Hollywood star Paul Rudd says he finds it "boring" when actors complain about being famous as there are some things that are "kind of nice" about it.
Rudd started his acting career in 1991 and featured in some of the iconic titles of the era such as "Clueless", "Romeo + Juliet", "Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy'', and popular sitcom "Friends". He started playing superhero Ant-Man in Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) in 2015.
Ant-Man completely changed his life, the actor said.
"It's a very weird thing to be famous. I have been working as an actor for a long time now. So I've known different levels of it. I always think it's boring when actors complain about how famous they are, because there are some things that are kind of nice about it. You get to see lots of different things and you're awarded many opportunities, that's for sure," Rudd, 53, said in a virtual roundtable interview attended by PTI.
The fame he attained after his MCU debut also made him "nervous", the actor said, adding he was concerned about the effects it would have on his children. Rudd shares son Jack Sullivan and daughter Darby with his wife, screenwriter and producer Juile Yaeger.
"Marvel is such a visible thing and it's worldwide. My life changed and my visibility and fame really jumped. I would feel very differently and I think I did because I only view it through my kids. And when they were really little, I got nervous about it because I just want my children to have a normal life.
"I would think it would be hard having famous parents. I never knew what that's like. So, my main concerns about it are really just how does it affect them?" Rudd added.
In the grand scheme of things, the New Jersey-born actor said being a public figure has turned him into a bit of a recluse over the years.
"I probably have become a bit more reclusive. I think my world, strangely, has gotten a little smaller. But I love what I do and it's an honour to be an actor. It was my goal and that is what I wanted. It's an honour to work with Marvel." And marking the beginning of the phase 5 of MCU, "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania" has brought even more "credibility" to his position in the franchise.
Directed by Peyton Reed, the film marks the third movie in the MCU led by superhero Scott Lang/Ant-Man (Rudd) and Hope Van Dyne/The Wasp (Evangeline Lilly).
It also features Jonathan Majors as Kang the Conqueror and Kathryn Newton as Cassie Lang, with Michelle Pfeiffer as Janet Van Dyne and Michael Douglas as Hank Pym.
"I think that it's pretty great, that phase five starts off with an 'Ant-Man' movie. He is the hero that has to go up against Kang the Conqueror, who is arguably the biggest villain we've seen in the Marvel Universe. So, personally, it fills me with credibility and satisfaction. It has been amazing. We've been able to do three of these and I've loved every minute of it and I feel part of it," Rudd said.
For the actor, the main quality he loved about Scott Lang was that he is a "reluctant" superhero, a regular guy trying to be a good person and a father.
"I think one of the things that I really like about the character is that he is a bit of a reluctant superhero and he's a regular guy with no innate super abilities. He's conflicted. He makes mistakes. In his heart, he really wants to be a good person and a dad. I like those qualities," he added.
"Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania" started filming in mid 2021 and wrapped in November the same year.
The film finds Scott Lang and Hope Van Dyne continuing to explore life as a couple. Life is good: Scott has penned a book, Hope is championing humanitarian causes and their family—Hope’s parents, Janet Van Dyne and Hank Pym, and Scott’s daughter, Cassie -- is finally part of their day-to-day lives.
Cassie, it turns out, shares her family's passion for science, technology and Quantum Realm. But her curiosity leads to an unexpected, one-way trip for them all to the vast subatomic world, where they encounter strange new creatures, a stricken society and a master of time whose menacing undertaking has only just begun, reads the official synopsis of the movie.
Rudd said he was thrilled with the way the team, including director Reed and screenplay writer Jeff Loveness, were taking the story forward.
"The journey Scott has been through over the last 10 years... Becoming this superhero reluctantly, going into the quantum realm, losing years having to fight Thanos... He's been through a lot, so much so that now he does really treasure what time he has. What he wants to do, which is to be a father to Cassie.
"I loved the idea that we were going to start a movie and it was going to be enormous. It was going to introduce Kang and I thought, 'Oh my gosh, we really are getting some respect here because this is a big deal'. As a result, it felt like we were taking a really big swing and that was exciting," he said.
Produced by Kevin Feige and Stephen Broussard, “Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania” is scheduled to be released on February 17, 2023.
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