Paul Rudd has built a career on his “regular guy” persona, and in Ant-Man he played the smallest superhero in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Now he’s back for more with Ant-Man and the Wasp. In this exclusive interview, we talked about the character and its place in the superhero universe that has become such a massive worldwide phenomenon.

Is it easier to wear the superhero suit the second time around?

Yes. People know who I am. They have seen me in this part. The first time around we were not sure. We thought  ‘Is the audience going to buy me in this role?’ Now we know it, and we took bigger chances. On the humor scale, on the fighting scale, on the human scale, all around we have a better sense of the character, of who is Scott Lang.

As an actor, do you feel any constraints playing a superhero? Do you ever get bored revisiting the same character?

I haven’t felt constrained by the role or the fact we are doing a second part. Or when I did Civil War. This side of my work has been nothing but positive. I love every second of it. If anything, the downside is just being away from home. But that would be the case with whatever I was working on. It’s that constant struggle where I look at it like my job but it’s also my passion. I do it because I always want to do it but it also feels selfish because I have a family and kids growing up. And that’s the only time, when I’m away doing this, that I feel incredibly guilty.

Talk about the Marvel Cinematic Universe phenomenon, how has it changed the way of making movies?.

I’m certainly aware of how enormous the MCU is and that these films are the ones the people are going to and how that has changed the structure of this business. A lot of the films I made ten years ago would not be made nowadays. And that’s a whole other thing we can talk about. But personally, I’m a fan because I really enjoy them. When the new one comes out I go and see it.  And to be a part of it is gratifying and kind of overwhelming if I let myself go there. Because to be at the premiere with a large number of people dressed up in costumes… Listen, we all find joy and happiness and escape in every way we can. And a lot of people find it in these movies. I’m talking about reassuring stories about good triumphing and been decent. And for so many kids is really, really cool. And it’s really cool to be part of it when you are talking with kids.

With Evangeline Lily (The Wasp) in a scene from Ant Man and the Wasp.

marvel/disney

What about your own kids? Are they into superheroes? Do they enjoy the MCU?

My son likes sports! It’s interesting because Ant-Man is a big part of my children’s lives. My daughter draws pictures of Ant-Man, she has an Ant-Man keychain in her backpack. Darby is 8. And Jack, 12. He thinks is pretty awesome. He has been on the set and he has tried on the helmet. He’s of an age where there are so many kids that are his friends that grew up with this franchise. But he also has to deal with other things. It’s a double edge sword. He becomes friend with people because of the movie and he’s proud of it but at the same time, he wants to be liked for himself and not because his dad is Ant-Man. That’s a new thing that I had to deal with and I never had to worry before.

Seems like there’s this family of superheroes called Avengers where you are now part and this other family called the Rudd family. What’s the secret to keeping both running?

Putting fame in its proper place. Everything that comes with it is essentially meaningless if you don’t put something important behind. I think I keep the proper perspective. I don’t feel I’m more important than anybody else. If you can use this kind of things for some good, for some change, making life a little bit easier for somebody else it’s a positive thing. That’s the important stuff.

Is it giving back the bottom line of being famous?

It’s not only about being famous. It’s the bottom line of being here, on Earth. You can try to make life a little bit better for someone else while you are here or you can try just to make it good only for yourself. A lot of people do that but I don’t think is the right way. It’s shortsighted. I don’t want to fit in that category. My dad told me when I was a kid: there are two types of people, those that give and those that don’t. I prefer the first ones.