Paul Rudd, the Hollywood superhero and "Ant-Man" star, appeased a 12-year-old boy who has no friends by giving him a call and sending a gift with a letter after his story went viral in May 2022.
Brody Ridder wanted his schoolmates at The Academy of Charter School in Colorado to sign his yearbook, but he got only four responses, two from his teachers. The boy's mother, Cassandra Ridder, posted her anguish over Brody's lack of friends on Facebook, which caught the attention of many strangers, including the Hollywood actor.
According to KDVR, Rudd called Brody after learning that no one had signed his yearbook to ensure he was OK. He also sent a signed "Ant-Man" helmet with a heartwarming letter.
Rudd, regarded as one of Hollywood's nicest people, reminded the 12-year-old that things would get better. He assured Brody that many other people love him and think he's the coolest kid.
"I can't wait to see all the amazing things you're going to accomplish," the actor wrote in his letter. Brody and Rudd are texting each other now.
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Cassandra Ridder was worried for her son
In an interview with The Washington Post, Brody's mother said her son had been bullied in school for two years. Kids were calling him names, and things didn't seem to be getting better.
Cassandra was even more heartbroken when she saw Brody write a note to himself in his yearbook. He told himself to make more friends next school year. The mother said that her heart was shattered for her son and that she's hoping other parents will teach kindness to their children.
After reading her sentiments, some upperclassmen in Brody's school tracked him down and offered to sign his yearbook. In a short time, the 12-year-old made over a hundred new friends, who gave him pep talks and discussed the hobbies the middle schooler enjoyed.
Then, Cassandra received the strangest recorded message on her Facebook from the "Ant-Man" star, who told her that Brody "sounds like my kinda guy." Rudd learned that Brody is into chess, dinosaurs, and fencing, which the actor also enjoys.
More than a month after the story went viral, Cassandra said that she and her son are overwhelmed and thankful for the encouragement. It made their family feel that there's still hope for children who may feel they are not accepted.
Paul Rudd as a dad
Meanwhile, Rudd and his wife Julie Yaeger have been married since 2003 after eight years of dating. They have two kids, Jack Sullivan and Darby.
In 2018, Rudd said that becoming a dad made him more sentimental and his kids would often tease him about easily crying when they are watching sappy movies. Rudd also loves to crack dad jokes to get a reaction from his children. He told Entertainment Tonight that Jack and Darby would usually roll their eyes or "try to fight a smile" when he's being silly.
Rudd has tried to shield his kids from the Hollywood spotlight, but now that Jack and Darby are grown, they have been attending their father's red carpet events. It's unclear if Rudd's children will follow their dad's footsteps in Hollywood, but artistic talent seems to run in the blood as Julie is also a screenwriter.
