It is a weird thing to watch, honestly. One Paul Rudd is usually enough for any movie, but seeing two of them fighting over the same Irish woman is a whole other level of surreal. If you’ve spent any time on Netflix lately, you’ve probably stumbled across Living with Yourself. It’s that show where Rudd plays a guy who goes to a spa and accidentally gets cloned.
But the real magic isn’t just the CGI. It’s the chemistry between Aisling Bea and Paul Rudd.
People always want to know if they’re actually friends or if it was just a "show up and do the job" kind of situation. Hollywood is famous for faking friendships to sell tickets, but these two seem to have a genuinely bizarre and hilarious bond that started in a New York casting office.
How Aisling Bea and Paul Rudd Actually Met
Aisling Bea wasn't some massive US star when this started. She was already a legend in the UK and Ireland—think 8 Out of 10 Cats and This Way Up—but she hadn't quite cracked the American "A-list" bubble yet.
Then came the "magic thing."
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That's how she describes it, anyway. Most actors spend years doing grueling auditions. For this role, she just sent in a tape from across the Atlantic. Next thing she knew, she was on a plane to New York for a chemistry test with the man who seemingly never ages.
Working with Rudd is apparently exactly what you’d expect. He’s nice. Almost annoyingly nice. But for Bea, the challenge wasn't just acting with him; it was acting with a "ghost" of him. Because Rudd plays both Miles (the original) and Miles 2.0 (the clone), Bea often had to film scenes looking at a tennis ball on a stick or just remembering where Rudd had been standing five minutes prior.
The Most Ridiculous Gift Ever
You’ve got to love a good prank. Paul Rudd is a known menace when it comes to long-form bits (just ask Conan O'Brien about that Mac and Me clip).
When they finished filming, Rudd gave Bea a "wrap gift" that she still talks about. It was a framed photo of himself. But it wasn't just a nice headshot. It was inscribed with: "Dear Aisling, congratulations on working with me, Paul Rudd."
She told Seth Meyers that it’s basically an "altar to Paul" in her house now. She can’t throw it away because that would be rude, but she can’t really display it without looking like a obsessed superfan. It’s a total trap. A very Paul Rudd trap.
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Why Their Dynamic Worked
- The Power Balance: Unlike many "wife" roles, Bea’s character, Kate, actually has agency. She’s an architect. She’s frustrated. She’s not just there to react to the men.
- The Comedy Roots: Both actors come from a heavy improv and stand-up background. This allowed them to riff in a way that felt like a real, tired, long-term marriage.
- The Dance: There is a specific, awkward dance scene in the show to Rick James' "Give It to Me." They spent more time rehearsing that goofy routine than almost anything else.
What Happened to Season 2?
This is the question that kills fans. The first season ended on a massive cliffhanger—Kate is pregnant, and nobody knows which Miles is the father. It’s a "scientifically twisted throuple," as some critics called it.
Honestly? It’s been years. While both actors have expressed interest in the past, their schedules are a nightmare. Rudd is busy being an Avenger and a Ghostbuster. Bea is busy winning BAFTAs and writing her own shows.
The creator, Timothy Greenberg, originally envisioned it as a limited series, but that ending definitely left the door open. For now, it remains one of those "hidden gems" on Netflix that people discover and then immediately Google to see if the stars are dating (they aren't, by the way—Rudd has been married to Julie Yaeger since 2003).
The Takeaway for Fans
If you're looking for a deep dive into the human psyche—or just want to see Aisling Bea be incredibly dry and funny while Paul Rudd has a breakdown—Living with Yourself is the move.
Actionable Insight: If you've already finished the series and need more of that Aisling Bea energy, go watch This Way Up. It’s her own creation, and it captures that same blend of "I'm laughing but also I might cry" that made her pairing with Rudd so effective.
You can also find her stand-up specials on various streaming platforms to see the "real" her before she was playing the wife of a clone. Just don't expect any more framed photos from Paul Rudd to show up in the credits.