Marvel's Paul Rudd Reveals the Martin Scorsese Movie That Convinced Him To Try Acting

By Jamie Jirak

Paul Rudd has been a big name in Hollywood since the 1990s and appeared in fan-favorite films from the decade such as Clueless, Romeo + Juliet, and more. Rudd has been known for comedies for most of his career, starring in Wet Hot American Summer and having a recurring role on Friends as well as being featured in Anchorman, The 40-Year-Old Virgin, I Love You, Man, and many other beloved projects. In 2015, his career took a surprising turn when he joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Ant-Man. Rudd has appeared in Ant-Man, Captain America: Civil War, Ant-Man and the Wasp, and Avengers: Endgame as well as the upcoming Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. During a recent interview with Men's Health, Rudd revealed it was Martin Scorsese's 1985 film After Hours that inspired him to hone his craft. 

"Griffin Dunne has been through so much," Rudd said when asked about the movie. "And he finally finds a safe harbor in some guy's loft because there's a mob out in the streets looking for him. And he calls the cops, and they say, Go get some sleep. And they hang up on him. But he doesn't get mad. He's just stupefied. And he says, 'Oh, wow. Oh, wow.' The only emotion is surprise. It's beyond frustration. And it's sublime."

Rudd revealed that the movie inspired him to work on his craft, and he spent a year doing theatre despite getting offers for big films after the success of Clueless.

"My agent said, 'What are you doing?' My career was just starting," Rudd shared. "But I had a real clear vision then of what I wanted and how I wanted to do it. I didn't want to be considered a joke among actors who I really admire. I really wanted to learn how to do this right. I had a real focus." He added, "Certainly some of the movies were not as good as I'd imagined, but they were beneficial, each in their own way." He went on to say that Wet Hot American Summer was a big turning point in his career. "Without that, I don't know if I get to do Anchorman, which was seminal. And I've gotten to work with Judd Apatow for years now."

What Has Martin Scorsese Said About Marvel Movies?

While Rudd may have been influenced by Scorsese's work, the iconic director has been outspoken about disliking Marvel and became a trending topic back in 2019 for comparing superhero films to theme parks. Even today, the Scorsese/Marvel debate rages on. Recently, Eternals star Kumail Nanjiani came to the director's defense. 

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"I obviously love the movies Tarantino makes or Scorsese makes," Nanjiani said in an interview with Esquire. "And I may disagree with Scorsese's opinion on superhero movies, but I mean, who else has earned the right to have an opinion?" He added, "If Scorsese hasn't earned the right to have an opinion on movies, then none of us should have an opinion on movies. It's so strange that people get upset about it."

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is scheduled to be released on February 17th. 

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