Paul Rudd (born Paul Stephen Rudd) is a beloved American actor, producer, screenwriter, and comedian renowned for his charismatic everyman roles and sharp comedic timing. He gained early recognition for memorable roles in Clueless and Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy.
He continued to build his career with hits such as Knocked Up and later achieved global fame in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Ant-Man. His warm humour and relatable charm have helped him balance blockbuster roles with independent projects, securing his place as one of Hollywood’s most enduring and likeable stars.
Essential Data
- Full Name: Paul Stephen Rudd
- Stage Name: Paul Rudd
- Born: April 6, 1969
- Age: 57 years old
- Birthplace: Passaic, New Jersey, United States
- Nationality: American
- Ethnicity: English Jewish (Ashkenazi)
- Occupation: Actor, Producer, Screenwriter, Comedian
- Height: 175 cm (5 ft 9 in)
- Religion: Judaism
- Parents: Michael Rudd and Gloria Irene Granville Rudd
- Siblings: Mandi Rudd
- Spouse: Julie Yaeger Rudd
- Children: Jack Sullivan Rudd and Darby Rudd
- Relationship: Married
- Net Worth: $70 million USD
Early Life and Education
Paul Stephen Rudd was born on April 6, 1969, in Passaic, New Jersey, United States. He was brought up by his parents, Michael Rudd, a historical tour guide and former vice-president at Trans World Airlines, and Gloria Irene Granville Rudd, a sales manager for a television station, in a Jewish household.
The family, originally from London with Ashkenazi Jewish roots from Belarus, Poland, and Russia, moved frequently due to his father’s job before settling in Overland Park, Kansas, when Paul was ten. He grew up with one younger sister, Mandi Rudd.
He attended Broadmoor Junior High and graduated from Shawnee Mission West High School in 1987, where he served as student body president. He studied theatre at the University of Kansas and later at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Los Angeles, and he also participated in a workshop at the British American Drama Academy at Oxford.
Career
Paul Rudd began his professional career with his film debut in Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers (1995) and quickly rose to prominence with memorable roles in Clueless (1995) as Josh, Romeo + Juliet (1996), and The Cider House Rules (1999).
He became a comedy staple through collaborations with Judd Apatow in films like The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005), Knocked Up (2007), and This Is 40 (2012), as well as Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004) and I Love You, Man (2009).
His breakthrough in the Marvel Cinematic Universe came as Scott Lang/Ant-Man in Ant-Man (2015) and its sequels, expanding his global appeal through charismatic superhero performances. He has also voiced characters in animated projects and appeared in series like Friends (as Mike Hannigan).
In recent years, he starred in Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (2024), Death of a Unicorn (2025) as Elliot (also executive producer), Anaconda (2025) as Ronald Griffin Jr., and Power Ballad (2026) as Rick.
Upcoming projects include Avengers: Doomsday (2026), reprising the role of Ant-Man. He balances acting, producing, and writing while maintaining a low-key, humorous public persona that endears him to fans across generations.
Awards and Nominations
- Critics’ Choice Television Award (2020) – Best Actor in a Comedy Series for Living with Yourself (Won)
- People’s Choice Award – Favourite Superhero Actor for his role as Ant-Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (Won)
- MTV Movie + TV Awards – Best Fight (shared) for Ant-Man (Won)
- Golden Globe Award – Best Actor (TV Musical or Comedy) for Living with Yourself (Nomination)
- Teen Choice Awards – Multiple nominations for films like Ant-Man and other comedies
Social Media
- Instagram: @paulrudd
Personal Life
Paul Rudd, 57, is currently married to Julie Yaeger Rudd, a screenwriter and producer, on February 23, 2003. They met when she worked in his publicist’s office and have been together without any publicly known past relationships interrupting their union.
The couple has two children: son Jack Sullivan Rudd (born 2006) and daughter Darby Rudd (born 2010). They prioritise family life in Rhinebeck, New York, with Paul often sharing lighthearted moments about parenting. His height is 175 cm (5 ft 9 in).
Net Worth
Paul Rudd’s net worth is estimated at $70 million USD. His income primarily comes from acting salaries in major films and the Marvel franchise, producing and writing credits, television appearances, endorsements, and long-term residuals from comedy classics accumulated over decades in the entertainment industry.
Filmography
- Avengers: Doomsday (2026) as Scott Lang / Ant-Man
- Power Ballad (2026) as Rick
- Anaconda (2025) as Ronald Griffin Jr.
- Death of a Unicorn (2025) as Elliot (also executive producer)
- Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (2024)
- Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023) as Scott Lang / Ant-Man
- Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018) as Scott Lang / Ant-Man
- Ant-Man (2015) as Scott Lang / Ant-Man
- This Is 40 (2012)
- Knocked Up (2007)
- The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005)
- Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)
- Clueless (1995) as Josh