Paul Rudd Loves the Nightlife!

Conventional wisdom has if that big Hollywood stars are ambitious, self-impressed, self-promoting: they are the beautiful people, the ones we love to hate, In light of all this notoriety, I was more than a little surprised to meet easy-going Paul Rudd, the young actor who as charmed critics and audiences in his starring roles on Broadway stages and in the movies Cluelessand The Object of My Affection as a likable personality and a credible romantic interest. In his new feature role in the early 80s ensemble film 200 Cigarettes, Rudd plays a lovelorn cynic with the best sideburns since President Van Buren and a secret crush on Courtney Love. Not bad for a guy who has no ambitions of becoming a big Hollywood star; he'd rather just play some darts.

The Harvard Crimson Tell me a little bit about your background, Paul.

Paul Rudd: I grew up in a lot of different places, mostly in Kansas, I really started thinking seriously about acting in high school; I just did it better than most of the other activities in school. SO after college, I attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. It was cool: it was really prestigious. I got into the acting union in a commercial for Miller Ultra Lite. It was a terrible commercial but I got a SAG card out of it, and, next thing, I knew I was appearing in hit films like Halloween 6.we all have to start somewhere.

THC: Speaking of celebrated roles, you have done a lot of Shakespeare in the past few years, both on stage and in the movies.

PR: Oh, well my resume is somewhat exaggerated. During an audition with the director Wim Wenders, he saw that I had played Hamlet a Few years ago. He said that I must Have been the youngest Hamlet ever. It was actually from high school. I should really update my resume.

THC: Where do you prefer to act-on stage or in films?

PR: Oh, I don't know Theater, I guess. It's great to e in play, to have a long run, Theater is much more difficult. But it probably depends on the play. And you can't make a living just on stage.

THC: Tell me about the new movie that you are appearing in right now, 200 CigarettesThe film looks really outrageous in its early 80s setting, with hot pink shirts and new wave soundtrack. What was your take on this chapter of American history?

PR: Honestly, I don't really remember . I was 11 or 12 at time when this movie takes place [1981]. They say it was the end of a very decadent era people behaved so differently then: so much was just starting to happen. There was certainly more freedom with what you did than there is now. At that age, I didn't get to experience any of it myself. After being in the movie, I don't think it wasn’t really that much more exciting than today. It was just a different decade.

THC: What was it like to work with ensemble?

PR: It's funny: really I only worked with Courtney Love Primarily. I didn't even meet most of the cast.

THC: Wow...really? What was that like, working closely with Courtney Love? Is she as intimidating as she seemed? Is she, um, a scary person?

PR: I know what you mean. I knew her music before I met her. But if you've ever seen interviews with her, she's actually a very sweet person. I really like her. She cares deeply about what she does. even if she can take flippant attitudes.

THC: Is she sexy?

PR: Oh, definitely. She's foxy; we had fiery chemistry (laughing). I improvised a scene in the movie where I fondled her breasts. Aren't I a devil?

THC: So you really identified with the character you played in the movie?

PR: Definitely. I think that I identify with my role in pretty much everything I have tried to do. I try to find something that I can understand about each character's behavior. This guy's really neurotic, but I can be pretty neurotic myself, so if worked out well.

THC: If you weren't an actor what would you do?

PR: I really don't know. I don't even know if this is my natural calling. There isn't any individual motivation in the business; you have to rely on the director and the editor and the other actors. And the script, especially. It isn't like music writing where you can do something completely you own. It's a living, it lets me do what I want. I don't live in Los Angeles; I mostly act in New York in the theater. I keep a low profile, I go to movies and play a lot of darts. Other than The Objects of My AffectionI haven't really wanted to be that well now. I'm not actively seeking stardom. I just go to auditions and I knock on wood.