Paul Rudd roasts “Halloween 6” at Tribeca with Seth

At the Tribeca Festival in New York, Paul Rudd looked back on his early career by joking that his first major horror role in “Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers” was “just … terrible,” while also chatting with Seth Meyers about fatherhood, preparing for low

NEW YORK — Paul Rudd walked into a Tribeca chat with Seth Meyers and, before the conversation even settled, he took the microphone back to one of his earliest on-screen missteps.

During their hourlong conversation on Thursday. June 4. the “Ant-Man” star roasted himself for his performance in “Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers. ” calling it “just … terrible.” Rudd said. “I’m awful. I have a real affection for it. But I was like, ‘Oh, my God. I suck. I suck. This just doesn’t work.’”.

Meyers had asked what Rudd felt he “brought to Tommy Doyle.” Rudd deadpanned, “I guess kind of a burning intensity?” It landed like a punchline, but Rudd kept going—describing how much effort he put into a film he now considers a flop.

In the sixth “Halloween” movie. released in 1995. Rudd played Tommy Doyle. the older version of the boy Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) babysat in the original horror classic. The film’s behind-the-scenes history, Rudd said, was messy enough to produce two different cuts. One of those cuts ends strangely, with Rudd’s character stopping slasher villain Michael Myers with rune stones.

Among horror fans, “The Curse of Michael Myers” is generally considered the franchise’s low point. The next “Halloween” movie rebooted continuity to pretend it never happened.

Rudd’s recollection didn’t sound bitter so much as stunned—like he couldn’t believe the project he’d signed up for.

He told Meyers he was “pretty much right out of acting school. ” read the script. and didn’t fully understand what he was walking into. He said, “I was like, ‘I don’t know if I quite understand this. I know there’s something to do with rune stones and druid something or other?. It was bizarre. I was like. ‘Oh. I should probably watch all of the other ‘Halloween’ films so I know where I’m at in the lineage. which. I didn’t need to do that. it turns out.’”.

Rudd added that he went to a store in Los Angeles—he said it was called the Bodhi Tree—and bought a set of rune stones “to really do the work and live in Tommy Doyle’s skin.”

The timing of his next booking, though, helped steer his career away from the rubble. Rudd said the second movie he booked was “Clueless,” which ended up being released two months before “Halloween,” giving him a far better start.

He recalled telling the producer, “Yeah, the first movie I did, ‘Halloween 6,’ is coming out right after ‘Clueless,’ and I just remember he said, ‘Ah, yes. The actor’s nightmare.’”

After the Tribeca interview, Meyers and Rudd stepped out for the chat that followed immediately after tape on Meyers’ show. Rudd joked about the transition by saying. “So if you watch tonight. you’ll see me wearing the exact same outfit.” He’s currently promoting his new musical movie. “Power Ballad.”.

Rudd also brought up a different entertainment-world tradition—one that has followed him for more than 20 years. He discussed his famous running joke on interviews with Conan O’Brien. where he shows a clip from the movie “Mac and Me” instead of the project he’s there to promote. Rudd explained the bit began after he learned there was “a whole machine” behind talk shows and felt it was strange to promote his own work.

He said, “I was always amazed that Conan is like, ‘Sure, let’s show that,’ and never, I don’t think, cleared it legally or anything,” and added, “I think he just showed it. And then, when I did it again, I never imagined it would just keep going.”

The conversation later turned back to Meyers and his own “day drinking” segments—where the host joins guests for alcohol-fueled conversation. Rudd said he once joined Meyers on “Late Night” for one of those segments. Meyers has also done day drinking with Sabrina Carpenter, Rihanna and more celebrities. The one big star he still wants, according to Rudd and Meyers, is Beyoncé.

Meyers said he has reached out to Beyoncé about it. Her response. according to Meyers. was a polite one: “A polite. ‘I’m going to think about it.’ I cannot stress how polite it was. But I want to throw it out in the universe. ” he said. before joking. “I think it’ll be great for both of our careers. I think it’ll be an equal boost for both of us.”.

Still. the evening’s clearest through-line came earlier. when Rudd made his own career timeline sound like a comedy sketch: a horror franchise misfire. followed by a mainstream hit two months later. and—despite everything—enough affection for “Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers” that he could laugh at it first.

Paul Rudd Seth Meyers Tribeca Festival Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers Ant-Man Power Ballad Mac and Me Conan O'Brien Beyonce Late Night entertainment interviews