Hollywood has a funny way of mashing people together. Sometimes it works. Sometimes it’s just weird. If you were scrolling through cable or a streaming app lately and paused on a scene of Jason Segel desperately trying to flirt with Megan Fox while wearing a skin-tight athletic shirt, you aren't hallucinating.
It actually happened.
The year was 2012. Judd Apatow was at the height of his "Apatow-verse" powers, and he decided to make a "sort-of sequel" to Knocked Up. That movie, This Is 40, is basically the only time we’ve ever seen the laid-back, Muppet-loving Segel share significant screen time with the Transformers icon.
But why do people keep searching for them together in 2026?
Honestly, it’s mostly because the internet has a long memory for awkward comedy. Also, their careers have taken such wildly different paths that seeing them in the same frame feels like a glitch in the Matrix.
The "Bodies by Jason" Era
In This Is 40, Jason Segel doesn't play the lovable, bumbling guy we know from How I Met Your Mother.
Well, he sort of does.
He plays a character named Jason, who is now a personal trainer. He’s ditched the bong from Knocked Up and replaced it with a spiritual obsession with "wellness." He spends his scenes trying to convince Desi, played by Megan Fox, that he’s the ultimate alpha male.
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It’s hilarious. And cringey.
There’s a specific scene where Segel and Chris O’Dowd are both trying to hit on Fox’s character at a club. It’s a masterclass in "pathetic guy energy." Segel is leaning in, using all his height and charm, and Fox is just... there. She plays the "straight man" to their absurdity perfectly.
Why the pairing was a genius move
- Contrast: You have Segel’s "everyman" vibe clashing with Fox’s "unattainable star" persona.
- Subverting Expectations: Fox was often pigeonholed into "eye candy" roles back then, but Apatow gave her room to be funny and slightly biting.
- The Apatow Method: Most of their dialogue was improvised. That means the awkwardness you see on screen between Segel and Fox was likely happening in real-time as they tried to make each other laugh.
Did They Ever Actually Date?
No.
Let’s get that out of the way. If you’re looking for a secret romance, you’re going to be disappointed.
During the filming of This Is 40, Megan Fox was married to Brian Austin Green. They were actually expecting their first child together shortly after the film wrapped.
Jason Segel, meanwhile, was famously linked to Michelle Williams around that time. They were the "indie darling" couple of the early 2010s.
So, while their chemistry as bickering coworkers/flirts was great for the cameras, there was zero off-screen drama. In fact, most reports from the set suggested the cast was just one big, happy, improv-heavy family. Megan Fox has even talked about how much she enjoyed the freedom of an Apatow set compared to the rigid, high-pressure environment of Michael Bay’s Transformers movies.
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Where Are They Now? (The 2026 Update)
It’s been over a decade since they worked together. A lot has changed.
Jason Segel has basically undergone a "prestige" makeover. He moved away from pure slapstick and into deeply emotional, acclaimed work like Shrinking on Apple TV+. He’s become the king of the "sad-funny" dad role. He’s less about the "Bodies by Jason" workout routines and more about existential therapy sessions.
Megan Fox’s trajectory has been a total rollercoaster.
After a bit of a Hollywood hiatus, she had a massive cultural resurgence. By 2026, she’s moved past the tabloid frenzy of the Machine Gun Kelly era and solidified herself as a genre-film staple. She’s also done a lot of voice work—most notably lending her voice to the Mortal Kombat universe and the Five Nights at Freddy’s sequel.
She’s smart. She’s savvy. And she’s leaned into the fact that she’s a cult icon.
Could they ever reunite?
The fans want it.
There’s been talk for years about a potential This Is 50. Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann are always game for more Apatow projects. If that movie ever gets the green light, we’d almost certainly see Segel return.
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Seeing a 50-year-old "spiritual trainer" Jason trying to keep up with an even more cynical Desi would be comedy gold.
The Reality of the "Apatow Bump"
Working on a project like This Is 40 did something different for both of them.
For Segel, it proved he could play a jerk. Usually, he's the guy you want to hug. In this movie, he's the guy you want to roll your eyes at. It showed range.
For Fox, it was a "cool points" move. It showed the industry that she had a sense of humor about herself. She wasn't just a poster on a teenager's wall; she could hold her own in a room full of the best improvisers in the business.
Actionable Takeaways for Movie Buffs
If you’re a fan of either actor, there are a few things you should do to get the full picture of their weirdly intersecting careers:
- Watch the Bloopers: Seriously. The This Is 40 blooper reel is famous for a reason. You get to see the exact moment Jason Segel breaks character while trying to flirt with Megan Fox. It’s more human than the actual movie.
- Check out "Shrinking": If you only know Segel from his Megan Fox era, you’re missing out. His current work is some of the best on television.
- Revisit "Jennifer’s Body": If you want to see why Megan Fox became the legend she is, this is the film. It was hated when it came out but is now considered a feminist masterpiece.
Hollywood is a small town. People like Jason Segel and Megan Fox may seem like they live on different planets, but for a few weeks in a California gym set, they were the funniest duo on screen.
Keep an eye on the trades for any news on This Is 50. If the Apatow crew gets back together, the Segel/Fox dynamic is the one thing everyone will be waiting for. Until then, we’ll always have the "Bodies by Jason" workout tips.