The Canadian born comedian made a great loser turned dad in “Knocked Up.” Will his slacker status push him into Hollywood glory?
Girl meets boy. Girl takes boy home for the night. Girl finds out that boy is a loser. Girl finds out she's pregnant with said loser's baby. This simple premise is the plot for the new movie by Judd Apatow, “Knocked Up.” The question is, would anyone really want to see some slacker go through the drama of becoming a father? If the slacker was played by Seth Rogen, there's a pretty good chance that the answer is “yes”.
“Knocked Up” already comes with positive referrals. Judd Apatow's last movie, “The 40-Year-Old Virgin” was popular enough to give this one a big boost. Katherine Heigl in the leading role certainly didn't hurt matters either. But it's Rogen who really shines through as Ben Stone, a 23 year old who spends his days working on a website with his friends, getting high, and watching films with nude scenes as part of his work research.
Seth Rogen is a Canadian born comedian who's been in the business since the age of 11 when he took comedy classes and starting acting in commercials. His career working alongside Apatow started in 1999 when he took on the role of Ken Miller in the one season long series “Freaks and Geeks.” When Apatow made another attempt with “Undeclared,” Rogen was a part of that as well, though disappointed in another run of just one season.
Before Apatow asked him to take the lead in “Knocked Up,” Seth Rogen made his mark as a writer for “Undeclared” and “Da Ali G Show.” He also made several small appearances in such films as “You, Me, and Dupree,” “Donnie Darko,” and “The 40-Year Old Virgin.” His improvisational skills and dead pan comedy have earned him the right to work with those he considers the greats, like Owen Wilson and Will Ferrell.
There is something endearing about Seth Rogen. Maybe it's his babyface. Or maybe it's just that deprecating sense of humor which seems to flow onto the screen from real life. In a recent CBS interview, Rogen talked of his advice to co-star Heigl to sleep underneath a bear for a week to prepare for their intimate scenes. If anyone can relate to Rogen, it's the everyday type of guy who's not known for looks, but rather his personality (for better or for worse) and his room to grow.
Besides “Knocked Up”, Rogen also had a voice bit on “Shrek the Third.” His nearest upcoming project is “Superbad,” a movie he co-wrote with Evan Goldberg and stars in. Future projects include four releases in 2008, including a voice in “Horton Hears a Who.”
As a member of the USA Today coined group “the frat pack,” Rogen's mix of slacker image and comedic talent is a hopeful indicator that he'll be entertaining for awhile longer.
