It’s been years since we saw them together in a major live-action comedy. Honestly, if you grew up in the mid-2000s, Seth Rogen and Jonah Hill were the blueprint. They were the guys who made it okay to be a "loser." They turned being a social pariah into an art form, and then, they just... kinda stopped.
The silence is loud.
People keep asking for Superbad 2. It's the white whale of comedy sequels. But Rogen has been incredibly blunt about it as recently as 2025. He basically told reporters at SXSW that he won't touch it. He doesn’t want to ruin the legacy. "Let’s fucking leave it as is," he said. That’s a tough pill for fans who want to see Seth and Evan as thirty-somethings with mortgages.
The Weird Way Seth Rogen and Jonah Hill Actually Met
You’d think they met in a writers' room or at a high-end Hollywood party. Nope. They met at a screening of The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou at The Grove in LA. Jonah literally tapped Seth on the shoulder from behind. His opening line? "Hey, asshole, let's be BFF."
Bold.
Seth was actually creeped out by most people, but Jonah didn't trigger his "weirdo" alarm. They traded numbers, but then Seth did the most Seth thing possible. He didn't call Jonah back for six months. Jonah would run into their mutual friends and ask why the guy was ghosting him. Turns out, Rogen was just nervous. He finally called him back when he wanted birthday presents.
Classic.
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By the time they were filming The 40-Year-Old Virgin, the chemistry was undeniable. Jonah had that tiny bit as the eBay customer who wants to buy a "Man-O-War" t-shirt. Seth had actually written that joke specifically for someone to look like an idiot. He basically created the role that launched Jonah’s career.
Why Sony Thought Jonah Hill Was "Too Vile"
This is a detail that surfaced recently, and it’s hilarious. During the production of Superbad, Sony—the studio paying for the movie—had some very specific notes. They were fine with the d**k drawings. They were fine with the period blood. But they had a massive problem with Jonah Hill’s character, Seth.
They thought he was "reprehensible."
The studio actually banned Jonah from touching a PlayStation in the movie. They didn't want their brand associated with a character that "vile." Rogen found this deeply offensive because the character was literally based on him as a teenager. "It's based on me, that's very insulting," he joked in a 2025 interview. If you watch the movie now, you'll notice Michael Cera (Evan) is the only one playing the PlayStation. Jonah isn't allowed to touch the controller.
The Advice That Changed Jonah Hill's Career
Success came fast. After Superbad blew up, Jonah was the "it" guy. Michael Bay even came knocking. He wanted Jonah to play Shia LaBeouf’s roommate in the Transformers sequel.
Most young actors would have jumped at that paycheck. Jonah hesitated. He went to Rogen for advice. Seth told him something that changed his entire trajectory: "You want to make a movie about fightin' robots? Make your own movie about fightin' robots. You can do that now."
Basically, Seth told him he was too good to be a sidekick in a franchise he didn't care about. Jonah turned it down. He went on to do Moneyball and The Wolf of Wall Street. He became a two-time Oscar nominee. If he had taken that Transformers role, we might never have seen the "serious actor" version of Jonah Hill.
Where Are They Now?
They aren't "feuding." Let's kill that rumor right now. They just grew up. Seth Rogen is busy running Point Grey Pictures and making high-end ceramics. Jonah Hill has stepped back from the public eye to protect his mental health, even refusing to do press for his own directorial projects like Stutz.
They’ve collaborated on voice work in things like Sausage Party, but the era of them standing side-by-side in a raunchy comedy feels like a time capsule. It’s a bittersweet reality of Hollywood. Sometimes the best duos realize they’ve said everything they needed to say.
How to Follow Their Current Work
- Watch "The Studio" on Apple TV+: Seth Rogen’s 2025 series offers a biting look at the industry they both conquered.
- Check out "Stutz" on Netflix: If you want to understand Jonah Hill's current headspace, this documentary about his therapist is essential viewing.
- Listen to the "Superbad" Commentary: If you can find the 20th-anniversary retrospective material, the stories about their early days are better than most modern comedies.
The best way to appreciate their partnership is to stop waiting for a sequel that isn't coming. Instead, revisit the original films. They captured a very specific lightning in a bottle that even they know they can't catch twice.