If you’ve ever seen Paul Rudd in an interview, you probably feel like you know him. He’s the guy who doesn’t age, the one who does the same Mac and Me prank on Conan for decades, and the actor who somehow makes being a Marvel superhero feel relatable. But for someone so constantly in our faces, Paul Rudd and family are surprisingly good at keeping things quiet.
They don't do the reality TV thing. You won't find them posting staged "candid" photos on Instagram every Tuesday.
Honestly, in a town where people sell their wedding photos to the highest bidder, Rudd’s approach is a bit of an anomaly. He’s been with the same woman since before he was even famous. They live in a small town in New York. They own a candy shop. It sounds less like a Hollywood A-lister’s life and more like the plot of a feel-good indie movie he might have starred in back in the late nineties.
The Meet-Cute That Actually Happened
Most people assume Paul Rudd met his wife, Julie Yaeger, on a movie set. It fits the narrative, right? Actor meets actress, they fall in love under the craft services tent.
But it didn't happen like that.
The year was 1995. Clueless had just come out, and Rudd was the new "it" guy. He moved to New York City and, following his director’s advice, went straight to a publicist’s office. He arrived late, lugging his suitcases, looking like a mess. Julie was working there. She offered to take his bags to a friend's place so he could make his audition on time.
A few days later, he asked her out to lunch.
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He’s mentioned in interviews—specifically with Marie Claire UK—that he was immediately struck by her maturity. She had a "perspective on the world" that felt earned. They dated for eight years before getting married in 2003. Think about that timeline. That’s nearly a decade of dating in your twenties and thirties while your career is exploding. That kind of stability is rare.
Raising Kids Who Don’t Care About Ant-Man
Paul and Julie have two kids: Jack Sullivan, born in 2006, and Darby, born in 2010.
If you want to know what kind of dad Paul Rudd is, just look at how his kids treat his fame. They aren't impressed. When he told Jack he was going to be Ant-Man, the kid’s response was basically, "I can't wait to see how stupid that'll be."
Jack is basically his father’s clone. If you saw them at the Super Bowl in early 2025 or 2026, the resemblance is actually a little bit scary. They have the same mannerisms, the same dry sense of humor, and apparently, the same obsession with the Kansas City Chiefs.
- Jack Sullivan Rudd: Now a young adult, often seen with Paul at sporting events. He went viral for an interview where he sounded exactly like his dad while praising Patrick Mahomes.
- Darby Rudd: Stays much further out of the spotlight. She’s occasionally seen at major events, like when Paul got his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, but she’s not a "nepo baby" social media star.
Rudd once told PEOPLE that he doesn't think of himself as an actor first. He thinks of himself as a husband and a father. When he’s not filming, he’s just hanging out with them in Rhinebeck. No entourage. No paparazzi-chasing. Just a guy who probably spends too much time worrying about his lawn.
The Basement Pub and the Candy Shop
Life for Paul Rudd and family isn't centered in Los Angeles. They chose Rhinebeck, New York, a town in the Hudson Valley that’s about as far from Hollywood culture as you can get while still being on the map.
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The house has a secret.
Well, not exactly secret, but definitely cool. Paul’s father, Michael, started building a fully functional Irish pub in the basement of their home. When Michael passed away from cancer in 2008, Paul finished the project. It’s called Sullivan’s. It has Guinness on tap. It’s where the family hangs out, away from the cameras.
Then there’s the candy.
If you’re ever in Rhinebeck, you’ll find Samuel’s Sweet Shop. After the original owner passed away, Rudd and his friend Jeffrey Dean Morgan (yes, Negan from The Walking Dead) bought the place to keep it from closing. It’s a local staple. It’s also a perfect metaphor for Rudd’s life: local, sweet, and surprisingly normal.
Why This Dynamic Actually Works
Hollywood marriages usually have an expiration date. We see it all the time. But Rudd and Yaeger have been together for over 25 years.
Why?
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Maybe it's because Julie isn't just "the wife." She’s a screenwriter and producer in her own right. They even worked together on the 2017 film Fun Mom Dinner. She wrote it; he produced it. They’re partners in the actual sense of the word.
They also seem to share a philosophy on life that Paul inherited from his father. Shortly before Michael died, they had a heart-to-heart about the meaning of it all. The takeaway was simple: be kind, add more to the pot than you take out, and don't take yourself too seriously.
That’s the "Rudd Way."
It’s why he hands out cookies to people waiting in line to vote. It’s why he doesn’t have a Twitter account where he shares every thought that crosses his mind. He’s protecting a life that he clearly values more than his Q-rating.
Actionable Takeaways from the Rudd Playbook
We can’t all be the Sexiest Man Alive (per 2021) or have a basement pub, but there are things we can learn from how Paul Rudd handles his business.
- Privacy is a Choice: You don't have to share everything. In an age of oversharing, keeping your family life offline can actually lead to a more stable home environment.
- Roots Matter: Living away from the "center" of your industry—whatever that is for you—can help you keep your ego in check.
- Marry Your Equal: Finding a partner who has their own identity and career, and who knew you before you were "somebody," is the ultimate cheat code for a long-term relationship.
- Humor as a Shield: If your kids think you’re a dork, you’re probably doing it right. It keeps you grounded.
Paul Rudd and family have managed to do the impossible: stay famous without becoming "celebrities." They’ve built a life that exists entirely outside of the industry that pays for it. And honestly? That might be his most impressive role yet.