Paul Rudd has been an adored and hilarious actor on our screen since the nineties, but can he play any musical instruments?
Paul Rudd has suggested he can play guitar, just not very well at all. He’s had several scenes in movies for which he’s needed to play guitar somewhat, but it isn’t a skill he pursues or practices regularly.
Read on to learn more about Paul Rudd and his ability to perform.
Not Really A Guitarist
In an interview promoting the Paul Rudd and Jason Segel movie, I Love You, Man, Rudd opened up about his instrumental ability. He said that he can “play guitar like actors play guitar”, and that he was “an annoying guitar player and not very good”.
In another movie, Wanderlust, we see Paul Rudd playing guitar for a brief moment, but it’s nothing more than basic chords. In fact, his character actually falls short of the mark, attempting a very poor solo. This scene is quite a funny reference to Paul’s claim of being “annoying”. You can see it below, taken from YouTube.
One of the world’s first real tastes of Paul Rudd was in his role on Friends. When Rudd appeared in the world-famous sitcom in the nineties, he portrayed Mike Hannigan. This character was a love interest for the ditzy Phoebe Bouffay.
Shortly after the two meet, ‘Mike’ puts on a ghost performance, playing an ‘air piano’ in an attempt to wow Phoebe. Coincidentally, Phoebe herself is a musician (although not a good one) and plays guitar herself throughout the show’s ten seasons.
While that wasn’t Paul Rudd’s first foray into acting, it was one of the most memorable. He appeared in almost twenty episodes of Friends, becoming a staple supporting role. It was really after this role that his acting took off in earnest, however.
Rudd would ultimately become a comedic actor, gravitating towards humorous roles. While he was multi-faceted, his true skill and talent lay in making people laugh. Some of his earlier big roles included films such as Anchorman and The 40-Year-Old Virgin.
He had more lead, or co-lead roles, as time went on. In 2008 he appeared as the co-lead in Role Models, which he also wrote. This marked one of the first productions Rudd had written, and it was a considerable success.
Funny Man to Ant Man
Paul Rudd landed one of his biggest roles in 2015, playing Ant-Man in Marvel’s movie of the same name. The film marked one of the main inserts in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and was pivotal to the broader story.
Ultimately, without Ant-Man, the MCU couldn’t have played out – it’s as simple as that. The fans of the franchise will recognize this, particularly where Endgame is concerned. This film marks the end of a decade long story, with Ant-Man more or less saving the universe.
He reprised the role in a series of MCU films, such as Captain America: Civil War, and Ant-Man and the Wasp. He became an instant fan favorite, and a hit in the industry. He served on the Ant-Man movies as both actor and writer, a huge deal for the longstanding actor.
Rudd has also enjoyed a string of appearances in various television shows. He’s taken cameo roles in animated franchises and appeared in numerous reality shows. His incredible career has led him to be considerably awarded, too.
As of 2020, Paul Rudd had received four industry wins and eighteen nominations. Not satisfied with just appearing on the screen, Rudd has also taken to the stage on occasion. He’s proven himself to be a versatile actor capable of taking on multiple roles.
He’s also popular across the various realms of the internet. One of the most long-running internet in-jokes is that Paul Rudd never ages. Since first appearing on screens in 1992, Paul Rudd has aged remarkably well, and in 2020, at fifty-one years of age, he still looked exceedingly youthful.
This topic is explored in a 2019 article by ABC News. They stated, “One of the hottest topics on the internet right now has been: Does Paul Rudd age?”
It’s possible he has an excellent skincare routine or potentially fantastic genes. However, he also maintains a young-at-heart attitude in life, as shown in this charming clip from Instagram.