IT 7th Friend

Image credit: Paul Rudd Photograph by Michael Lewis

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Paul Rudd

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Why Him? He romanced our favorite Friend, Phoebe, in the show's best plotline this season, while maintaining big-screen indie cred in Neil LaBute's ''The Shape of Things.''

...And Because He's Modest ''Joining 'Friends' was terrifying. It was a convention that I was unfamiliar with, and it was a show that the entire world was superfamiliar with. People in Bangladesh have seen it.''

Friend He'd Most Like to Date ''Gunther,'' says the hetero, but homo-friendly, Rudd (see ''The Object of My Affection'').

Okay, But Technically Gunther's Not a Friend ''Phoebe. I like her eccentricity, her free spirit.''

Worst Job Costarring in an educational film about sexual molestation. ''The director wanted to do a take where I talk about Jesus -- all of this was kept from me when I signed on. I wouldn't do it, and he threw the 'You'll never work in this town again.' I'm Jewish -- I'm not going to say that stuff.''

Influences ''I'd like to have the acting equivalent of Elvis Costello's or Tom Waits' career -- navigating a life where art and commerce don't have to go together.''

More Lowbrow, Please ''A few months ago a buddy said, 'Let's watch ''American Idol''.' I wound up almost being late for my flight. I got totally sucked in.''

Next At least five episodes of ''Friends'' in the fall.

What We'd Like to See Next A reunion with ''Clueless'' costar Alicia Silverstone on her new NBC show, ''Miss Match.'' ''Yeah,'' Rudd says. ''I'd do that.''