up because I was excited about working with Steve Martin and Martin Short, but when Meryl Streep joined the cast... it was another level. During our pre-production video calls, she blew me away. All these famous faces on the screen would hush up when she spoke. She just brought magic to the script every time. And then came filming. You never knew when her character would kick in — it felt like she was just effortlessly there. I’d realize suddenly that she was fully in character, delivering her lines... It’s baffling how she flows like that, and that’s why she’s just so darn good,” said Rudd with a look of genuine astonishment.

The day before our March 18 interview in Madrid, Rudd went to Metropolitano Stadium to watch Atlético de Madrid play FC Barcelona, a game that ended in a debacle for the local team. That’s why our interview ends with talk about being sports fans and the emotional legacy that passes from parents to children. Since Taylor Swift and Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce began their romance, Rudd has slipped to being the second most famous fan of the team. “And a very long way from the number one fan!” he bursts out laughing. “Kelce is a great player, of course... Being a fan of a team that never won anything for years is such a weird thing, you know? It kind of matched the way I was always underrated and liked rooting for the underdog. And then suddenly, your team becomes globally famous because it has the world’s best quarterback! Fun fact: Griezmann (Antoine Griezmann is a French professional soccer player with Atlético de Madrid) is a huge Patrick Mahomes fan. Plus, having the most talented performer in the world supporting your team makes it even more popular. But now, there are folks who just hate us for no reason, and other teams are eager to beat us at any cost. It’s just a strange feeling, completely different from what we’ve always known.”

Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAÍS USA Edition