- Notes provided by Paramount Pictures. -

In "I Love You, Man," the new comedy from writer/director John Hamburg ("Along Came Polly," co-writer of "Meet the Parents," "Meet the Fockers," "Zoolander"), Peter Klaven (Paul Rudd) is a successful real estate agent who, upon getting engaged to the woman of his dreams, Zooey, (Rashida Jones), discovers to his dismay that he has no male friend close enough to serve as his Best Man. Peter immediately embarks on a series of bizarre and awkward "man-dates" to find such a friend, before meeting Sydney Fife (Jason Segel), a fun-loving, charismatic man - just Peter's opposite -with whom he instantly bonds. But the closer the two men get, the more Peter's relationship with Zooey suffers, ultimately forcing him to choose between his fiancée and his newfound "bro," in a story that comically explores what's at the core of male friendship and what it truly means to be a friend.
Dreamworks Pictures Presents A De Line Pictures/Bernard Gayle Productions/Montecito Picture Company Production A John Hamburg Movie "I Love You, Man" starring Paul Rudd, Jason Segel, Rashida Jones, Andy Samberg, J.K. Simmons, Jane Curtin, Jon Favreau and Jaime Pressly. The film is directed by John Hamburg. Screenplay by John Hamburg and Larry Levin. Story by Larry Levin. The producers are Donald De Line and John Hamburg. The executive producers are Bill Johnson, Andrew Haas, Ivan Reitman, Tom Pollock and Jeffrey Clifford. The director of photography is Lawrence Sher. The production designer is Andrew Laws. The film is edited by William Kerr. The costume designer is Leesa Evans. The co-producer is Anders Bard. The music is by Theodore Shapiro. This film has been rated R for pervasive language, including crude and sexual references. Distributed by Paramount Pictures Corporation.
"I LOVE YOU, MAN": ORIGINS
"I guess I don't have any close male friends. . . I'm very
happy. It's not like this is something I've been missing. . ."
-Peter Klaven
Romantic comedies often share the same basic construct: boy meets girl, boy gets girl, boy loses girl, boy gets girl back. John Hamburg's "I Love You, Man" turns that classic approach on its head - it's a "bromantic" comedy that takes a look at friendship between two guys - in this case, two men who are complete opposites.
After proposing to his girlfriend, Zooey Rice (Rashida Jones), Peter Klaven (Paul Rudd), a successful young L.A. real estate agent, realizes that, unlike his fiancée, who immediately calls her closest friends to share the news, he has no close buds - in fact, he has no male friends at all. After years of being a "girlfriend guy" focused on romantic relationships, Peter learns that his lack of male friendship worries Zooey, so he embarks on a hurried quest to make a male friend who can serve as Best Man at his wedding. Under the guidance of his brother, Robbie (Andy Samberg), a personal trainer who is gay and seems to know a thing or two about guys, Peter embarks on a series of disastrous "man-dates" and, quite by accident, crosses paths with Sydney Fife (Jason Segel), a charismatic bachelor who cruises open-houses for free food and lonely divorcées. Peter is intrigued with Sydney, and the two men embark on a friendship that teaches Peter something he's never experienced, the true meaning of male bonding, but also threatens his relationship with Zooey, forcing him to make some difficult choices.
"I Love You, Man" began its life as a pitch by Larry Levin ("Dr. Dolittle") entitled "Let's Make Friends," which grabbed the immediate attention of producer Donald De Line. "It had a basic, classic romantic comedy structure, but with a twist - it was about how a man in his 30s finds a new best friend. There hadn't been a movie about male friendship or a comedy that explored men's problems with intimacy. So I said 'Done.'"
The project soon came to the attention of John Hamburg ("Meet the Parents," "Along Came Polly"), who was busy juggling numerous projects, both as writer and director. "Every so often, we would talk on the phone, and John would say, 'What's going on with 'Let's Make Friends?' I'd say, 'It's here - c'mon, jump in,' and then he'd go off and do something else," De Line recalls.
But the producer continued his quest to bring Hamburg aboard, knowing he was perfectly suited for the project. "John's a brilliant comedy writer and director. Everything he writes is imbued with a certain intelligence and sophistication. He knows how to make movies that translate on a level that appeals to everyone and he's always able to tap into something we can all relate to."
Executive producer Andrew Haas concurs. "'I Love You, Man' was the perfect match for John's sensibilities because he has such a firm understanding of the human experience. He knows how people relate to each other, but he's also an incredibly funny guy, so he's always able to infuse a sense of realistic humor into his work."
De Line was confident that once Hamburg committed he'd be able to marry his organic, naturalistic style of comedy with a knack for fashioning audience-friendly characters. "What John brings to this project is character detail and an emotional truth that's at the core of everything he's done, no matter how absurd or 'out there' the premise may at first appear. With John, you comfortably slip into the main character's shoes and recognize feelings and situations that you yourself may have experienced. That kind of approach to comedy is what sets John apart."
So, more than five years after first reading "Let's Make Friends," Hamburg found himself thinking again about the premise laid out in that script, and soon came up with his own take on the story of a man without any close male friends, who goes on a quest to find a Best Man before his wedding, calling his version of the screenplay, "I Love You, Man."
He and De Line then brought the project to Dreamworks. "It was a theme that spoke to me that I thought I could have fun with, that I could lend some comic insight to," Hamburg says. "And I always knew I wanted to direct it."

"I LOVE YOU, MAN": THE CAST
For the pivotal role of Peter Klaven, Hamburg immediately thought of his longtime friend, actor Paul Rudd. "There's a kind of open-mindedness to this character that I like," Rudd says. "He has a positive attitude, but is often ill-equipped to handle many situations in the optimal way. He's well meaning, and often wears his heart on his sleeve, but there's something bumbling about him. I relate to Peter, in many ways. John and I keep making jokes that the character is a lot like each of us. For instance, I personally TiVo 'Antiques Roadshow.' I guarantee that the character I'm playing does too. Unless, of course, his TiVo is filled up with too many (Project) 'Runways.'"
Rudd has always been a big fan of Hamburg's writing style, he says. "I've known John for years and read many things he's written. All his male characters are similar to him in many ways, and I connect with all of them for the same reason. He's really subtle about writing situations in a very funny but completely guileless way. He truly understands what's funny about the banal."
Among his favorite scenes in "I Love You, Man," he continues, are the ones that illustrate Peter's awkwardness around other men as he struggles to fit in. "John's a big fan of uncomfortable pauses and jokes that kind of fall flat. So am I."
Peter also has a penchant for coming up with what he thinks are cool nicknames that leave everyone scratching their heads. "His phraseology is also a little behind the times - he comes up with strange things that sound like they came out of the mouth of a 14-year-old," laughs Rudd. "I mean, you don't meet a lot of guys in their 30s who say things like 'Totes Magotes,' but there's something very funny about being earnest and saying those things. It's so wonderfully dumb."
Adds producer De Line, "Peter is such a relatable character and Paul brings out an appealing vulnerability that we all share but don't always show. He really walks that fine line and perfectly nails it."
While holding an open house, Peter chances upon Sydney Fife, a fellow mostly interested in the free noshes who has absolutely no interest in buying a house - and candidly admits it. After his string of unsuccessful - and hilarious - "man-dates," Sydney is like a breath of fresh air for Peter. He is a bohemian at heart with a casual outlook on life. He lives in a bungalow in Venice and spends his time hanging out with friends, sleeping with various single women and walking his Puggle dog Anwar Sadat (so named for his apparent likeness to the late Egyptian president). A seemingly successful private investor who somehow manages to have all the time in the world for a good hang, Sydney only dates divorcées because of their lack of interest in a committed relationship (and their pent-up sex drive). Unlike Peter, he has a tight group of male friends who provide him with male-on-male emotional intimacy. "Male relationships are the rock of Sydney's life," comments Hamburg.
To flesh out the enigmatic and charismatic Sydney Fife, Hamburg was certain actor Jason Segel would be Rudd's ideal sparring partner. Hamburg and Segel had worked together several years earlier on Judd Apatow's television series "Undeclared" and Segel has since carved himself a comic niche in films with such hits as "Forgetting Sarah Marshall."
"I got a call from John, saying that he had this great script and that Paul Rudd was playing one of the leads and he wanted me for the other part," Segel recalls. "I never get calls like that."
Segel appreciated the script's naturalistic comedy tone and immediately took to the character. "It's my favorite style of comedy, which is reality-based and not very broad or schtick-y. There are no hacky jokes so, as an actor, you get to bring some naturalism to the comedy."
The chance to work with Rudd again helped seal the deal. "I love acting opposite Paul. We were in 'Knocked Up' and 'Forgetting Sarah Marshall' together. There's nothing better than having somebody you can play verbal ping pong with on a comedic level and Paul is the quickest guy around. I know that anytime there's the slightest lapse, Paul will swoop in with a great joke."
Rudd returns the compliment. "Jason is really funny. I think we both really understood these characters and wanted to veer off into some unexplored territory while shooting a scene. Jason has a real affinity for working that way, as do I."
The two are clearly friends - both on and off set, so they already shared the kind of chemistry needed to create a convincing on-screen bond. "It's extremely powerful when the two of them are on the set together," notes co-star Jaime Pressly, "because they really do enjoy each other's company and respect each other, and that comes through on camera. They're hilarious."
Adds Segel, "In addition to being the quickest guy I've worked with, Paul is also one of the nicest. I'm heterosexual through and through, but I gotta tell you, that guy is dreamy."
At the core of Sydney's personality is his warm honesty, coupled with an animalistic charm. "He's kind of a mix between a golden retriever and an insane person," explains Rudd. "He will absolutely wear his heart on his sleeve and be very, very sensitive and mushy and flop around like a big dog, and he will also loyally defend a friend to the end."
Adds co-star Rashida Jones, "Sydney is almost blatant, and Jason's good like that, because he can also be candid - but in a good way."
"Jason adds levels of floppy doggedness to Sydney, as well as a dim shade of creepiness, like someone who holds your gaze just a bit too long," laughs Rudd. "He walks the line of creating a character you believe could either shower you with gifts or kill you in your sleep. He can actually be both simultaneously. It's fascinating."
The differences in Peter and Sydney's personalities are truly what make the relationship work, Segel explains. "Peter has never had a dude like Sydney in his life. Being exposed to a part of his life that he's lost sight of or given up on, is what draws Peter to Sydney."
Says Hamburg, "Even though they're very different, they have a shared sense of humor and a basic sensibility, though they're not aware of it at first."
Again, those differences are apparent in the actors' off-screen personalities as well. "Paul and Jason balance each other out well in terms of style and timing," says producer De Line. "Visually their physical appearance also contributes to the comedy. Paul is kind of clean cut, all-American, while Jason's a bit left of center, somewhat bohemian and a little rock 'n roll. In every way, their energies complement one another. Their differences are perfectly suited to their characters."
As the story progresses, Peter and Sydney learn from each other as well. "Sydney teaches Paul that you can talk about certain feelings you didn't even know you had inside you," explains Hamburg. "Peter is someone who keeps things inside. Maybe he's stressed about his wedding or about his relationship, and needs an outlet to express those kinds of things. But Peter really hasn't had that kind of friend before and he finds it in Sydney."
Sydney also benefits from knowing Peter. "Sydney has some pretty crackpot theories and refuses to admit where he's at in his life," says Rudd. "Some of the things that are absent from Sydney's world come into focus when he gets to know Peter, such as being able to be friends with your significant other
- even if it is a woman."
Rashida Jones, who plays Peter's fiancée Zooey Rice, was enthusiastic about playing a role that went far beyond the typical comedy girlfriend. "Zooey is a completely developed human being, who's an active participant in the film," Jones says. "That kind of part is hard to find. She's not just someone's girlfriend or wife; she's a multi-dimensional, fully realized character."
One of the film's more grounded characters, Zooey is an intelligent confident woman who fully supports Peter's friendship quest. Hamburg sensed that Jones had both the comedic chops and affability for the role. "It was important to me that Zooey not just be the girlfriend and react to the funny guys around her but that she be able to bring the role her own style of humor and point of view," he explains. "Rashida is very smart, and when you're working with people like Paul and Jason who are really quick, you need someone who can be at that same level. She's right up there with them."
"There's an innate likeability to Rashida, and it shines through on screen. Plus, she's beautiful," says Rudd. "She has the ability to ground something in reality and still be really funny. We really lucked out that she agreed to be in the movie."
Peter and Zooey share interests that others around them, particularly Sydney, find hard to understand. "You'll see us sitting around looking through architecture or interior magazines that we, as a couple, really enjoy," explains Rudd. "We're not caricatures by any means, but she and I really click in a way that might annoy other people. For example, we'd animatedly discuss, in detail, what's great about the latest issue of Domino for 45 minutes at a dinner party - and then spend another hour on Real Simple during dessert."
As for Zooey's relationship with Sydney, Jones says, "She doesn't quite know what to make of him. But she still wants Peter to have a friend, so she tries really hard."
And in doing so, she observes something in Peter and Sydney that most women rarely get to see. "Zooey represents the perspective of women watching how men become friends. It's like watching some kind of anthropological experiment."
As for her own social life, Zooey is a completely grounded woman with loads of women friends, and two very close ones, Denise (Jaime Pressly) and Hailey (Sarah Burns). The three women are completely unalike, though, as Jones explains, "Denise and Hailey really represent opposite sides of Zooey. Denise is incredibly opinionated and strong-willed, while Hailey is more wishy-washy."
Burns is more explicit in her description of Hailey. "She's been single for a long time and she's miserable about it," she says. "She works really hard at getting a boyfriend and shoots herself in the foot every time she tries. Let's just say she comes on a little strong."
The three women own a furniture/home design store together and seem to know everything about each other. "Women are quick to be vulnerable with each other," Jones explains. "They do it in either of two ways. It's either negative bonding, which is kind of foul, or it's like immediately you get to the heart of your relationships and what you want in life. For guys, it's a little tougher to get them to come out of their shell."
Unlike men, Pressly adds, women tend to leave no detail unexposed, particularly when it comes to sex. "Women are actually worse that way because we get together and talk about everything under the sun, and in more graphic terms than men. I think when men get together, they don't really give away as much because there's more of an ego there; they want to be a little more cool."
Burns agrees, adding, "Women talk much more about sex and their bodies and things that go wrong with their bodies. When guys talk about sex, it's kind of creepy and disgusting; when women do it, it's like a bonding experience."
While in the traditional romantic comedy the person looking for love usually seeks advice from a best friend, in "I Love You, Man" Peter turns to his brother Robbie, played by 'SNL's' Andy Samberg, to help guide him through the process of finding the right guy. Robbie is much more the traditional macho male, and thus a perfect candidate to be doling out advice on how to meet men. He is also gay. Robbie is a personal trainer and nothing short of an expert on what it takes to attract a man and what other men find attractive.
Although Robbie's sexual orientation is a big part of who he is, it doesn't define him or influence his outlook on traditional masculinity. "This character isn't defined by the fact that he's gay," says Hamburg. "In fact, it's almost inconsequential. And Andy knew how to play that. He didn't try to make everything funny, he just played the reality of the character and the comedy that lies within that." Adds De Line, "Ironically, Robbie is straighter in many ways than Peter is. He's the guy who watches sports with his dad. He also has all kinds of guy friends, while Peter is more of a metrosexual kind of guy."
Says Samberg, "Peter's kind of a tool, and Robbie's kind of awesome, which is gonna blow some guys' minds."
Peter comes from a very tight-knit family, but his relationship with his father, Oz, has never been as close as Robbie's. Oz and Robbie are best friends, enjoying the traditional father-son activities. Oz also fully supports and involves himself in Robbie's sexual orientation.
"Oswald Klaven is a man's man, as is his son Robbie," says J.K. Simmons, who plays "Oz." "My other son, Peter, is just not so much a guy's guy; he's more of a girlfriend guy."
"Oz is kind of a 'Great Santini' type of father so you wouldn't expect him to accept his youngest son's gayness, but he does, without reservation," explains Hamburg. "He loves both his sons but is just better friends with the gay one because they bond over the same things, like playing video games, going fishing and hanging out. It's just the kind of guys they are."
"For the roles of Oswald and Joyce Klaven, the filmmakers were enthused to have Simmons and Jane Curtin in the roles. "We were so lucky to have gotten both J.K. and Jane," says Hamburg. "They feel like a real couple because they're understated and yet really sharp and funny. It was amazing because if you asked them to ad lib they were terrific at it while always remaining in character."
"I was really excited when I heard that the role of my father was being played by J.K., because he's one of those actors who is equally believable in a really sweet role like the dad in 'Juno' or a terrifying con in (the HBO prison series) 'Oz,'" comments Rudd. "And when I heard about Jane I thought, 'Oh my god, she's an icon.'"
Observes Simmons, "John's writing style is unique. We think we've seen this sort of raunchy comedy before, but he's got his own voice within that that's very, very funny."
On his journey to find a best friend, Peter attends a few male-oriented social activities and embarks on various "man-dates" with the help of family, friends and the Internet. In an attempt to bond with the husband of one of Zooey's girlfriends, Peter takes part in "poker night" at Denise's house, joining her husband, Barry, and his friends - much to Barry's displeasure.
For the role of Barry, Hamburg was able to snag a much-sought-after actor, who is also currently one of Hollywood's top directors. Two weekends after the release of his mega-hit "Iron Man," Jon Favreau was ready for some rest. "Normally, when a movie like that comes out, your life gets very busy, and all you want is a little down time," he notes.
But Hamburg had other plans. "When we cast Jaime Pressly as Denise, we felt like we needed somebody to play her husband who could give it right back to her, so we immediately pursued Jon," Hamburg says. "Fortunately, he wanted to do the movie."
"I was talking to ('Iron Man' star) Robert Downey Jr., and he said, 'It's the best thing you could possibly do," notes Favreau. "Just go there and be a great actor and just dial into that, so you can find a little bit of balance.'"
"Jon was a joy," recalls Hamburg. "It's funny, because here you have this big, successful director and he's just 'Whatever you need, I'm here for you.' He was right there ready to be a pro and do whatever it took to get his scenes done."
Favreau describes Barry quite simply as "an asshole." Barry has no interest in spending time with Peter, whom he regards as a dork with no idea how to play poker. He agrees only because his equally brash wife agrees to have sex with him with the lights on. "I'm playing him as an insensitive prick, with absolutely no empathy towards the guy - and it's always fun to play a person who's unapologetically who they are."
Barry and Denise's relationship quickly jumps from hot to cold in the blink of an eye. "They like to fight and then make up," says Pressly. "That's their favorite thing to do." Explains Favreau, "Their relationship is particularly contentious. She's a bit acerbic, clearly not a happy person, nor is my character. They're sort of both settling for a lack of happiness. But there's a kind of bond there too, a love that is true and they depend on one another."
As a real estate agent in Los Angeles, Peter has many chances to cross paths with a variety of celebrities, and he's excited about the opportunity to elevate his career out of the "flats" of L.A. and into the hills, via landing Lou Ferrigno, TV's "The Incredible Hulk," as a client.
"'I Love You, Man' is an L.A. story, so I figured Peter's probably going to find himself selling some celebrity houses because he wants to take a step up in his career, and somehow Lou Ferrigno popped into my brain," recalls Hamburg. "I had no idea whether we would be able to get him, but I wrote it and it seemed to tie in, and it all spiraled from that."
Ferrigno was excited about the possibility of working on a comedy, an opportunity that doesn't often present itself to the man twice-crowned Mr. Universe. "John Hamburg brought me into the film and I couldn't have been happier," says Ferrigno. "John really knows comedy and he helped bring out the best in me."
"Lou was excited about doing the film and he was really fun to work with," the director says. "He's a real human being, a very sweet man. He also has the biggest hands of any human being I've ever met," he laughs.
"I was so psyched when I heard that Lou said yes," recalls Rudd. "He's really funny and very natural. It's hard not to use the word 'Incredible' when describing him because that's a bit on the nose, so I'll just say that Lou Ferrigno kicks ass."
With so many talented and funny actors comprising the ensemble cast, keeping a straight face on the set of "I Love You, Man" was sometimes next to impossible. "I've done a lot of comedies and have always prided myself on being able to keep my composure, but all that hasn't worked on this film," says Rudd. "I couldn't stop laughing on this movie. I ruined not just takes, but entire reels of film."
A dinner sequence at Hop Louie Chinese restaurant in L.A.'s Chinatown Hills involving almost the entire cast was a day loaded with shenanigans. "It was kind of like a middle-school cafeteria," recalls J.K. Simmons. "I kept cracking up and blowing Slippery Shrimp out of my nose during one of Jason's toasts."
"That's what happens in real life," Hamburg adds. "It was fun but we had many takes ruined by laughter. It was an enjoyable atmosphere. You could tell we were definitely making a comedy."
"John really let us do our thing," explains Segel. "His script was so tight and so good that there was no need to deviate from it in any real way, but things just popped out of your mouth. One of the great things about working with John is that he's very comfortable with the actors trying to make the dialogue their own."
On set, the actors would do a few takes as scripted, but then either they or Hamburg would begin to explore new opportunities for comedy. "It was so easy, because the characters were so well-developed," notes Rashida Jones. "John would fight for what he thought was essential in the scene and then let us do whatever felt natural."
"We'd be sort of improvising as a scene goes along," says Simmons, "and then you'd hear some schmuck in the peanut gallery throw out a line, and you go, 'Oh - that's Hamburg.' Then everybody would just regroup and throw in his idea. Then he'd throw out more ideas and people would just pick up the ball and run with it. It was really a lot of fun."
Adds Favreau, "It made for a nice, free flowing environment that really leant itself to discovering interesting and funny moments that aren't obvious or hamfisted."
Even actors who didn't have any scripted lines in a particular scene could count on getting involved. "Even though you might not have a line, you're going to, because inevitably you're going to improv in every scene," says Jaime Pressly. "We would just laugh all day and have fun and enjoy each other's company."

"I LOVE YOU, MAN": THE PRODUCTION
"If you see a cool-looking guy, strike up a conversation. Ask him on a man-date. By that, I mean a casual lunch or after-work drink. No dinner and no movies. You're not taking these boys to see 'The Devil Wears Prada,' understand."
- Robbie (Andy Samberg)
Shot entirely in Los Angeles, "I Love You, Man" shows the city in a way rare for Hollywood films. "Growing up in Manhattan, I always had a fascination with Los Angeles," explains John Hamburg. "I spent a lot of time in L.A. working, so I think I had a romanticized view of it, which is why I really wanted to set the movie here, to explore what's underneath."
As sprawling as the city is, L.A. can sometimes be a hard place to develop one's "inner circle" - making it the perfect location for this movie's premise. "When you're searching for friends and community, Los Angeles has all these pockets but no center and it can feel quite lonely without any friends," notes Hamburg.
The director also wanted to portray the city as a fun character in his story. "John really wanted the character of the city to come through in a way that you normally wouldn't see in a comedy," explains producer De Line. "People have shot really interesting films in Los Angeles, usually of a more dramatic nature, that show interesting aspects of the city. But a comedic approach to that is a really fresh and groundbreaking thing."
One aspect Hamburg wanted to incorporate into the story was to show that where you live in the sprawling metropolis can define who you are and make it harder to break out of your mold. "There are many different aspects and parts of L.A.; Peter Klaven lives on the east side, while Sydney lives way out west in Venice, which feels like a beach town," comments Hamburg. "Even though you're both living in the same city, if you choose to live in Venice, you're probably a different sort of person than someone who chooses to live an hour away from the ocean."
Observes production designer Andrew Laws, "With Venice, you don't quite know what you're getting. Putting Sydney in Venice adds a lot of texture to who he is."
While in other films, Venice has often been portrayed as a haven for kooks and drug dealers, Hamburg sought to show another facet of this relaxed and somewhat eccentric enclave. "The extras we used were some of the freakiest of the freakos," says Jason Segel, "but they were behaving realistically - like they were on the Venice boardwalk on a normal Tuesday afternoon."
One of Sydney's favorite daily activities is walking his Puggle (a mix of a Pug and a Beagle) on the Venice boardwalk, where some of the other dog owners - who Sydney calls "bowsers" - also walk their dogs. "A bowser is a term Sydney Fife invented for someone who looks like their dog," explains co-producer Anders Bard.
The search for such dog/owner combinations was an extensive process. "Our extras casting group put out flyers and about 250 people showed up with their dogs. We had people who arrived dressed like their dogs or with the exact same haircut, which I found really interesting in a weird, creepy sort of way."
The Venice boardwalk is also where Sydney has a physical altercation with Lou Ferrigno and ends up in a choke hold. "The choke hold is actually very effective," says Ferrigno. "Done correctly, it can close off the main artery in a person's neck and decrease the blood supply. It actually knocks you out for a couple of minutes."
Of course, on film, the move only had to look effective, so a stunt coordinator showed the muscle man how to execute the move on Segel without hurting him. "It was a pleasure to learn, from an expert like that, how to make it both safe and believable because, in real life, it's a very dangerous hold."
Since the fight between Ferrigno and Segel was shot on the Venice boardwalk at midday, onlookers and paparazzi crowded the streets to watch. "Shooting that scene was a bit like being Angelina Jolie in Cannes," explains Rudd. "I'm trying to react to Lou Ferrigno putting my friend Sydney in a sleeper hold and all I can hear are cameras behind me snapping pictures. Weird."
While he's apparently got plenty of money, Sydney lives in a modest bungalow near the beach and spends most of his quality time in his "man cave" - a converted garage/fantasy room behind his house where boys can be boys and indulge in all things male. "The man cave is a place for guys to escape, and there's something very appealing about it," explains Rudd. "When you're a kid, you find a bit of an escape in your bedroom, but when you're older and married, though you may have an office or den, it's just not the same. When you're in a man cave, you feel like a 10 year-old boy again."
"The man cave is the ultimate men's leisure center," observes Segel. The room is filled with comfy couches, three TVs, books, CDs, DVDs, a top-notch sound system, and a bevy of musical instruments for impromptu jam sessions.
Laws' design for the man cave is layered with detail, realistic touches that reflect Sydney's personality. "He's got a new TV and an old Sony Trinitron next to each other," notes Hamburg. "And there's a wall of photos - a lot of dudes - his wrecking crew."
Laws notes, "John and I talked about it - it had to have just typical male stuff. Even the books on the shelves are very particular books, maybe not the things you would necessarily expect this guy to be reading. They tell you a little more about who Sydney might be."
So is the real-life Sydney - Jason Segel - anything like his character? "I live with my best friend from when I was 13 years old, which is pretty awesome," the actor reveals.
Says Rudd: "Jason's house, I believe, used to be a club with different levels," says Rudd.
"I actually think it still is a fully functioning disco," notes Hamburg, adding, "Some stories of his Saturday nights are better left private."
Before meeting Sydney, Peter goes on a number of bizarre - and very funny - "man dates" in hopes of meeting a new best friend. "He's never had a best friend, so he doesn't know what it feels like," says Rashida Jones. "So he's kind of looking in all the wrong places."
Peter embarks on a "man-date" to an L.A. Galaxy soccer game with Lonnie, a client of Robbie's who has been promised free personal training sessions in return. Things quickly turn sour when Lonnie, who has an unusually high-pitched voice that grates on even the most patient of people, loudly chants and heckles the players throughout the game. Things go from bad to worse when a fight breaks out between Lonnie (played by comic actor Joe Lo Truglio) and other fans and Peter gets caught in the middle.
To shoot the Galaxy game scene, the filmmakers reserved a small section of the arena at an actual game and shot the entire scene over the span of the game. Shooting within a prescribed period of time surrounded by 30,000 game watchers who were unaware of what was going on proved to be a challenging experience.
"There's something to be said for the energy a scene gets when you only have a limited amount of time to film it and while the fans are looking at you but not really aware of what is going on," says Hamburg. "Paul was trying to keep calm while Joe was screaming and sweating and fights were breaking out all around him. It was quite an exhilarating way to shoot amidst all this mayhem - and a great deal of fun besides."
During visits to Sydney's man cave, Peter and his friend discover that they have one passion in common: the iconic rock trio Rush. "I was thinking of a band that these two guys might bond over, one not everyone else would be a fan of. And if you love Rush, you really love them," says the director. "A lot of these stories come from my own experiences. I was a big fan of Rush as a kid and still am. I knew they had a lot of songs that would be really fun to put into the movie."
The two spend a lot of time playing music together, but things really start to become serious when they attend a Rush concert. The filmmakers were overjoyed when the group agreed to appear in the movie, making their feature film debut. The concert was filmed at Avalon Hollywood (the historic former Palace Theater) on a one-day break from their 2008 tour. "That night was such a surreal experience," says executive producer Andrew Haas. "It was midway through production, after some long days, and we had a concert hall packed full of Rush fans. I don't know if you know Rush fans, but the energy was just electric and it gave us the fuel to power on."
"The members of Rush were really great to work with," says Hamburg. "It was quite a joyous night of filming and they were really cool and gave us everything we needed."
"I Love You, Man" treats a real-life situation - the challenge for men to make new friends as adults - with a combination of sensitivity and outlandish humor. "This movie will appeal to everybody," observes Jason Segel. "It's got some of the raunchiness that you look for in a dude movie, but also has the sensitivity you look for in a romantic comedy. If you take a girl, she just might say, 'You know what, you picked a very sensitive film. That says a lot about you.' It's a win-win for everyone."
"John is so insightful and talented and I felt like we really clicked," notes Rudd. "I think his ability to capture comedy is really strong, and I know it'll be funny. It has the potential to be a really engaging story with characters that both men and women will like and relate to."
"'I Love You, Man' explores the challenges and difficulties related to forming and maintaining adult relationships, especially male," says Hamburg. "What we're trying to do with this movie is bring something up that exists beneath the surface, which is the challenge of making friends as an adult. I think it's hopefully shining a light on something that exists, and maybe guys will be more open to going to the movies together, sharing a box of popcorn and just hanging out."

ABOUT THE CAST
Paul Rudd (Peter Klaven) recently starred in David Wain's "Role Models" opposite Seann William Scott. "Role Models" has grossed over $80 million worldwide and was nominated as Best Comedy by the Broadcast Film Critics Association and the St. Louis Film Critics Group. Rudd also served as a writer on the film.
Rudd currently lends his voice to the new 3D animated feature "Monsters vs. Aliens," which co-stars Reese Witherspoon, Hugh Laurie, Seth Rogen, Stephen Colbert, Rainn Wilson and Kiefer Sutherland.
Rudd starred in Judd Apatow's "Knocked Up" opposite Seth Rogen and Leslie Mann. "Knocked Up" grossed over $300 million worldwide and won the 2008 People's Choice Award for Favorite Movie Comedy. It was also nominated for a 2008 Critics Choice Award for Best Comedy Movie and was named as one of AFI's 2008 Top Ten Films of the Year.
Rudd's other film credits include "Forgetting Sarah Marshall," "The 40 Year-Old-Virgin," "Anchorman," "The Ten," for which he also served as a producer, "Night at the Museum," "Diggers," "The Cider House Rules," "The Object of My Affection," "Wet Hot American Summer," "The Chateau," "Clueless" and "William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet," among others.
On stage, Rudd starred in Richard Greenberg's "Three Days of Rain" opposite Julia Roberts and Bradley Cooper. He also starred in Neil LaBute's "Bash" in both New York and Los Angeles, as well as LaBute's "The Shape of Things" in London and New York. After successful runs on both the London and New York stage, LaBute brought "The Shape of Things" to the big screen.
Rudd made his West End debut in the London production of Robin Phillips' "Long Day's Journey into Night" opposite Jessica Lange. Other stage credits include Nicholas Hynter's "Twelfth Night" at Lincoln Center Theater and Alfred Uhry's Tony Award-winning play "The Last Night of Ballyhoo."
On television, Rudd guest starred on NBC's "Friends" as Phoebe's (Lisa Kudrow) husband, Mike Hannigan, for the final two seasons.
Jason Segel (Sydney Fife) has the ability to consistently create memorable and hilarious characters, as he demonstrated in Judd Apatow's hit comedy "Knocked Up," as well as the Apatow-produced "Forgetting Sarah Marshall," which was written by Segel and based on his original idea. The film went on to make over $100 million worldwide and set Segel apart from most young Hollywood actors.
In 1999, Segel portrayed Nick on "Freaks and Geeks," Apatow's Emmy-nominated television series for NBC. Segel played a lanky, fun-loving freak dreaming of stardom as a rock-and-roll drummer, like his idol, John Bonham of Led Zeppelin. In 2000, he had a recurring role as Eric on "Undeclared," the Fox series about college freshmen, which was named one of Time magazine's "Ten Best Shows of 2001."
Currently, Segel stars as Marshall, opposite Alyson Hannigan, Josh Radnor and Neil Patrick Harris, in the third season of the hit CBS comedy series "How I Met Your Mother," the story of a young man's struggle to find his true love. This series was also touted by Time magazine, hitting the list at No. 8 on the "Ten Best Shows of 2005."
Previous feature credits include "Slackers," "Tenacious D in the Pick of Destiny," "SLC Punk," "Can't Hardly Wait" and "Dead Man on Campus."
Born and raised in Los Angeles, Segel continues to reside there.
Rashida Jones (Zooey) has quickly established herself as one of Hollywood's bright young stars.
Jones can next be seen in the upcoming, highly anticipated untitled NBC comedy co-starring Amy Poehler and Aziz Ansari. Previously, she portrayed the ambitious saleswoman Karen Filippelli in NBC's Emmy Award-winning comedy "The Office" opposite Steve Carell.
Jones was most recently seen starring as Kate on "Unhitched," the half-hour comedy for FOX from the Farrelly brothers. She also recently completed a starring role in the independent feature "Life in Flight," set for release later this year. Jones previously co-starred in "Little Black Book" opposite Holly Hunter, Kathy Bates and Brittany Murphy. Other feature credits include "Now You Know," "Meeting Mr. Johnson," "East of A" and "Myth of America."
Jones starred on FOX's "Boston Public" as Louisa Fenn and in TNT's "Wanted" as Detective Carla Merced. Her other TV credits include "Freaks and Geeks," "If These Walls Could Talk 2," "Chappelle's Show," "Second Opinion" and the British television series "NY-LON." Jones was also a weekly correspondent on the talk show "Vibe TV."
While attending Harvard University, Jones appeared in several plays, including "For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf," "Dancing at Lughnasa," "The Odd Couple: The Female Version" and "H.M.S. Pinafore." She was also in "Pitching to the Star" at the Lee Strasburg Theatre.
A graduate of Harvard University, Jones currently resides in Los Angeles.
Andy Samberg (Robbie) has, with a diverse range of comedic talents, emerged as a captivating and hilarious leading man on screens both big and small. Last fall, Samberg began his fourth season as a cast member on "Saturday Night Live." Samberg is best known for his innovative "SNL Digital Shorts," which have re-invigorated the series and spurred many water-cooler moments over the past three seasons.
The first significant breakthrough for him was the music video "Lazy Sunday," a performance collaboration with "SNL" alum Chris Parnell. "Lazy Sunday" was an undeniable online phenomenon that amassed over five million hits on YouTube.com within a few days and sparked its own legion of Internet imitators. The controversy surrounding the legal ramifications of online video content thrust the story into the media spotlight, highlighting Samberg as the poster-child for a new generation of DIY filmmakers and comics.
The following season, Samberg again made waves with the short video "D**k in a Box," starring himself and Justin Timberlake in a spoof on early-'90s R&B. The song reached unprecedented levels of popularity both online and in print, culminating in Samberg joining Timberlake on stage at Madison Square Garden in February 2007 and performing the song live for more than 18,000 fans. In September 2007, "D**k in a Box" was honored with a Creative Emmy for "Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics."
His feature film debut came in August 2007 in Paramount's "Hot Rod" opposite Ian McShane, Sissy Spacek, Isla Fisher and Bill Hader. Most recently, Samberg was heard last summer on the big screen in Vanguard Animation's release "Space Chimps," for which he lent his voice to the main character Ham III, alongside Jeff Daniels, Cheryl Hines and Stanley Tucci.
Samberg, along with his Lonely Island partners Akiva Schaffer and Jorma Taccone, have recently completed their first full-length album, "Incredibad," released by Universal Republic Records earlier this year. "Incredibad" features old favorites such as "D**k in a Box" and "Natalie's Rap" (featuring actress Natalie Portman and Chris Parnell), as well as new musical creations featuring a diverse arsenal of guest-artists, including hip hop impresario T-Pain, Grammy winning superstar Norah Jones, The Strokes' Julian Casablancas, Bay area rapper and The Click founder E-40, and comedy hellion and Tenacious D-veteran Jack Black.
Prior to joining "Saturday Night Live," Samberg performed stand-up comedy in both New York and Los Angeles for seven years and was featured on Comedy Central's "Premium Blend" in 2005. In addition, he started "The Lonely Island" with his childhood friends Schaffer and Taccone, who are currently writers on "Saturday Night Live." Thanks to their innovative contributions to "SNL" and their previous work as "The Lonely Island," WIRED magazine honored Samberg, Schaffer and Taccone with a Rave Award for Television in 2006, alongside geneticists and fellow online pioneers.
Samberg attended college at UC Santa Cruz and graduated from NYU's Tisch School for the Arts with a film degree in 2000. He currently resides in New York City.
J.K. Simmons (Oz) has appeared in diverse projects spanning motion pictures, television and stage performances on and off-Broadway. He played J. Jonah Jameson in Sam Raimi's "Spider Man" trilogy. His other motion picture credits include "Hidalgo," "The Ladykillers," "The Mexican," "Off the Map," "For Love of the Game," "The Gift," "Thank You for Smoking," "Rendition," "Burn After Reading" and, memorably, his portrayal of the off-beat but not deadbeat father, Mac McGuff, in the hit comedy "Juno."
Simmons was most recently seen in "New In Town" and "Way of War." Upcoming films include "Jennifer's Body," "The Vicious Kind," "Extract" and "The Men Who Stare at Goats."
On the small screen, Simmons plays LAPD Assistant Chief Will Pope in TNT's hit series "The Closer." He also played Vern Schillinger on HBO's acclaimed drama "Oz," while playing a recurring role as Dr. Emil Skoda on NBC's "Law and Order."
Simmons has appeared on the Broadway stage in performances of "Guys and Dolls," "Laughter on the 23rd Floor," " A Change in the Heir," "Peter Pan" and "A Few Good Men."
Jane Curtin (Joyce) first gained national attention when she made her TV debut in 1975 as one of the original members of the Not Ready for Prime Time Players on the hit late-night series "Saturday Night Live." During her five-year run on that show, she received critical acclaim and two Emmy nominations for her creation of many memorable characters.
She subsequently starred with Susan Saint James for five years on the popular television series "Kate & Allie," twice earning the Emmy Award as Best Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for her portrayal of affable divorcée Allie Lowell. Curtin went on to a successful six-year run as Dr. Mary Albright on the NBC hit "3rd Rock from the Sun."
Curtin's other television credits include the critically acclaimed miniseries "Common Ground," as well as the television movies "Divorce Wars" with Tom Selleck and "Maybe Baby" with Dabney Coleman.
Her feature film credits include "Antz," "Coneheads," "How to Beat the High Cost of Living," "Suspicion," "Mr. Mike's Mondo Video" and "O.C. & Stiggs."
Born and raised in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Curtin studied drama at Northeastern University. She was a member of the improvisational theater group, The Proposition for four years before going on a national tour with a number of plays, including the comedy "Last of the Red Hot Lovers." She appeared on Broadway with Joanne Woodward as Prossie in George Bernard Shaw's "Candida" and reprised the role on television. Her other stage credits include the Off-Broadway musical revue "Pretzels," which she co-wrote, and several appearances in A.R. Gurney's "Love Letters." She appeared in the Westport Country Playhouse production of "Our Town," which also played on Broadway to a sold-out run in late 2002 with Curtin reprising her role. Most recently, she appeared in "The Librarian" series on TNT and the Disney feature "The Shaggy Dog" with Tim Allen.
Jon Favreau (Barry) is a true multi-hyphenate. After getting his break as an actor in "Rudy," Favreau went on to establish himself as a writer of considerable talent with the acclaimed hipster comedy "Swingers." Since then, he has continued to challenge himself with a variety of eclectic projects.
Favreau's most recent triumph was as director and executive producer on the blockbuster "Iron Man," which grossed more than $570 million worldwide. He is currently preparing the upcoming "Iron Man 2," due in 2010, which he will also direct. Favreau recently wrapped production on "Couples Retreat, "which he wrote and starred in.
Prior to "Iron Man," Favreau directed "Zathura," a children's adventure film starring Tim Robbins, for Radar Pictures and Sony Entertainment. In 2003, Favreau directed the acclaimed holiday smash hit "Elf" starring Will Ferrell for New Line Cinema. Favreau made his feature film directorial debut with "Made," a script he wrote and starred in opposite Vince Vaughn and Sean "Puffy" Combs for Artisan Entertainment.
In front of the camera, Favreau was recently seen opposite Vaughn and Jennifer Aniston in Universal Pictures' "The Break-Up." He most recently appeared in "Four Christmases" opposite Vaughn and Reese Witherspoon. Favreau was also seen alongside Kirsten Dunst and Paul Bettany in Universal Pictures' "Wimbledon," in Sony Pictures Entertainment's "Something's Gotta Give," and in the Mark Steven Johnson film "Daredevil" with Ben Affleck, an adaptation of the Marvel Comics franchise for 20th Century Fox-Regency Enterprises. He also portrayed legendary heavyweight champion Rocky Marciano in the MGM biopic "Rocky Marciano."
Favreau's other feature film credits include "Love and Sex" opposite Famke Janssen, "The Replacements" with Keanu Reeves, "Very Bad Things" opposite Christian Slater and Cameron Diaz, and "Deep Impact" with Robert Duvall, Morgan Freeman and Vanessa Redgrave.
Favreau's television credits include a recurring role on "Friends" and a special appearance on HBO's critically acclaimed "The Sopranos," playing himself. Favreau also added the title of show runner to his multi-hyphenate list of credits as the creator, producer and host of the critically acclaimed and Emmy-nominated IFC series "Dinner for Five."
Jaime Pressly (Denise) combines beauty, talent and natural screen presence. She is currently in the fourth season of NBC's hit comedy "My Name is Earl" opposite Jason Lee, for which she won an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series in 2007 and received her first Golden Globe nomination. Additionally, she was nominated for a SAG Actor Award in both 2006 and 2007 and an Emmy in 2006. The year 2008 proved to be another big year for Pressly, who had a supporting role opposite Jim Carrey and Steve Carell in Twentieth Century Fox's animated film "Horton Hears a Who." She also published a new book from HarperCollins titled "It's Not Necessarily Not the Truth," which came out in February 2009. In it, Pressly writes candidly about the importance of dreaming bigger than the town you're from.
Pressly started performing at a young age. Born in Kinston, North Carolina, she was a tomboy who loved to water-ski and fish. Her mom, a highly accomplished classical dance instructor who trains current and future ballet students, put an early claim on her daughter's innate athleticism by teaching her ballet, tap, and jazz and led her towards gymnastics.
At 13, Pressly registered with a local modeling agency and began working consistently. She submitted a photo to an international teen-modeling agency and by the age of 14 her face had appeared on the covers of several prestigious teen magazines. She quickly became the spokesperson for her agency, International Cover Model Search, which took her to Tokyo and Milan.
Other film credits include "Dead or Alive"; "Venus & Vegas" with Danny DeVito; "Cruel World" starring Edward Furlong; Neil Moritz's "Torque"; "Not Another Teen Movie"; "Ticker" opposite Dennis Hopper; Columbia Pictures' "The Adventures of Joe Dirt" with David Spade; and Revolution Studios' "Tomcats" for director Gregory Poirier. Audiences also recognize her from her roles in Jerry Springer's mockumentary "Ringmaster," "Can't Hardly Wait" and "100 Girls" co-starring Katherine Heigl.
Her other television credits include The WB's hit series "Jack and Jill," the TNT movie "Evel Knievel" and "Happy Family."
Now, living near Los Angeles, Pressly spends her free time with friends who share her love of nature. She enjoys hiking, horseback riding, swimming, kickboxing, playing with her two dogs and, most of all, spending time with her baby, Dezi, born in May 2007.
Pressly also had her own clothing line, J'aime, which started as lingerie and became a full, ready-to-wear clothing line. Although the clothing is no longer available, Pressly presented her line during L.A. Fashion Week with a successful runway show in October 2007.

ABOUT THE FILMMAKERS
John Hamburg (Director/Screenplay/Producer) was born and raised in New York City, and began making short films while still in high school. He continued creating films while attending Brown University, where he also studied playwriting and, later, at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. While at Tisch, he wrote and directed the short film "Tick," which debuted at the 1996 Sundance Film Festival.
In 1998, he returned to Sundance with his feature-length debut "Safe Men," a comedy he wrote and directed. Starring Sam Rockwell, Steve Zahn, Paul Giamatti, Mark Ruffalo and Harvey Fierstein, Hamburg's film about safe-crackers and song-writers in Providence, Rhode Island has garnered a strong cult following in the years since its Sundance premiere.
He next co-wrote the screenplays for the popular comedies "Meet the Parents" starring frequent collaborator Ben Stiller, Robert De Niro, Blythe Danner and Terri Polo and "Zoolander" starring Stiller and Owen Wilson. Hamburg also directed several episodes of the critically acclaimed television series "Undeclared."
Hamburg next wrote and directed the hit comedy "Along Came Polly" starring Ben Stiller, Jennifer Aniston, Alec Baldwin and Philip Seymour Hoffman, and co-wrote the successful sequel "Meet the Fockers" starring Ben Stiller, Robert De Niro, Dustin Hoffman and Barbra Streisand, both for Universal Pictures.
Larry Levin (Screenplay/Story) co-wrote (with Nat Mauldin) the screenplay for "Dr. Dolittle" and then wrote "Doctor Dolittle 2."
Levin created and executive-produced the critically acclaimed television series "Bakersfield P.D," which aired on FOX and, most recently, on Bravo as part of the "Brilliant, but Cancelled" series; the series "If Not For You" starring Elizabeth McGovern and Hank Azaria; and "Arresting Behavior." Levin co-wrote (with Larry David) the landmark episode of "Seinfeld" entitled "The Boyfriend," which TV Guide called "one of the greatest episodes in TV history." Levin was also a writer on the comedy series "It's Garry Shandling's Show."
Donald De Line (Producer) has become one of the film industry's most respected independent producers, following a successful career as a top-level studio executive. During his more than 20 years in the movie business, he has collaborated with some of the industry's biggest names on both sides of the camera.
His most recent producing effort was the thriller "Body of Lies" starring Russell Crowe and Leonardo DiCaprio (based on David Ignatius' best-selling novel Body of Lies). The film was directed by Ridley Scott from a screenplay by Oscar® winner William Monahan ("The Departed").
De Line also produced last year's Warner Bros. romantic comedy hit "Fool's Gold," which teamed stars Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson with director Andy Tennant ("Hitch," "Sweet Home Alabama"). The proven chemistry of the two leads under Tennant's direction resulted in the film taking the top spot at the box office in its opening weekend and going on to gross more than $110 million worldwide.
In addition, De Line is currently producing a wide range of film projects via his De Line Pictures banner, including Warner Bros.' "Observe and Report" starring Seth Rogen, directed by Jody Hill, opening April 10th, the animated feature "Guardians of Ga'Hoole," based on The New York Times best-selling young-adult books by Kathryn Lasky, to be directed by Zack Snyder ("300," "Watchmen") and a live action/CGI version of the DC Comics classic "The Green Lantern" to be directed by Martin Campbell.
De Line scored his first major hit as a producer with the 2003 heist thriller "The Italian Job" starring Mark Wahlberg, Charlize Theron and Edward Norton. The film was an international success, grossing more than $176 million at the worldwide box office.
Prior to starting his producing career, De Line was a studio executive with a strong reputation for having an eye for talent. He held high-level positions at both Disney and Paramount, including president and vice chairman of Paramount Pictures and president of Touchstone Pictures, where he supervised such comedy hits as "Pretty Woman," "What About Bob" and "Father of the Bride I and II."
He began his rise through the studio executive ranks in 1985 at the Walt Disney Company, serving as director of production for the filmed entertainment division. One year later, he was promoted to president of production for the Sunday Disney Movie, which ultimately led to his ascension to the top spot at Touchstone in 1993, where he oversaw such diverse hits as Ron Howard's "Ransom"; the Oscar®-nominated biopic "What's Love Got To Do With It"; Wes Anderson's first studio feature "Rushmore"; Tim Burton's brilliant and critically acclaimed "Ed Wood"; and the worldwide smash hit "Armageddon." Under his guidance, Touchstone's films grossed in excess of $2.5 billion worldwide and garnered an impressive 24 Academy Award® nominations.
Bill Johnson (Executive Producer) continues his relationship with DreamWorks SKG with the production of "I Love You, Man." Previously for DreamWorks, he executive-produced the family drama "Dreamer: Inspired by a True Story" and worked on the horror classic "The Ring."
Johnson also executive-produced "A Walk to Remember" and "Malibu's Most Wanted" for Warner Bros. and has numerous other feature film credits, including "Disney's The Kid," "My Best Friend's Wedding" for Columbia Pictures and "A Walk in the Clouds" for Twentieth Century Fox.
Andrew Haas (Executive Producer) is a proud Gator who grew up in Miami and attended the University of Florida. After graduation, Haas moved to Los Angeles to earn his J.D. at Whittier Law School and pursue a career in film. He began as an assistant to Donald De Line, then president of Touchstone Pictures. De Line soon moved over to Paramount as a producer and brought Haas with him, promoting him to creative executive. During that time, Haas oversaw several projects, including "Without a Paddle," which he shepherded from the initial pitch through production. When De Line was subsequently named president of Paramount, he tapped Haas as a vice president of production for the studio.
In 2005, Haas re-joined forces with De Line as senior vice president of De Line Pictures at Warner Bros. Haas currently stands as executive vice president of De Line Pictures and is executive-producing and overseeing "Observe and Report" starring Seth Rogen ("Knocked Up") and Anna Faris ("House Bunny") and directed by Jody Hill ("The Foot Fist Way") for Warner Bros. He is also developing several other projects for the studio, including big screen adaptations of "Green Lantern," "The Jetsons" and "Yogi Bear." In conjunction with De Line, Haas is also overseeing projects at other studios, including "Brad Cutter Ruined My Life...Again" at Fox Atomic.
Director/Producer Ivan Reitman (Executive Producer) has been the creative force behind films beloved by audiences around the world - from raucous comedies like "Animal House," "Stripes" and "Ghostbusters" to more sophisticated delights like "Dave," "Six Days/Seven Nights" and "Twins."
The career that has brought about so many laughs began in Canada, where his family emigrated from Czechoslovakia when he was four years old. Reitman studied music at McMaster University, but soon turned his talents to film and theater.
Shortly after graduation, Reitman delved into film production - first with the extremely low-budget horror comedy "Cannibal Girls" starring Canada's Eugene Levy and Andrea Martin, followed by the live television show "Greed" with Dan Aykroyd as its announcer. Reitman then headed to New York City and produced the Broadway hit "The Magic Show" starring McMaster friend Doug Henning. He continued producing for the stage with the off-Broadway hit "The National Lampoon Show," where he brought together for the first time the then-unknown John Belushi, Gilda Radner, Bill Murray, Harold Ramis and Joe Flaherty. Reitman returned to Broadway to produce and direct the musical "Merlin," earning Tony nominations for directing and producing. While in New York, Reitman reapplied his talents to filmmaking when he joined forces with National Lampoon and brought us the groundbreaking sensation "Animal House." Following the success of that film, Reitman returned home to Canada to direct "Meatballs," still considered one the most successful films ever made in Canada.
The string of hits continued with "Stripes" and the "Ghostbusters" series, which teamed Bill Murray with Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis; "Dave" starring Kevin Kline and Sigourney Weaver; "Legal Eagles" starring Robert Redford and Debra Winger; "Six Days/Seven Nights" with Harrison Ford and Anne Heche; "Evolution" starring David Duchovny and Julianne Moore; and a series of films that revealed an untapped comic persona for action hero Arnold Schwarzenegger: "Twins," "Junior" (both co-starring Danny DeVito) and "Kindergarten Cop."
Reitman's list of producing credits is equally extensive. He produced the family features "Beethoven" and "Beethoven's 2nd," as well as the HBO telefilm "The Late Shift," which received seven Emmy nominations. Other producing endeavors include "Heavy Metal"; Howard Stern's "Private Parts"; the animation/live action film "Space Jam," which teamed Michael Jordan with the Looney Toons characters; and the teen comedy hits "Road Trip," "Eurotrip" and "Old School" starring Will Ferrell, Vince Vaughn and Luke Wilson.
In 1984, Reitman was honored as Director of the Year by the National Association of Theater Owners and the next year received a Special Achievement Award at the Canadian Genie Awards. In 1979, and again in 1989, Reitman was honored with the People's Choice Award for the films "Animal House" and "Twins." In November 1994, Reitman became the third director honored by Variety in a special "Billion Dollar Director" issue. At the end of 2000, Reitman's films "Animal House" and "Ghostbusters" were honored by the American Film Institute as two of this past century's funniest movies. He currently heads The Montecito Picture Company, a film and television production company, with partner Tom Pollock, in association with DreamWorks SKG.
Reitman also directed "My Super Ex-Girlfriend" and is the executive producer of the smash Canadian comedy "The Big Dirty" starring the comedy troupe Trailer Park Boys. He was executive producer on the DreamWorks thriller "Disturbia," which opened nationwide in April 2007. Reitman's recent releases include "Hotel for Dogs" and "The Uninvited." He also recently completed production on "Post Grad," which will be released later this year. Reitman has two projects currently in production: "Up in the Air" and "Chloe."
Reitman has been married to former Quebec film actress Genevieve Robert for over 30 years. Together, they have three children and live in Santa Barbara, California.
Thomas P. Pollock (Executive Producer) served as vice chairman of MCA INC. from July 1995 to March 1996. He previously served as executive vice president of MCA and chairman of its Motion Picture Group, Universal Pictures, from September 1986 to July 1995. He was also a member of the Board of Directors of MCA INC. and Cineplex-Odeon Corporation.
One of the most highly regarded and experienced attorneys in the entertainment field, he was previously the senior partner of Pollock, Bloom and Dekom. The firm (now Bloom, Hergot, Diemer and Cook, LLP) represents leading producers, directors, writers and actors.
Pollock joined MCA on September 18, 1986. During his tenure as chairman of the Motion Picture Group, Universal released over 200 films that grossed in excess of $10 billion worldwide, including "Jurassic Park" (then the highest-grossing film of all time), "Parenthood," "Cape Fear," "Twins," "The Flintstones," "Kindergarten Cop," "Back to the Future 2 and 3," "Casper," "Waterworld," "Backdraft," "Beethoven" and "Beethoven's 2nd," "Do the Right Thing," "Fried Green Tomatoes," "Sneakers" and "Lorenzo's Oil."
Also during this time, Universal had seven Academy Award®Best Picture nominees, including "Schindler's List," which won the Academy Award®for Best Picture in 1993. Other Best Picture nominees include "Field of Dreams," "Born on the Fourth of July," "Scent of a Woman," "In the Name of the Father," "Apollo 13" and "Babe."
Pollock was also responsible for bringing numerous creative talents to the studio, including Ivan Reitman, Ron Howard and Brian Grazer of Imagine Entertainment, Martin Scorsese, Spike Lee, George Miller, Jon Avnet, Martin Brest, Rob Cohen, Phil Alden Robinson, Jim Sheridan, James Cameron and Larry Gordon.
Pollock played a key role in the creation of United Cinemas International (UCI), a joint venture with Paramount Pictures, which has become the largest exhibitor outside North America, with nearly 700 multiplex screens. He also formed Gramercy Pictures with Polygram in 1992.
During his tenure as vice chairman, Pollock forged MCA's alliance with DreamWorks SKG and the interactive arcade venture Gameworks among Sega, DreamWorks and MCA.
In 1998, Pollock, together with director/producer Ivan Reitman, set up The Montecito Picture Company. Montecito has produced "Road Trip" (2000), "Evolution" (2001), "Old School" (2003), "Eurotrip" (2004), "Disturbia" (2007) and, most recently, "Hotel for Dogs" and "The Uninvited" (2009). They are currently in post-production on "Post Grad" for Fox Atomic. Additionally, they are in pre-production on "Up in the Air" for Paramount and "Chloe" with Studio Canal. All are due out in 2009.
In 2006, Pollock, together with director/producer Ivan Reitman, set up Cold Spring Pictures with Merrill Lynch and other financial partners, which co-finances pictures produced by The Montecito Picture Company.
Pollock was born April 10, 1943, in Los Angeles, California. He graduated with a B.A from Stanford University in 1964 and received a J.D. from Columbia University in 1967.
He is a member of the California Bar Association, the former Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the American Film Institute, a trustee of the American Museum of the Moving Image, Adjunct Professor of Film, University of California at Santa Barbara, and a former trustee of the Los Angeles Music Center. Pollock has three children: Alexandra, Allegra and Luke.
Jeffery Clifford (Executive Producer) runs production for The Montecito Picture Company, the partnership between Ivan Reitman and Tom Pollock. Clifford is producing "Post Grad" for Fox Atomic and recently served as executive producer on "Hotel for Dogs."
Prior to Montecito, Clifford served as vice president of production at Warner Bros., where he oversaw "Firewall" with Harrison Ford and "The Fountain" directed by Darren Aronofsky. Before that, he was vice president of production at Walt Disney/Touchstone Pictures for six years. While there, he oversaw "The Royal Tennenbaums" directed by Wes Anderson; "The 25th Hour" directed by Spike Lee; "Unbreakable" directed by M. Night Shyamalan; "The Last Shot" directed by Jeff Nathanson; and, among others, "The Ladykillers" directed by the Coen brothers.
Clifford started his career as an independent producer in New York, where he produced "Safe Men" directed by John Hamburg.
Lawrence Sher (Director of Photography) has been a director of photography for more than 15 years, shooting commercials, music videos and feature films.
Born and raised in New York City, he studied economics at Wesleyan University where, in his junior year, he turned an interest in still photography into an obsessive fascination with motion pictures. Upon graduation, he moved to Los Angeles, where he began his career as a camera assistant. After shooting the award-winning USC short, "12 Stops on the Road to Nowhere," for fellow Wesleyan alum Jason Lowi, he began to work as a director of photography on several smaller films and music videos, coming to the fore in 2000 with the indie award-winner "Kissing Jessica Stein" and "Garden State" directed by Zach Braff and starring Natalie Portman, Peter Sarsgaard and Ian Holm. His most recent credits include "Dan in Real Life," "The Promotion," "Trucker," "Dukes of Hazzard" and "The Chumscrubber." Sher recently completed "The Hangover" for Warner Bros. and director Todd Phillips.
Andrew Laws (Production Designer) most recently designed "Yes Man" starring Jim Carrey; "1408" starring John Cusack; "The Number 23" also starring Jim Carrey; "The Break-Up" and "Derailed" both starring Jennifer Aniston; and "Beyond the Sea," the biopic about the life of singer Bobby Darin, written, directed, produced by and starring Kevin Spacey.
Other credits as production designer include "Along Came Polly" starring Aniston and Ben Stiller; "Down with Love" starring Renee Zellweger and Ewan McGregor; and "Phone Booth" and "Tigerland," both starring Colin Farrell and directed by Joel Schumacher.
Laws began his career as an assistant art director on such films as "Touch," "She's So Lovely" and "Jackie Brown." He became an art director with the film "Rushmore" and continued as art director for "Simpatico," "Gone in Sixty Seconds" and "Swordfish."
William Kerr (Editor) first collaborated with John Hamburg on the infamously canceled television series "Undeclared" after being introduced by their mutual friend Judd Apatow. They paired up again on Hamburg's feature film "Along Came Polly" starring Ben Stiller and Jennifer Aniston. Kerr most recently was the editor of the comedy box-office smashes "Superbad" and "Forgetting Sarah Marshall."
Kerr's other film credits include Curtis Hanson's drama "Lucky You," "My Fellow Americans," "Undercover Brother," "Nutty Professor II: The Klumps" and the cult comedy classic "Tommy Boy."
Leesa Evans (Costume Designer) provided the costumes for such films as "American Pie," "Into the Blue," "Scooby-Doo" and "Scooby-Doo 2," "Josie and the Pussycats," "Stir of Echoes" and many others. She most recently served as costume designer on the breakout hit "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" starring Jason Segel, Kristen Bell, Mila Kunis and Russell Brand. Evans is also known for her celebrity styling, with an extensive client list that includes Dustin Hoffman, Edward Norton, Paul Rudd, Jason Segel and Alanis Morissette, among others.
Anders Bard (Co-Producer) has been working exclusively with John Hamburg since 2002. Having started as Hamburg's assistant, Bard became an associate producer on the feature film "Along Came Polly" starring Jennifer Aniston and Ben Stiller; then a co-producer on "Welcome to the Captain," a television series for CBS.
Prior to working with Hamburg, Bard previously worked with Michael Shamberg at Jersey Films, as well as Sylvester Stallone and Kevin King after starting his career in Hollywood as an assistant at Jerry Bruckheimer Films.
Anders and Hamburg have numerous projects in development.
Versatility and talent are evident in Theodore Shapiro's (Music) scores for a wide range of feature films, as well as his works for the concert hall. His most recent work includes scores for the Ben Stiller comedy hit "Tropic Thunder"; "Marley and Me" starring Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston; the worldwide hit "The Devil Wears Prada"; the Will Ferrell comedies "Semi-Pro" and "Blades of Glory"; "Mr. Woodcock" starring Billy Bob Thornton; the indie dramas "The Girl in the Park" and "The Mysteries of Pittsburgh"; Mike Judge's comedy "Idiocracy"; the caper comedy "Fun with Dick and Jane"; "The Baxter," the score of which was co-written by Craig Wedren; "13 Going on 30"; and the Ben Stiller comedies "Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story," "Starsky & Hutch" and "Along Came Polly" (BMI Film Music Award winner for all three).
Additional feature film composing credits include Todd Phillips' hit comedy "Old School," as well as the comedies "You, Me and Dupree," "View from the Top" and "Not Another Teen Movie"; David Mamet's "Heist" and "State and Main"; and the indie circuit hit "Girlfight" for director Karyn Kusama.
Next up for Shapiro is the thriller "Jennifer's Body."
Among Shapiro's symphonic compositions are "Chambers" (for small orchestra), performed by the L.A. Philharmonic and St. Paul Chamber Orchestra; "Avenues" (concerto for piano and orchestra), performed by both the Seattle Symphony and the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra; and "Of Blood and Carnations" (for orchestra), premiered by the N.Y. Chamber Orchestra and later performed by the Ft. Worth Symphony Orchestra.