Born in Vancouver, British Columbia, Seth Rogen has quickly risen to popularity with his leading roles in movies such as Knocked Up and Superbad. However, where did he come from? And, more so than that, how does the son of two “radical Jewish socialists” as Rogen puts it, get to become one of these very famous actors?
It all started when he was thirteen years old. Known for driving his parents and teachers absolutely crazy with his attempts at humor, he signed up for a comedy class in his home town. Immediately, Rogen took to it and quickly began to work on his own material. After a very short amount of time, he began to appear in a lot of well known Vancouver comedy clubs such as Lafflines, Punchlines, and others. Finally, after three years of stand up, he decided that he was going to venture to America to make a career in stand-up. Rogen had won second place in the Vancouver Amateur Comedy Contest at sixteen and that gave him the confidence to venture below the border.
For most of us, though, he is well known for his acting. His first on-screen experience came at the age of eleven when he was in a few commercials. However, for most actors, it is the big screen that they aspire for and Rogen had those hopes as well. After auditioning only once, he landed a role on the hit TV series, “Freaks and Geeks.” It was produced by Judd Apatow who he would later befriend and work alongside in many future projects.
“Freaks and Geeks” was cancelled in the middle of the first season and Apatow started a second television series, “Undeclared.” He cast Rogen in a similar role as he had played in “Freaks and Geeks” and this went on for an entire season, but was cancelled before the second season. Fortunately for Rogen, it was in this television series that he received his first major writing gig. Before he was hired to act, he was one of the writers for the show where he wrote an entire episode by himself and co-authored four others.
His first big screen appearance was in 2001 when he had a minor role in Donnie Darko, a Jake Gyllenhaal movie. In 2005, he appeared in the hit movie, 40 Year Old Virgin which was Apatow’s directorial-debut. This movie was an incredible success and it helped to land him in the lead role in the ‘accidental pregnancy’ movie, Knocked Up. Here he played a lazy web-entrepreneur who, after a late night at the club, goes home with a woman. The result? You guessed it…A baby. Starting in September, Rogen is also set to appear in Judd Apatow’s next directorial effort (working title “Funny People”) with Adam Sandler, Eric Bana, Jason Schwartzman, Leslie Mann and Jonah Hill.
However, what happens when a typical comedic character gets his chance at something a little more daring? You get the Green Hornet. Known for being on the heavy side, Rogen will have to bulk up if he is going to fit into the trench coat of this superhero. More importantly, Rogen and his long-time writing partner, Even Goldberg, are tasked with writing the movie for the Green Hornet. So, with Rogen playing the lead character and the two writing the screen-play, some argue that the character of Britt Reid might not be what he should be. Or, more so, what he can do, with all the bulking up necessary.
Rogen’s response? “You should believe that I can do some physical activity. You have to believe I can do something.” Can he though? Can the man who has, for most of his life, done stand-up comedy jump into a more serious role? Can he really be action potential? He argues that, yes, he can. He has all the intentions to bulk up for the role. There are two very talented writers working on the screen-play. But, when it comes to a director, Rogen is not so committed. He wants to find someone who will bring something fresh to the table.
All in all, Rogen went from doing some small time stand-up comedy in Vancouver to landing lead roles in two television series and then in some of the 21st century’s greatest comedies. From commercials, to stand-up, to television, to Knocked Up, Seth Rogen now has his eyes set on playing the green fedora wearing Green Hornet. Let’s see if he can do it.