(MENAFN- Arab Times) While pursuing different types of roles just for the sake of shaking up his career isn't Paul Rudd's style, he admits that starring in Marvel's "Ant- Man," helmed by Peyton Reed, definitely feels like a departure, particularly when it comes to promoting the film. "There are a lot of people that are interested and there is a lot we can't say," Rudd says. "Nobody was telling me (not to) reveal any storylines from 'I Love You, Man.'" As the titular character in the July 17 release, Rudd is Scott Lang, a conman who has a suit that shrinks him to the size of an ant and infuses him with superhuman strength.
For Rudd, who will receive a star July 1 on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, playing a superhero in a big-budget summer action movie represents a new frontier, having made a name for himself in comedies such as 1995's "Clueless," 2004's "Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy," 2005's "The 40-Year-Old Virgin" and 2012's "This Is 40." "I'm doing physical things that I haven't done in films before. But at the end of the day, it's a character who's struggling to find his way in the world, and that's not unlike other things I've played," says Rudd, who worked with Adam McKay on the long-in-development script (Edgar Wright and Joe Cornish also get writing credit).
"There is some kind of Everyman (aspect) to it that I think people will relate to. He's got issues with his family and struggles, and those kinds of things I've always been drawn to." Portraying the Everyman has been a hallmark of Rudd's career, but writer-director Judd Apatow says Rudd offers more than charm. "He is the perfect person to play a superhero," says Apatow, who worked with Rudd in "Knocked Up," "The 40-Year-Old Virgin" and "This Is 40."
"He is immensely likable but has always had a hint of darkness in his personality." "Ant-Man," which co-stars Evangeline Lilly, Michael Douglas, Judy Greer and Corey Stoll, combines the light and dark to tell a story Rudd calls "inherently dramatic." "There are certainly moments of levity and laughs," he says. "However, I tend to think that comedy, drama and action don't necessarily have to be mutually exclusive. The visual aspect of it is mind-bending in that everything small looks so big. So what tone all of that creates is somewhat unique and surprising."
Ability
It's Rudd's ability to move effortlessly between comedy and drama that makes him an appealing collaborator, Apatow says. "He is a fantastic dramatic actor and also one of our great comedic actors," he says. "He is so much fun to write for because you know how much he will bring to it." Unlike Rudd's previous films, "Ant-Man" required intense physical preparation that involved working out with trainers and gymnastics work. "My diet completely changed," says Rudd. "My entire day was structured around health and fitness." While the workouts were extreme, Rudd says he enjoyed the routine and focus necessary to maintain the intensity.
"I can be a myopic person by nature, so I got into it," he says. "When you're going through all of that stuff for that long, you actually feel the part more than you would (otherwise)." Rudd shot scenes as Ant-Man in May for next year's "Captain America: Civil War," which made him realize the potential for longevity that a Marvel character would offer. "I was still working in a bubble and then all of a sudden I'm on set with those guys and it felt very real in a way that I hadn't even experienced until that point," he says. Rudd has also been intensely aware of the scrutiny that comes with being a part of the Marvel Universe.
"You're operating under a microscope a little bit more," he says. "My default tends to be to make fun of myself a little bit, not take certain things very seriously. So I'm learning to be more aware of how I talk about this, because I'm very excited about it. If it was a straight-up comedy with some of the other jokers that I've worked with, it's almost expected that you would make fun of so as not to sound selfimportant."
After "Ant-Man," Rudd will also star in two 2016 films: the indie drama "The Revised Fundamentals of Caregiving," co-starring Selena Gomez and Jennifer Ehle, and the animated comedy "Sausage Party." And in July Netflix is releasing "Wet Hot American Summer: First Day at Camp," an eight-episode half-hour comedy that serves as a prequel to the 2001 indie cult feature. "We were too old to play the parts to begin with. Now, it's 15 years later and we're going back even further and playing younger than we did," he says. "That just seemed to fit the spirit of the whole thing. It was such a fun character to play because he was just such a buffoon."
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LOS ANGELES: Joseph Fiennes, who was BAFTAnominated for "Shakespeare in Love," has taken the role of Scottish runner and devout Christian Eric Liddell in "The Last Race," which plays like an unofficial sequel to "Chariots of Fire." Liddell's feats as an athlete, and his rivalry with Harold Abrahams, were immortalized in "Chariots of Fire," which won four Oscars, including best picture. "The Last Race" portrays Liddell's life after the events depicted in "Chariots of Fire," when he worked as a teacher and missionary in China, the Independent newspaper reported. He was interned by the Japanese in 1943, and died in the prison camp of a brain tumor. The film is written and directed by Stephen Shin, and co-directed by Michael Parker. It also stars Chinese-Canadian actor Xiao "Shawn" Dou, who plays Liddell's friend Xu Niu, and British actress Elizabeth Arends. It will be distributed in China by Alibaba Pictures.
"Lord of the Rings" producer Mark Ordesky is developing with DeVon Franklin and Sony Pictures a biopic revolving around embattled football player Casey Therriault. Ordesky disclosed the project Thursday during a panel session at Variety's Purpose Summit focusing on family and faith-based entertainment. Ordesky said the pic is tentatively tiled "The White Tiger."
Ben Younger ("The Boiler Room") has written the script and will direct. Project tells the story of the promising collegiate football prospect whose life was shattered after a bar fight landed him in prison in 2008. After serving a six-month sentence, a historically African-American college, Jackson State, in Mississippi gave the quarterback, who is white, a second chance at football and at life. Ordesky and Jane Fleming of Court Five are producing with Franklin and Bobby Smith of Ashore Entertainment.
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