How Super Nintendo Helped Paul Rudd Shoot To Fame [Video]


Paul Rudd has gained widespread popularity due to his comedy work and his portrayal of Ant-Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. However, many famous actors have had humble beginnings, and this is certainly true of Paul Rudd. Back in the 1990s, Paul Rudd started his journey towards stardom by appearing in a Super Nintendo advertisement. According to Tech Times, the old-school advertisement shows Paul visiting a desolate movie drive-in to play the games featured on the Super Nintendo.

Gradually, Paul charges up and starts mashing the controller buttons in excitement to maneuver through games like F-Zero, SimCity, and The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. The excited Paul attracts crowds who seem thrilled by the experience brought by the Super Nintendo games.

Apart from being a trip down the memory lane for gaming enthusiasts, the classic advertisement reveals that Paul Rudd has barely aged since he featured as the baby-faced gamer in the vintage commercial. The impact generated by the advertisement was so great that it catapulted Paul Rudd to greater heights, and today the actor is seen entertaining his fans through his recurring characters like Ant-Man and his roles in hit films like the Anchorman series.

And after thrilling the fans with his stint in the Marvel movies, Paul Rudd is set to showcase his acting skills once again by returning to his roots that seem to be firmly entrenched in the drama genre. The Ant-Man actor will feature in Netflix’s The Fundamentals of Caring, based on the semi-autobiographical novel by Jonathan Evison. The drama, which premiered at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival, depicts Paul Rudd playing the role of a failed writer who takes up the role of the full-time caretaker of a disabled teenager. The unlikely pair embarks on a road journey which leads them to truly appreciate the meaning of hope and friendship.

As a consummate actor, Paul Rudd does not mind working on small-scale, character-driven movies with serious themes. According to Moviefone, Paul Rudd spoke about his enthusiasm for working in character-based movies.

“It seems like it’s just harder for any movies to get seen and made. I guess they’re still getting made, but it’s nice to do a kind of a smaller film that’s character-based.”

Apart from working with Craig Roberts, Bobby Cannavale, and Megan Ferguson in The Fundamentals of Caring, Paul Rudd will also star alongside Selena Gomez, the actress who is also a pop singing sensation. This was the first time that Paul Rudd has had the experience of working with Selena Gomez, who portrays a bold girl looking to hitch a ride in the film. According to Yahoo, Paul Rudd was awestruck and amazed after seeing thousands of fans following Selena’s every move during filming.

It seems that the 47-year-old actor was not fully aware of the scale of the 23-year-old’s singing sensation’s popularity amongst today’s generation. The crowds who had thronged to catch a glimpse of the “Hands to Myself” singer were more than sufficient to prove the phenomenal popularity of Selena to Paul Rudd.

Forward reports that Rob Burnett, the director of the Netflix movie, gave due credit to Paul Rudd and Craig Roberts for adeptly juggling between comedy and drama with their excellent acting performances.

In Rob’s opinion, it is generally difficult for an actor to lean on both drama and sharp humor at the same time. However, the stellar performances by Paul Rudd and his co-stars helped to achieve the right balance that enabled the movie to reach critical acclaim.

As a celebrity who is associated with theater and drama, Paul Rudd has been keen to popularize the works of playwrights like Neil LaBute. According to Playbill, Paul Rudd will be participating in a benefit performance of Neil LaBute’s Reasons to be Pretty Happy, the third play in LaBute’s Reasons trilogy that takes a humorous and sober look at relationships that have either survived or have weathered away.

Paul Rudd will lead the one-night reading session that will take place within the MCC theater at Lucille Lortel Theatre. The proceeds of the session will be utilized to sponsor the organization’s education and playwright programs.

[Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP]

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