Judd Apatow reveals what the studio demanded from Paul Rudd on 'Anchorman' set

Judd Apatow has revealed what the studio asked Paul Rudd behind the scenes while filming Anchorman.

The 57-year-old American director and film producer recently showed up on his friend Ted Danson’s podcast, Where Everybody Knows Your Name, to articulate his thoughts on life and promote his forthcoming book, Comedy Nerd: A Lifelong Obsession in Stories and Pictures.

While talking about the book, Apatow sang praises of senior comedy legends such as his mentor Garry Shandling, Bob Newhart, and Don Rickles.

Danson asked if The 40-Year-Old Virgin was the first time he worked with Rudd, forgetting that the Ant-Man actor had already been in another movie Apatow produced.

The Knocked Up regisseur replied, "We did Anchorman together. Back then, like, he was doing, you know, probably more serious stuff than comedies, but he really wanted to do comedies."

Notably, the 56-year-old Hollywood actor has acted in movies like The Shape of Things, The Cider House Rules, and P.S. However, he also appeared in Strangers with Candy and Wet Hot American Summer.

"I remember him coming in fully dressed in the '70s clothes for the Anchorman audition [with the] mustache. You know, he definitely was committed to, like, being a comedy star. And I would always say, 'All I need is for you to gain weight. I just want you to gain weight. I like Chunky Paul. Let's do Chunky Paul.'"

Not everyone agreed with the Heavyweight creator, as he recalled, “When we were shooting the movie, like, three days in, the studio got really mad. They're like, 'What happened to Paul?' And they're like, '[Can] he do anything about this?' I'm like, 'I can't change his weight in the middle of the movie!' But, you know, he was doing a De Niro for us."

Before concluding, it is pertinent to mention that Judd Apatow's new book, Comedy Nerd: A Lifelong Obsession in Stories and Pictures, will be out on October 28, 2025.