NewsPhotosVideosShopKardashiansRoyalsTV Scoop
NewsPhotosVideosShopKardashiansRoyalsTV Scoop

Paul Rudd's Best Roles

22 photos
Mar 29, 2019 5:28 PM
LINK COPIED!
Pin It
Paul Rudd, Sisters (1991)
1/22
Warner Bros. Television

Sisters

In 1992, Paul Rudd had his first-ever TV (and overall acting) gig when he joined the cast of Sisters. During his time on the drama he played Kirby Philby, an aspiring filmmaker who dates and then marries one of the four sisters' daughters named Reed (Ashley Judd). Although the show was about four sisters and their lives, Rudd's storyline was pretty memorable.


Pin It
2/22
Paramount Pictures

Clueless

Ugh, as if! In 1995, Rudd starred in Clueless, which to this day is one of his most iconic roles. He played Josh, the ex-stepbrother of Cher (Alicia Silverstone) and although the two fight like siblings and are total opposites—he's a UCLA student and she's a popular Beverly Hills high schooler—they ultimately find love together...and make a lot of other people's lives better as well.


Pin It
3/22
USA Films (2001)

Wet Hot American Summer

On the last day of summer camp in 1981, the counselors of Camp Firewood—one of which is Andy (Rudd), the hot lifeguard—do everything they can to live it up, finish what they started and maybe save the camp from a piece of NASA's Skylab that is hurtling towards earth. The hilarious comedy stars Elizabeth Banks, Molly Shannon, Christopher Meloni and more.


Pin It
4/22
NBCU Photo Bank

Friends

Rudd didn't join the NBC comedy until season nine, but when he did fans instantly fell for him as Phoebe's (Lisa Kudrow) forever love and eventual husband Mike Hannigan or as we fondly call him, Crap Bag! 


Pin It
5/22
DreamWorks Pictures

Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy

In 2004, the New Jersey native assembled as one of the four awesome anchormen for San Diego's news station, Channel 4. He played Brian Fantana, who covers in-field reporting and loves things like Sex Panther cologne, and always has Ron Burgundy's (Will Ferrell) back, even when their news station's dynamic is threatened by Veronica Corningston (Christina Applegate) in the 1970s.


Pin It
6/22
Suzanne Hanover / Universal Pictures

The 40 Year Old Virgin

Rudd played David, one of Andy's (Steve Carell) friends in The 40 Year Old Virgin, who pressures him into having sex with a single mother who he likes since he hasn't done the deed by the age of 40.


Pin It
7/22
Universal Pictures

Knocked Up

Ben Stone (Seth Rogen) is a stoner who doesn't really do much with his life, so when he gets his one-night stand Alison Scott (Katherine Heigl) pregnant he doesn't know what to do. Alison is a successful businesswoman who has the support of her sister Debbie (Leslie Mann) and her husband Pete (Rudd) and their kids, while Ben is barely holding it all together and yet, they are going to be parents.


Pin It
8/22
Sam Urdank/Universal Studios

Role Models

When Danny (Rudd) and Wheeler (Seann William Scott) pick a fight with a tow-truck driver while out promoting their energy drink, they are given community service to make up for it. They are assigned to be Big Brothers, Danny to Augie (Christopher Mintz-Plasse), a geek who loves live action role play, and Wheeler to Ronnie (Bobb'e J. Thompson), who is a sassy, young kid who likes to mess around. 


Pin It
9/22
Scott Garfield/Paramount Pictures

I Love You, Man

As Peter's (Rudd) wedding gets closer he realizes he has no guy friends to be his Best Man. The good news is he meets Sydney (Jason Segel) and instantly bonds with him. The bad news is, his new friendship puts a strain on his relationship with his fiancée.


Pin It
10/22
Sony Pictures

How Do You Know

Lisa (Reese Witherspoon) is trying to figure out if she's in love, what to do now that she's not playing softball, and where she's headed when she finds herself in a love triangle between George (Rudd), a corporate guy whose life is falling apart and Matty (Owen Wilson), a baseball player who she was dating before he tried to control her.


Pin It
11/22
Sundance

Our Idiot Brother

Ned (Rudd) finds himself in jail following a marijuana incident at the farmer's market and when he gets out he has to go live with his sisters. While he is eternally optimistic, his three sisters aren't exactly thrilled to have him couch surfing at their homes. In the end, his happiness and honesty brings to light issues in each of the women's lives and together they bond as a family.


Pin It
12/22
Universal Pictures

Wanderlust

When George (Rudd) and Linda Gergenblatt (Jennifer Aniston) suddenly find themselves unemployed and heading to Atlanta for new job prospects, their new lives are put on hold when they come across a rural hippie commune where love rules. The question they must ask themselves is, will they embrace the hippie culture or go back to reality?


Pin It
13/22
NBC

Parks and Recreation

Bobby Newport (Rudd) might've been a minor character on Parks and Recreation, but he was definitely memorable. Beginning in season four, Bobby Newport faced off against Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler) as she ran for city council. He was a trust fund kid who just wanted his dad to notice him, but that didn't mean he didn't like to play dirty.


Pin It
14/22

This is 40

This Is 40 is the follow-up to Knocked Up, but this time the focus is on Pete (Rudd) and Debbie (Mann) as they prepare to turn 40. Their businesses are failing, they are about to lose their house and their relationship is on thin ice, but together they might be able to fix it...and get back to where they first fell in love.


Pin It
15/22
Gemma Lamana/Moviestore/Shutterstock

Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues

Rudd reprises his role as Brian Fantana in Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues as Ron Burgundy (Ferrell) and company take their news team to New York City in hopes of becoming the greatest news team ever while working for the first 24-hour channel.


Pin It
16/22
Youtube

Admission

A Princeton admissions officer (Tina Fey) is up for a major promotion when she meets John Pressman (Rudd), who has a college-bound prodigy he wants her to meet. After meeting the student she thinks he could actually be the son she gave for an adoption while in college herself, which could risk her career and change her forever.


Pin It
17/22

They Came Together

They Came Together is the ultimate cheesy rom-com starring Rudd as Joel and Poehler as Molly. When describing how they met their love story is told through the lens of every corny romantic comedy ever, except their meet-cute and everything else about their relationship isn't exactly romantic, but it is cliché in all the best ways. 


Pin It
18/22

Ant-Man

Rudd became an unlikely superhero when he suited up to play Scott Lang AKA Ant-Man in 2015. In this film, Ant-Man uses his ability to shrink to scale and his cat burglar ways to help his mentor Dr. Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) pull off a heist that will save the world. 


Pin It
19/22
Gemma La Mana/Netflix

Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp

In 2015, we headed back to Camp Firewood circa 1981 thanks to Netflix's revival series, which focused on the first day of camp spread out over numerous episodes.


Pin It
20/22
Saeed Adyani/Netflix/Kobal/Shutterstock

Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later

In this follow-up season of Wet Hot American Summer, the counselors, including Andy (Rudd), the rock n roll dreamboat, go back to Camp Firewood. After making a pact on the last day of summer in 1981, they all return 10 years later to catch up and see how their lives have changed.


Pin It
21/22
Ben Rothstein/Marvel Studios

Ant-Man and the Wasp

In 2018, Rudd reprised his role as Scott Lang AKA Ant-Man, but this time Scott has to balance being a superhero and a father while teaming up with The Wasp (Evangeline Lilly) to complete a new mission that will uncover secrets from their past.


Pin It
22/22
Marvel Studios

Avengers: Endgame

Avengers meet Ant-Man! In April 2019, the Avengers and their remaining allies, as well as Ant-Man (Rudd) and Captain Marvel (Brie Larson), team up to restore order to the universe and try and fix all of the destruction that Thanos (Josh Brolin) has caused. 


Next Gallery
Secrets About How the Grinch Stole Christmas
About UsSubscribeContact UsFAQCareersClosed CaptioningWatch Full EpisodesSitemapE! International TV ChannelsCustomer Support

Your source for entertainment news, celebrities, celeb news, and ​celebrity gossip. Check out the hottest fashion, photos, movies and TV shows!

Ad ChoicesPrivacy PolicyCA NoticeTerms of Service

© 2025 E! Entertainment Television, LLC A Versant Media Company. All rights reserved.