Image Credit: Merie WeismillerOn July 23, Paul Rudd and Steve Carell will star in Dinner for Schmucks, a comedy from director Jay Roach (Meet the Fockers) about a finance exec (Rudd) who gets a promotion on the condition that he invite a megadork (Carell) to a mean-spirited dinner. The guy with the most imbecilic dinner-date is crowned the winner. We chatted with Rudd for our Summer Movie Preview issue about working with Carell for the third time (after The 40 Year-Old Virgin and Anchorman) and why, exactly, audiences should spend their hard-earned money on Schmucks this summer.
EW: This is your third movie with Steve Carell. Seems you like working with the guy.
PAUL RUDD: I’m always amazed by him. He has an ability to be really funny, but it’s not his focus. He’s more of an actor than just a comic because he’s much more worried about the character’s human struggle than the jokes.
How do you keep from cracking up during takes?
I do it all the time. I’m horrible! Steve is really good at keeping it together, but I definitely ruined some of his stuff. He would laugh and say, “No, man, it’s cool.” If it pissed him off, he was very good at not showing it.
Moviegoers will have a lot to choose from this summer, so why should they see your movie?
[Deadpan] Because it’s in 4D.
Oooh, does that require special glasses?
Not only does it require special glasses, it requires a special helmet. And electrodes and a thing you have to put in your mouth so as to not bite off your tongue. We’ve gone past Avatar.
My God. Does James Cameron know about this?
I would imagine. I mean, that guy’s on the cutting edge of technology. It’s almost as if you can taste, touch, and smell the Schmucks. Did I say schmell the Schmucks?
No. But what do they schmell like?
S—. [Laughs] They schmell like schm–.
For more of our Summer Movie Preview and behind-the-scenes scoop on 96 upcoming films, including installments of Iron Man, Shrek and Toy Story, pick up the new issue of Entertainment Weekly, on stands 4/16.
Zach Galifiniakis (sp) is in it too. Buncha good folks involved, looking forward to it.
He wears a cape!
…and a mock turtleneck.
Schmell the Schmucks, I love it! Oh, how I love Paul Rudd!
Really, what is not to love?
Ugh, I hate that guy. He’s horrible with his dreamy blue eyes and scrumptiously sarcastic attitude. Okay, I hate how much I love him.
Jesse, I said “I love Paul Rudd” not that I didn’t love him.
this is really funny at meetsugarmommies
Ron: What’s your name?
Brian: Brian Fantana
Champ: Champ Kind
Brick: Brain Fantana
Brian: No, you’re Brick
Brick: Brian
Brian: I’m Brian
Brick: Veronica.
Ooooh, this is a remake of the french comedy “The Dinner Game.” I loved that movie and hopefully this will be just as good!
The French version was just perfect! I don’t know about this one, I guess we’ll have to wait and see! But I do love Paul Rudd.