Paul Rudd stars in David Gordon Green's new film "Prince Avalanche", based on the Icelandic film "Either Way" (2011).  Rudd spoke with StageBuddy about the differences between working on an indie film and the big budget Hollywood films he's accustomed to, and about co-starring with Emile Hirsch.

StageBuddy: Let's talk about "Prince Avalanche".

Paul Rudd: Oh you want to talk about that one?

StageBuddy: Yeah, since we're already here.

Rudd: (laughs) It was fun to do for many reasons. David was a friend of mine and I've wanted to work with him for many years. I didn't know Emile, I just met him, but it was great meeting him, and then taking these cameras and going out into the woods, which is essentially what we did. It was a small crew, a cool story and a chance to get to do something we really wanted to do from a creative standpoint, not feel as if we had to adhere to any sort of studio notes, or have to do something that was a watered-down version of what it should be. So that part was a great experience, and it was short -- it was only a month.

StageBuddy: Is it a comedy or drama? How would you describe this film?

Rudd: It's a tough one to fit into some kind of category because it is funny, but it's not a broad comedy. There are moments, but it's its own thing. I like that aspect of it, it's a very unique world. There's a very specific way of speaking, you know, it was an Icelandic film, and there's a spirit which David captured in this telling which seems very European to me. It's like an American version of a foreign film.

StageBuddy: Since your character spends most of his time in the woods doing outdoors activities, did you learn anything about fishing or camping that you didn't know before?

Rudd: No. I like all that stuff, but I don't do it a lot.

"Prince Avalanche" opens in theaters on August 9th.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJGEu268KvI[/youtube]