Paul Rudd on fantasy sports, Rummikub obsession, and escaping political noise
Synopsis
Paul Rudd — Ant-Man, fantasy sports fan, and now devoted Rummikub player — says a tile set on his kitchen table has become his daily antidote to political chaos. The Marvel star credits his mother for the switch from mahjong, and says puzzles and board games are how he eases into 'the chaos that is undoubtedly whipping around outside.'
Key Takeaways
Paul Rudd confirmed he plays fantasy sports and watches sports regularly.
He has recently become devoted to Rummikub , a tile-based game combining rummy and mahjong elements, playing it on his kitchen table daily.
Rudd tried mahjong — which originated in 19th-century China — but switched because it requires four players .
His mother suggested Rummikub as a more flexible alternative.
Rudd says puzzles and games help him escape the political noise and ease into his mornings.
He previously worked as a wedding DJ before his Hollywood career took off.
Hollywood actor Paul Rudd, best known for playing Ant-Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, has opened up about his off-screen passions — from fantasy sports to a growing obsession with the tile-based game Rummikub. In a candid conversation with Variety, Rudd revealed that board games and puzzles have become his daily ritual for mental calm.
From Fantasy Sports to Rummikub
Rudd confirmed he is an active fantasy sports player and a sports-watching enthusiast, but it is a tabletop game that has taken centre stage in his household of late. 'I like to watch sports. I play fantasy sports. You know what? Lately, I've been playing a lot of Rummikub,' he said. He described a broader social trend around tile games, noting that friends and acquaintances have been gravitating toward mahjong tournaments and casual mahjong sessions.
Rudd himself tried mahjong after watching his wife learn the game, spending an entire day playing it. 'I was kind of getting into it. I was like, alright, I see what's great about this,' he said. However, mahjong's requirement of four players proved a practical hurdle.
Why He Switched to Rummikub
Rummikub is a tile-based game that blends elements of the card game rummy and mahjong, and can be played with fewer participants. Rudd credited his mother with nudging him toward it. 'The problem [with mahjong] is that you need four people. So my mom was like, 'Why don't you try Rummikub?' So now we have these tiles set on our kitchen table and … I played it this morning!' he said. Notably, mahjong originated in 19th-century China and is traditionally played by three or four players.
Games as an Escape from Political Noise
Rudd was candid about the deeper motivation behind his puzzle and game habit — a desire to decompress from what he described as the toxicity of the current political climate. 'When you talk about the noise of the world and how crummy it all is, I feel it,' he said. His morning routine now involves coffee, crossword puzzles, and Rummikub before engaging with the wider world.
'I wake up, have coffee and I've got to do puzzles because it's nothing political, it wakes my brain up and it's a nice way to ease into the chaos that is undoubtedly whipping around outside,' he added. The actor, widely regarded as one of the more affable figures in Hollywood, also mentioned a fondness for crossword puzzles as part of the same mindful routine.
A Career That Started Behind the Decks
This is not the first time Rudd has offered a glimpse into his life away from the camera. He has previously revealed that he worked as a wedding DJ before rising to become one of Hollywood's most recognisable stars — a detail that adds texture to his reputation for being unusually grounded for an A-list actor.
With the Rummikub set reportedly a permanent fixture on the Rudd family kitchen table, it appears the Marvel star has found his unlikely off-set hobby of choice.
Point of View
And Rudd is more a symptom than an outlier. The wedding-DJ backstory, meanwhile, is a durable reminder that Hollywood's most likeable stars often have the most ordinary origin stories.
NationPress
25 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What games does Paul Rudd play?
Paul Rudd plays fantasy sports and has recently become devoted to Rummikub, a tile-based game that blends elements of rummy and mahjong. He also enjoys crossword puzzles as part of his morning routine.
Why did Paul Rudd switch from mahjong to Rummikub?
Rudd found mahjong appealing after watching his wife learn it, but switched because the game requires four players. His mother suggested Rummikub as a more accessible alternative.
Why does Paul Rudd play puzzles and board games every morning?
Rudd has said he plays puzzles and games to escape the toxicity of the current political climate. He described it as a way to wake his brain up and ease into the day before engaging with the wider world.
What did Paul Rudd do before becoming a Hollywood star?
Paul Rudd worked as a wedding DJ before his acting career took off. He has since become one of Hollywood's most recognisable actors, best known for playing Ant-Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
