Paul Rudd Reflects On His Rise To Fame Post-‘Clueless’ and Staying Grounded

April 28, 2025: Actor Paul Rudd recently looked back on his time working in the 1995 teen comedy Clueless, revealing how he didn’t quite feel “famous” during the early stages of his career. Rudd, who played the charming, lovable Josh in the iconic film, shared his experience of being a working actor at the time.

“I didn’t really feel so famous,” Rudd recalled. “I was a working actor, and I still had a regular job when I was doing this commercial for the first time.” He went on to explain how fame gradually crept in as his career gained momentum, but it never felt too overwhelming. “And then as it slowly started to, as I started getting more work, occasionally someone would say, ‘Hey, Clueless!’ or whatever. But it wasn’t — nothing felt so different really.”

Rudd also reflected on how the absence of social media and the internet during that time contributed to a slower pace of fame. “Everything just went by just a little bit slower,” he added, describing a time when stars weren’t immediately accessible to the public via social platforms.

The actor’s journey in the ’90s was far from glamorous in the beginning. He spoke about how he would take any work that came his way, from waiting tables to DJing at weddings and bar mitzvahs, just to keep his acting dreams afloat. Despite the early struggles, Rudd’s hard work paid off, and he soon found himself in a string of successful films such as Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers (1995), Romeo + Juliet (1996), Anchorman (2004), and The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005).

In a fun nostalgic moment, Rudd recently worked with Super Nintendo, starring in a commercial for the Nintendo Switch 2. Recreating his iconic 90s look, complete with a long black duster, indie rock hair, and beaded necklace, Rudd described the experience as “fun” and said it “felt like old times.”

While Rudd’s early career was filled with various jobs, his dedication to acting eventually helped him rise to the fame he enjoys today, cementing his status as one of Hollywood’s beloved actors.