Who doesn’t love Paul Rudd? The seemingly ageless I Love You, Man star has popped up in all sorts of different roles, from Ant-Man to Clueless, showing he’s much more than a pretty face with great comedic timing.
Rudd isn’t just a film actor, though. As a writer and producer he worked on legendary cult titles like Party Down, and has also had cameos in everything from The Simpsons to Impractical Jokers, as well as his own Netflix show Living With Yourself. However, a lot of fans of the charming actor believe his best television role was as Phoebe’s longterm love interest Mike Hannigan on Friends, in which he appeared in 17 episodes. While Rudd was already a famous face when he first popped up on the global hit sitcom, his turn introduced him to a whole host of new fans, boosting his profile and turning him into the superstar we know and love today. If you want to know more about his time on Friends, then read ahead!
Who did Paul Rudd play in Friends?
Paul Rudd took on the role of Mike Hannigan in Friends. He was the love interest of one of the six lead characters — Phoebe Buffay — played by Lisa Kudrow. Mike was introduced to the show during an episode where Joey (Matt LeBlanc) and Phoebe agree to find each other blind dates. Joey predictably forgets and as a result needs to lie to Phoebe, telling her he’s setting her up with his old buddy Mike, despite the fact he doesn’t know any Mikes. Desperate, he heads into Central Perk, the coffee shop that serves as one of the main settings of Friends, and shouts out the name Mike. Rudd’s character turns around, Joey tells him about the problem, and the rest is history.
Rudd’s character is in line with a lot of his other comedic roles, with Mike being a little bit silly and incredibly charming – making him the perfect foil for Phoebe’s quirkiness. When the character is introduced to the show, he’s just quit his job as a lawyer to focus on being a pianist, something he considers to be a lifelong dream. Much like Phoebe, he’s willing to go against social norms to prove a point, with the most memorable example of this being in season ten’s “The One With Princess Consuela,” where he begins telling everyone his name is Crap Bag to prove to Phoebe how ridiculous it is to change her name to Princess Consuela Bananahammock.
It wasn’t all smooth sailing for Mike during his character arc, though. In season nine, he and Phoebe break up after a disagreement about marriage, with Mike still scarred from his earlier divorce and afraid of making the lifelong commitment again – something Phoebe realizes she’s always wanted. However, the couple reconcile in the finale of the same season, with Mike rushing out to Barbados to profess his love for Phoebe when he finds out her old flame David (Hank Azaria of Simpsons fame) is about to propose to her. Mike and Phoebe are eventually married in the season ten episode “The One With Phoebe’s Wedding.”
How many episodes of Friends was Paul Rudd in?
Paul Rudd appears as Mike Hannigan in 17 episodes of Friends, although he is also mentioned in six additional ones.
Which episodes of Friends did Paul Rudd appear in?
Rudd appeared in the following 17 episodes of Friends:
- “The One With The Pediatrician”
- “The One With The Sharks”
- “The One With The Male Nanny”
- “The One With Ross’ Inappropriate Song”
- “The One With Rachel’s Phone Number”
- “The One With Phoebe’s Rats”
- “The One Where Monica Sings”
- “The One With The Boob Job”
- “The One With The Memorial Service”
- “The One In Barbados, Part 1”
- “The One In Barbados, Part 2”
- “The One After Joey And Rachel Kiss”
- “The One Where Rachel’s Sister Baby-Sits”
- “The One With The Home Study”
- “The One With Phoebe’s Wedding
- “The One With Princess Consuela”
- “The Last One, Part I”
Rudd’s character Mike is also mentioned in the following episodes, although he doesn’t appear onscreen:
- “The One With Phoebe’s Birthday Dinner”
- “The One With Ross’ Tan”
- “The One With Ross’ Grant”
- “The One Where Chandler Gets Caught”
- “The One Where Joey Speaks French”
- “The Last One, Part II”
When did Paul Rudd make his first appearance in Friends?
Rudd’s first appearance in Friends was in the third episode of season nine, “The One With the Pediatrician.” Despite the fact his first date with Phoebe ends with her storming out, he convinces her that he’s worth seeing again, leading to their story arc.
When was Paul Rudd’s final appearance in Friends?
Rudd’s final appearance in Friends was in the first part of the season ten finale, “The Last One, Part I.” In the episode, Mike and Phoebe — inspired by Monica (Courteney Cox) and Chandler (Matthew Perry) — decide that it’s the right time to have children. He is briefly mentioned in “The Last One, Part II” as well.
What did Paul Rudd think of his Friends role?
Most longtime fans of the show adored Rudd’s character thanks to his humor and charm, and the fact he added a little more depth to Phoebe’s character, who some thought had been Flanderized in later seasons. The actor himself seems to have had a positive experience on the show, although recently while doing interviews in preparation for the release of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania he has expressed some confusion about his part in the much anticipated series finale, even going so far as to say he wished he hadn’t been in the “emotional” episode:
“I never knew that I was going to be in as many [episodes] as I was. But it also felt strange…I was in that last episode. And I just thought, ‘I shouldn’t be here… I’m getting, like, a front-row seat to things I’m not supposed to see.’ They were all crying. It was all emotional. I was just like, Whoa.”
He added, “I felt very privileged, but I also was like, I just don’t want to sit back here and get in the way.”