At 44, Seth Rogen seems to be having the opposite of a midlife crisis. His Apple TV series that lovingly skewers Hollywood, “The Studio” — which he created, writes, stars in, directs and produces — won 13 Emmys last year and is currently filming its second season. He stars in and produces the very funny Apple TV show “Platonic” with Rose Byrne — the two play college buds renewing their friendship in middle age. His production company, Point Grey Pictures, co-founded with his childhood friend and longtime creative partner Evan Goldberg, has been banging out hits like the dark superhero series “The Boys.” The animated film he and his wife, Lauren Miller Rogen, produced, “Tangles,” about a mother and her daughter dealing with an early-onset Alzheimer’s diagnosis, just premiered at Cannes to an emotional response. And now he’s starring in the upcoming movie, “The Invite,” in which he plays the husband in a struggling marriage, opposite Olivia Wilde, who also directed.
I’m not sure I would have pegged the teenager we first met as a surly high school misfit on the short-lived but iconic show “Freaks and Geeks,” who went on to play a lovable stoner in “Knocked Up,” to have one of the most prolific, wide-ranging and successful careers in Hollywood. But as I learned in our conversation, despite his slacker persona (and his very real love of weed), he’s been extremely driven this whole time.
I actually didn’t know one way or the other. I was assuming. I don’t generally make the kind of films that go to film festivals. I’d never made anything that was at Cannes before. It’s funny that there’s this entire other side of the industry that has just been withheld from me for the last 20 years. I never thought about it much because I always thought that’s for those types of movies. But it’s amazing the level of pomp and circumstance that I had nothing to do with all these years. A lot of parties I was never invited to until now.
I find it very comforting that there’s a velvet rope that you were not allowed to go by. There’s plenty more, trust me. I remember as a kid hearing from either Judd Apatow or Garry Shandling that you work your way up through Hollywood, and eventually you are led into a room alone with Jack Nicholson. It’s just you and him in a small room together. And that’s when you’re like, I did it.
