Paul Rudd Video Interview On Elizabeth Banks, Zooey Deschanel, ‘Our Idiot Brother’

Funny man Paul Rudd appears alongside Elizabeth Banks, Zooey Deschanel and Emily Mortimer in the charming new comedy Our Idiot Brother. The film portrays Ned (Rudd) a naïve biodynamic farmer, who gets caught selling Cannabis to a cop and his relationships with his three very different, though all very romantically troubled sisters. Rudd, who is receiving incredible praise for his irresistible performance in the film, says of his character, “I would describe Ned, the character I’m playing in Our Idiot Brother as an idealist. Not somebody who’s idiotic per se, just somebody who really sees the best in people,” remarks Rudd.

Working with such an incredibly talented cast was a wonderful experience for Rudd, but one experience stands out. “We shot a scene in Williamsburg and it was one were we were just walking down a main street outside I think on a Friday night maybe and I was doing it with Zooey and I thought, that’s such an interesting thing to shoot a scene of a movie in Williamsburg with Zooey Deschanel — because people go crazy there for her, understandably so,” admits Rudd.

Transcript:

Q: In the movie Our Idiot Brother you’re not dumb, you’re just very trusting. How would you describe him?

A: I would describe Ned, the character I’m playing in Our Idiot Brother as an idealist. Not somebody who’s idiotic per se, just somebody who really sees the best in people, puts that out there figuring, if you do that people will want to rise to the occasion and no matter how many times that kind of blows up in his face he’s made a very conscious decision to adhere to that principle.

Q: Have you ever known people that you modeled your character after?

A: I haven’t really known anybody exactly like this guy. It wasn’t modeled after anybody in particular but I certainly know people who are genuine and kind-hearted and seem to lack cynicism – they’re few and far between – but I have met people like that and I do know a few. I think the director of the film is a little bit like that. Yeah, I mean there are many qualities with this character that are inherent in Jesse Peretz – who directed it. To the point were I thought that he felt bad about giving direction to the actors, to all of us, because to suggest something would, in his mind, be an indictment on the choices that we were making for the scene. So it was kind of amusing to me.

Q: Since you work with so many great women in this movie, what was it like filming with them? What’s your favorite memory?

A: You know, working with all three of them, it was great and I’ve worked with Elizabeth Banks a few times, maybe five. Zooey, I’d worked with before in a short film. Emily I hadn’t ever worked with but I knew a little bit and I have always been a fan of hers, I think she’s super-talented. Rashida [Jones], who was also in the film, though not playing my sister, I’d worked with before and is great. So that was all really, really fun and nice. I suppose a memorable [experience], we shot a scene in Williamsburg and it was one were we were just walking down a main street outside I think on a Friday night maybe and I was doing it with Zooey and I thought, that’s such an interesting thing to shoot a scene of a movie in Williamsburg with Zooey Deschanel – because people go crazy there for her, understandably so. But I think every single person in Williamsburg owns her music and loves her films and that includes the Hasidic population.

Q: You got to grow long hair and a beard in the movie, what was that like for you?

A: Well, it’s nice to have a different look. That’s always kind of fun. It wasn’t anything I thought I would hang my hat on. That wasn’t necessarily the character to me, though it helped. It certainly felt different, having that kind of beard and the hair and the wardrobe and I got to wear short shorts and Crocs and tank tops, that was a blast. It was really gross and great. The hair and the beard were so hot and it was I think a heat wave, it was over a 100 degrees so I countered it with the lack of anything below the neck.