Audience fave, movie star Paul Rudd inducted into NJ Hall of Fame

The New Jersey Hall of Fame just inducted 21 new members, and one of them happens to be one of my all-time favorite actors—Paul Rudd.

Who knew that Paul Rudd had ever been in New Jersey, no less hailing from here?

As it turns out, The veteran of so many movies that I love was not only born in Passaic but also lived in Palisades Park as a kid. And get this—his wife, Julie Yaeger, is a Jersey native, too.

Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images

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For almost 30 years, Paul Rudd has been performing in some of your favorite movies like Wet Hot American Summer, Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, The 40-Year-Old Virgin, and Ant-Man, and its sequels.

As well as a gazillion other movies and TV shows. While his family eventually moved to Kansas City when he was a teen, his Jersey roots run deep.

His parents emigrated from England and settled here—his dad grew up in Paterson, his grandparents lived in Lodi, and his cousins are from Fair Lawn.

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In his own words:

“Really, my life can be encapsulated by the opening credits of The Sopranos.”

At the ceremony, Rudd was inducted by his friend of over 25 years, Bobby Cannavale, another Jersey guy from Union City.

Cannavale jokingly admitted he didn’t know how to properly honor Rudd, so he swiped Clive Davis’ speech from Tony Orlando’s induction last year. True Jersey style.

Photo by Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for Academy Museum of Motion Pictures

In his acceptance speech, Rudd was humble and his usual snarky, wise-ass. He joked about wanting his own Parkway rest stop (because who wouldn’t?) and reflected on what this honor meant to him:

“Getting into this place, I’m done… I can hang it up, man. My whole career has been a chase for relevance—somebody needed to know I came from this place. Now they do.”

Oh, and let’s not forget—Rudd was named People’s Sexiest Man Alive in 2021. I can’t help but wonder which honor he holds closer to his heart. Hall of Fame or Sexiest Man Alive? Tough call.