Happy Birthday, Seth Rogen!

Today, we're celebrating the 30th birthday of actor Seth Rogen. He got his acting start on the short-lived TV show "Freaks and Geeks" in 1999, but it wasn't until 2001 that he made his feature film debut in Donnie Darko. In 2004, Rogen made his first real impact on the big screen in a bit performance in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, which he then followed with a supporting role in 2005's The 40 Year Old Virgin, cementing himself as one of the go-to comedy men in Hollywood. Seth nabbed his first leading man role in 2007's Knocked Up and also appeared in Superbad that same year. In 2008, Rogen made appearances in The Spiderwick Chronicles, Kung Fu Panda, Zack and Miri Make a Porno, Step Brothers and Pineapple Express, and he has yet to slow down. Most recently, audiences have seen him in 2011's 50/50, and they'll next see Rogen in 2012's The Guilt Trip. And so, to celebrate his birthday, I've listed my five favorite of Seth Rogen's performances, and I've found a clip for each. Once again, happy birthday, Seth!

5. Ben Stone
Knocked Up (2007)


*****

4. Dale Denton
Pineapple Express (2008)


*****

3. Cal
The 40 Year Old Virgin (2005)


*****

2. Admiral Seaholtz / Roach
Fanboys (2009)


*****

1. Officer Michaels
Superbad (2007)

Happy Birthday, Paul Rudd!

Today, we're celebrating the 43rd birthday of actor Paul Rudd. He nabbed his first acting role in 1992's A Question of Ethics, but he didn't make a real audience splash until his performance in 1995's Clueless. Throughout the late 1990s, Rudd appeared in such films as 1996's Romeo + Juliet and 1999's The Cider House Rules as supporting characters. It wasn't until the mid-2000s, however, with appearances in films like 2004's Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy and 2005's The 40 Year Old Virgin, that Rudd truly burst onto the Hollywood scene. He has since made a name for himself as a top supporting character in a number of comedies, including 2007's Knocked Up and 2008's Forgetting Sarah Marshall. Rudd's fame grew enough to earn him a few leading man credits as well, including in 2008's Role Models and 2009's I Love You, Man. Most recently, audiences have seen Rudd in 2012's Wanderlust opposite Jennifer Aniston, and we'll next be able to see him in the 2012 film The Perks of Being a Wallflower. And so, to celebrate his birthday, I've listed my five favorite of Rudd's performances. Once again, happy birthday, Paul!

5. Brian Fantana
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)


*****

4. David
The 40 Year Old Virgin (2005)


*****

3. Chuck
Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008)


*****

2. Pete
Knocked Up (2007)


*****

1. John Lennon
Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (2007)

Happy Birthday, Leslie Mann!

I've always had a little bit of a soft spot for Leslie Mann. She played a leading role in one of my favorite childhood films - there's a video below, and I'm sure you'll be able to tell which one it is - and ever since then, I've enjoyed seeing her show up in films here and there. She got her first big cinematic break with 1996's The Cable Guy (which also starred Jim Carrey and Matthew Broderick), but what made it all the more endearing was that she met her eventual husband, big-time producer Judd Apatow, during the course of filming. In contrast with traditional Hollywood marriages, the two have stayed together for the past fourteen years and have two daughters who occasionally appear in Apatow fare. But back to Leslie: there's really no denying her comedic presence on-screen. She's predominantly specialized in comedic films - I couldn't find a non-comedy anywhere on her filmography. She's funny enough to generate laughter from her supporting roles, so she's definitely someone to watch as time goes by. Below are my five favorite Leslie Mann roles from over the years. I apologize for a couple of them - one barely features her, and another is clearly filmed from a handheld camera - but you'll still get a sense of her comic acting. Enjoy!

5. Robin Harris
The Cable Guy (1996)


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4. Laura
Funny People (2009)


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3. Nicky
The 40 Year Old Virgin (2005)


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2. Debbie
Knocked Up (2007)


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1. Ursula Stanhope
George of the Jungle (1997)