ANT-MAN’S BIG CHAT
Actor Paul Rudd talks with nephew’s journalism class
When your classmate is Ant-Man’s nephew, your journalism class might just land an exclusive interview, as the students at Don Estridge High Tech Middle School recently did.
Yup. Paul Rudd, the actor who is big — and sometimes really, really small thanks to his latest role in the Marvel Universe — took time out to answer more than a dozen questions in a video for the electronic journalism class at nephew Kyle Rudd’s school.
It was a brush with fame that their teacher Dave Barker had been planning ever since he did the first roll call in TV production class last school year when Kyle Rudd’s last name jumped off the page.
“I said, ‘You’re not related to Paul Rudd are you?’” At this point, Barker was expecting a shrug, a mere coincidence, but then Kyle said, “Yes, he’s my uncle.”
“It blew me away,” Barker said. Barker’s no stranger to famous folks. His last career was in television news.
“I’ve met people from Bob Hope to Elizabeth Taylor to Arnold Schwarzenegger. Some people are exactly what you think and others aren’t,” he said.
But to just land an interview with someone famous typically takes trust. Over the next year, Barker said he built trust with Kyle Rudd and his family — including Kyle’s dad, Paul Rudd’s brother. And when Barker suggested a little Q&A this year, it turns out the actor was game.
The class came up with questions for Paul Rudd and Kyle, too. The questions for the actor went out via email and Rudd sent video of himself answering them. Kyle, who unlike his uncle isn’t on a whirlwind tour to promote the next Ant-Man movie and who conveniently walks the halls of Don Estridge daily, answered questions in person.
The students put together a video that was posted on YouTube this week. “It was a perfect lesson in storytelling,” Barker said. Some nuggets:
Rudd opened with a new greeting for the high-tech middle schoolers: “Hello all you Don Estridgens.”
“I really did used to dream of being an actor in middle school,” said Rudd, giving a shout-out to his inspirations including comedian Steve Martin, but also teacher Sally Shipley, who taught public speaking in Overland Park, Kansas, and is now retired.
For aspiring actors: Don’t let naysayers get you down — “Performing is constantly getting rejected.” And, “No matter what, you have to be respectful and nice to people” along the way.
“If you start succeeding, don’t be a jerk. Nobody likes a jerk,” said Rudd, whose credits range from “Anchorman” to “The 40-YearOld Virgin.”
The students interviewed Kyle as well.
Turns out he’s more interested in Wall Street than Hollywood. And having a famous uncle is cool, something to talk about, he said.
A little-known fact that wound up on the cutting room floor so to speak: Kyle says his uncle is into shoes, he has “like 30 pairs.”
“The interview was half hilarity and half really serious,” said Barker, who was clearly impressed. “I would’ve been happy with an email. He sent a video … It was so un-Hollywood.”
The students posted their thanks at the end of a written article headlined “Ant-Man’s MARVELous Nephew”:
“Special Message to Paul Rudd from Period Five Electronic Journalism: Thank you for taking so much time to help us with this article. We hope ‘Ant-Man and The Wasp’ helps your family and your career. You’re a GIANT in Ant-Man clothing and are always welcome to hang out with us Don Estridgens! (Maybe the Wasp can drop you off.)”