The 40-Year-Old Virgin is well known for launching Steve Carell’s Hollywood career, as well as being Judd Apatow’s feature directorial debut. The movie also helped change the course of Paul Rudd’s life, as it was part of a run of movies that turned into staples of the 2000s and 2010s raunchy comedy genre. Turns out, the Trainwreck director had one major request regarding Rudd's weight before they filmed the 2000s classic, and it didn't go over well.
Romantic comedy fans will know that The 40-Year-Old Virgin wasn’t Paul Rudd’s first movie feature. The Death Of A Unicorn actor became a household name after playing Cher’s older step-brother and eventual love interest in the hit 2000s teen comedy Clueless. Audiences fell in love with Rudd’s yearning eyes and general good looks, but that wasn’t going to work for his character in 40-Year-Old Virgin. Apatow told The Hollywood Reporter he had Rudd put on some weight to play David, but that didn’t go over well with the studio execs:
