Clueless, the beloved 1995 comedy starring Alicia Silverstone as fashion-forward Beverly Hills teen Cher Horowitz—who meddles in her friends lives and ultimately falls for her ex-stepbrother (Paul Rudd)—is officially hitting the stage. A musical version will premiere Off Broadway this November—and Rudd cant wait to see it for himself.
“Im glad that its coming to the stage,” the actor said at the New York premiere of his latest movie, Ant-Man and the Wasp, on Wednesday, hosted by the Cinema Society. “It seems that a lot of films are making the transition to the stage, and I absolutely believe you can have a great show on Broadway be from a film. People look at Clueless fondly. I certainly think it would translate well.”
Rudd made his big-screen debut at the age of 26 as Chers eventual paramour, Josh. He reportedly beat out Ben Affleck and Zach Braff for the role. “I look back with gratitude and only have happy memories. Everything was so new,” he said.
Rudd hopes that his favorite scene from the movie makes it into the stage show: the moment where Cher, Josh, and Chers father, Mel Horowitz (Dan Hedaya), simultaneously whip out their flip phones at the dinner table as they hear a ring.
“I remember thinking that was the most cutting-edge joke I had ever seen,” Rudd said with a chuckle. “You look at it now and you laugh, but we didnt have the Internet or social media when we made Clueless. That scene had never really been done at the time. I hope they keep it for [the] nostalgic feeling.”
Even Rudd is stunned at the movies influence and staying power two decades later. “The movie has held up so well. Its something that I would have never predicted,” he said. “Its the movie that I get asked about the most. Its really due to Amy [Heckerling]s clever writing. She did a great job, and Alicia Silverstone is so good. I think the stage show will only make it grow bigger.”
In the meantime, Rudd returns to the big screen as a sassy, tiny superhero in Ant-Man and the Wasp. Like Clueless, its a role that has helped him grow as an actor—and as a writer. (Rudd is a credited co-screenwriter on both Ant-Man films.)
“When I first played Ant-Man, it was different than anything I had ever done. It was challenging, and there was a lot to learn,” he said. “Any time you continue to work, you are learning something new hopefully. And also working on the script side of it too makes me think of this movie not just as a movie, but a part of my heart. So I feel connected to the entire thing a little bit more. Its been real fun.”
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