Paul Rudd Talks Getting Starstruck Around Captain America

Paul Rudd as Scott Lang and Chris Evans as Steve Rogers in Captain America: Civil War
(Image credit: (Marvel))

Over the weekend the cast of Avengers: Endgame started a press tour mystified by all the secrecy the cast are sworn to until a movie is released. There is a certain bittersweetness to the cast assembling ahead of the release of Avengers: Endgame, because the blockbuster is said to be the culmination of a 22-film journey in the MCU that started with Iron Man.

Over at Jimmy Kimmel Live, Ant-Man’s Paul Rudd was asked about something he could actually answer: a moment that has stood out to him during his time with the MCU thus far and it included quite a bit of love for Captain America. Here’s what he said:

The very first time I filmed with these guys on Civil War it was pretty spectacular because we’d already filmed Ant-Man, but that was a little in a bubble. All of a sudden, I was seeing everybody in their suits and it was very exciting.

After the Ant-Man’s origin was introduced in 2015, the size-shifting superhero was recruited for Team Cap in Captain America: Civil War in a scene that had the Avengers at odds with one another for some exciting match-ups. Looks like Paul Rudd’s first scene among the extended universe when he freaks out over meeting Cap and Scarlet Witch was a lot less acting than one might expect. Rudd continued the memory with these words:

In fact, one time, I was standing opposite Chris Evans and he had to run to use the bathroom or something. He asked the prop guy to hold his shield and walked off. I just said [to the prop guy], ‘Can I try it?’ And I took the shield and it was very exciting. It was not dissimilar to what my character was feeling in the scene.

Once Team Cap, always Team Cap! We can easily imagine the Ant-Man actor doing exactly what he described because his character sounded just as starstruck toward Chris Evans’ iconic role when he stumbled out of a van, shook his hand a bit too long, and felt his broad shoulders. Is there any other acceptable reaction? If you have the chance to hold on to Cap’s shield for a short moment, why not?

Paul Rudd joined original Avengers cast members Robert Downey Jr, Scarlett Johansson and Chris Hemsworth over at Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Monday night. Check out the longer interview below:

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Besides his coming appearance with them in Avengers: Endgame, Ant-Man has only appeared with the Avengers in Civil War in that fun airport battle scene. He sat out during Infinity War (much to some FOMO on his side) and as revealed to Ant-Man and the Wasp, became stuck in the Quantum Realm during the time of the snap.

As the Endgame trailers have teased, Scott Lang somehow makes it out of the Quantum Realm and approaches the Avengers as they try to figure out how to defeat Thanos and reverse his act of genocide. Ant-Man looks to have a more significant role in this upcoming film, whether the Avengers decide to use his Quantum tech to save the world or if one viral theory involving Ant-Man crawling into Thanos’ butt ring true. Answers to these questions aren’t far off, Avengers: Endgame hits theaters on April 26.

Sarah El-Mahmoud
Staff Writer

Sarah El-Mahmoud has been with CinemaBlend since 2018 after graduating from Cal State Fullerton with a degree in Journalism. In college, she was the Managing Editor of the award-winning college paper, The Daily Titan, where she specialized in writing/editing long-form features, profiles and arts & entertainment coverage, including her first run-in with movie reporting, with a phone interview with Guillermo del Toro for Best Picture winner, The Shape of Water. Now she's into covering YA television and movies, and plenty of horror. Word webslinger. All her writing should be read in Sarah Connor’s Terminator 2 voice over.