Paul Rudd posed for a photo with Julia Roberts at the 2019 Academy Awards – and a number of fans raised the same question.

Image: Instagram/juliaroberts / Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

For actors across the world, there are only a select few who can establish themselves in Hollywood. Paul Rudd and Julia Roberts are certainly in that group, as they’ve enjoyed successful careers on the big-screen for a number of years. However, when the pair posed for a photo at the 2019 Oscars ceremony, several fans made the same observation.

Rudd was born in April 1969 and originally hailed from Passaic, New Jersey. However, his family moved around as a result of his dad’s job. Despite all the traveling, though, the future star spent most of his formative years in Overland Park, Kansas. And after graduating from high school, he then pursued one his passions.

Indeed, Rudd became a student at the University of Kansas, where he studied theater. Following plenty of hard work, the New Jersey native went on to bag a place at Los Angeles’ American Academy of Dramatic Arts. He then earned a degree at the college, before embarking on an exciting trip.

Rudd moved to England for three months and joined a workshop at the University of Oxford’s British Drama Academy. And while there, he worked behind the scenes of a Globe Theater play. Alongside that, he also starred in a production of William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, which Ben Kingsley directed.

Following that spell overseas, Rudd came back to the U.S., leading to his on-screen debut in 1992. Indeed, he earned roles in two short films that year, before joining the cast of the TV series Sisters. Taking on the character of Kirby Philby, the actor featured in 20 episodes of the drama, with his last appearance coming in 1995.

Image: Evan Agostini/Getty Images for Disney

During that period, Rudd also landed a role in the sitcom Wild Oats. However, the show was quickly canceled after just four episodes in 1994. Despite that disappointment, though, the New Jersey native went on to make his big-screen debut some 12 months later, which kick-started his film career.

Indeed, Rudd was cast in the romantic comedy Clueless, starring the likes of Alicia Silverstone, Breckin Meyer and Brittany Murphy. The film was a decent-sized hit at the time, as it earned over $55 million at the domestic box-office off an estimated budget of $12 million. However, that wasn’t his last film role in 1995.

Off the back of Clueless, Rudd earned a significant role in Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers. Taking on the character of Tommy Doyle, he featured alongside the likes of Donald Pleasence and Marianne Hagan in the horror franchise’s sixth installment. After that, the actor didn’t return to the big-screen until 1996.

At that point, Rudd bagged the lead role in the indie movie The Size of Watermelons, before being cast in one of the year’s biggest releases. Utilizing his previous experience of Shakespeare, he took on the part of Dave Paris in Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo + Juliet. The film earned close to $150 million at the worldwide box-office, with only 20 movies in 1996 grossing more.

Rudd went on to feature in a number of other releases throughout the late 1990s, including The Cider House Rules and The Object of My Affection. Alongside that, the New Jersey native also appeared on Broadway for the first time in The Last Night Of Ballyhoo. However, his career really started to take off in the 2000s.

Indeed, Rudd earned a recurring role in Friends back in 2002, featuring in close to 20 episodes of the hugely popular comedy series. After that, the actor landed one of his breakout film parts in 2004, as he appeared in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy. But his rise didn’t end there.

Rudd was cast in Judd Apatow’s The 40 Year-Old Virgin some 12 months later, before appearing in films such as Night at the Museum and The Ex. In 2007 the star then worked with Apatow again in Knocked Up, further establishing himself in Hollywood. From there, Rudd went on to feature in a number of other comedies throughout the next few years.

As time continued to progress, Rudd’s reputation as a solid comedic actor only grew, starring in movies like This Is 40 and I Love You, Man. However, in 2015 he branched out in the most unexpected way, as he bagged the leading role in Marvel’s latest superhero blockbuster Ant-Man.

Image: Marvel Studios/Disney Enterprises via IMDb

“When people heard that I was cast in this movie, I think most people’s reactions were ‘Huh? Paul Rudd as a superhero? Really?’” Rudd told Variety magazine in July 2015. “The majority of my career has been doing comedies, and I was always that guy, so I completely understand.” And on that note, he explained why he took the role of Ant-Man.

Image: Marvel Studios/Disney Enterprises via IMDb

“Playing a comic-book character is different from anything I have ever done before, and that was a huge appeal to me,” Rudd continued. “I wanted to do something unexpected. I’m grateful that Marvel took a chance with me. It’s been really gratifying.” With that being said, though, he was still able to utilize his comedic chops to great effect in the movie.

Following Ant-Man, Rudd then appeared in Captain America: Civil War in 2016, before reprising the role of Scott Lang again some two years later. Indeed, the New Jersey native starred in Ant-Man and the Wasp in 2018, returning alongside the likes of Michael Douglas and Evangeline Lilly.

With Rudd now established as both an action and comedy star, he appeared as one of the presenters at the 2019 Oscars ceremony. While there, he also crossed paths with one of Hollywood’s biggest actresses in Julia Roberts. And at that point, the pair then posed for a photograph together backstage.

Born in October 1967, Roberts grew up in Smyrna, Georgia, alongside her two older siblings Eric and Lisa. And during her younger years, the future star showed aspirations of becoming a vet, but those plans eventually changed. Indeed, she took an interest in acting instead, relocating to New York City in the mid-1980s.

While there, Roberts landed her first on-screen role in 1987, featuring in the TV show Crime Story. Later that year, she made an uncredited appearance in Firehouse, her big-screen debut. Off the back of that, the Georgia native was cast in two more movies in 1988, with one standing out in particular.

Roberts’ role in the romantic comedy Mystic Pizza gained plenty of attention at that time, but her career skyrocketed some 12 months later. The actress earned a role in 1989’s Steel Magnolias, which resulted in her first Oscar nomination. And from there, she then enjoyed a quite incredible run in the 1990s.

Indeed, Roberts went on to star in Pretty Woman alongside Richard Gere in 1990, cementing her position as one of Hollywood’s biggest stars at the time. After that, she headlined a number of other movies during that period, including Flatliners, Hook and Sleeping with the Enemy. But there was more to come.

Roberts appeared in several projects throughout the decade, with some of her more popular performances coming in the late-1990s. In 1997 she starred in both Conspiracy Theory and My Best Friend’s Wedding, before another impressive double two years later. At that point, the Georgia native headlined Runaway Bride and Notting Hill.

Meanwhile, from there, Roberts then bagged her first Academy Award for her lead performance in 2000’s Erin Brockovich. Off the back of that, she then starred in a few more notable films in the next few years. Those included the likes of Ocean’s Eleven, Charlie Wilson’s War and Mona Lisa Smile.

A in recent years, Roberts has maintained a steady stream of work, appearing on both the big-screen and the small-screen. Her latest film, Ben Is Back, hit cinemas in December 2018, while the actress also starred in the Amazon Prime series Homecoming earlier that year. And a few months later, she then hit TV screens again at the Oscars.

And it’s there, after snapping the picture of herself and Rudd backstage, that Roberts posted the image on her Instagram page, alongside a brief message. She wrote, “Ran into this fella. My pal Paul – he is an original.” On that note, her post earned over one million likes.

When taking a closer look at the photo, it would be easy for someone to mistake Roberts and Rudd’s real ages, such are their almost timeless appearances. Indeed, the former is 51 years old, while the latter is due to turn 50 himself later in 2019. That particular subject came to the forefront on social media when the pair presented their respective awards.

Image: Matt Petit – Handout/A.M.P.A.S. via Getty Images

Rudd presented the Best Visual Effects Oscar alongside Sarah Paulson, while Roberts handed out the Best Picture gong at the end of the show. After the star took to the stage, a number of people then spoke about his appearance on Twitter. Indeed, many speculated how he’s retained his youthful looks.

“Paul Rudd, what dark bargain have you cut with the Gods of Time?” questioned Twitter user Emily Nussbaum. Meanwhile, fellow user Stuart Emmrich also at a loss, posting a screenshot of Rudd on the stage. They asked, “How is it possible that Paul Rudd hasn’t aged since Clueless?”

Another Twitter user, Frances Ha Ha, then offered a humorous explanation as to why Rudd was handing out that particular award. She wrote, “[He] is presenting for visual effects, because the fact that he has not managed to age in 20+ years is the true visual magic that deserves to be honored.”

Indeed, a Twitter account called The Nerds of Color certainly shared those views. They wrote, “What a great person to present the visual effects [award]. Because Paul Rudd looks like he’s been digitally made to look like he’s never aged.” The humorous reactions didn’t end there, though.

Image: Matt Petit – Handout/A.M.P.A.S. via Getty Images

Indeed, Twitter user Jamie B. Golden wondered if Rudd would share his secret with the world via one particular product. She said, “Paul Rudd turns 50 in six weeks. Where is his QVC skincare line? I would Easy Pay the crap out of that.”

Elsewhere, fellow user Rakesh Satyal made another observation regarding one of Rudd’s earliest film roles. “Imagine how terrifying Clueless would have been if we knew Josh/Paul Rudd would never age?” he asked. On that note, someone responded to Satyal’s tweet with a suggestion, hinting that the actor might be taking cues from Dorian Gray.

“There’s a portrait of [Josh] in the Horowitz Mansion that is aging,” Olivia Giovetti said of Rudd’s character in Clueless. “That’s the real deal he cut with Mel.” Meanwhile, Twitter user Hazel Hayes looked ahead to the future, before making a hilariously bold prediction about the New Jersey native.

“It’s comforting to know that when Paul Rudd presents me with my Oscar in 20 years time, he’ll look exactly the same as he does tonight,” Hayes wrote on Twitter. On that note, the Rubber Bandits account put forward a humorous suggestion of their own regarding Rudd’s youthful appearance at the event.

“Paul Rudd doesn’t age, because he has one of those faces that looks 45 all the time,” tweeted the Rubber Bandits account. “I thought he was 45 when he was in Clueless. It’s a double-edged blade and he’s gallantly wielding the sharp edge now.” And as for Roberts, she too drew plenty of attention when she took to the stage.

“Tonight I learned that, apparently, Julia Roberts doesn’t age,” NBC reporter Ali Vitali wrote on Twitter. “So that’s a thing.” Fellow user Ana echoed those sentiments, posting an old picture of Roberts next to a shot of her at the 2019 Oscars. She wrote, “Julia Roberts [has aged] like fine wine.”

Elsewhere, Page Six’s Twitter account implored Roberts to reveal the secret behind her timeless looks. The account posted, “And last but not least… Julia Roberts is going to need to tell us her skincare regimen.” Meanwhile, away from that, user Jamie noted a couple of other stars boasting similar appearances to the Georgia native.

Jamie said on Twitter, “Barbra Streisand, Julia Roberts and Jennifer Lopez [are] sucking the youth out of the guests at the Oscars.” However, for his part, Rudd did offer some explanation behind his appearance during an interview in 2015, touching upon what he does. And compared to some of the ideas floating around social media, it was fairly simple.

“I am a big believer in sunscreen,” Rudd told InStyle magazine back in April 2015. “I’m not one for tanning. I used to be, back when I was rocking the Depeche Mode look. Honestly, I wear sunscreen not to prevent wrinkles but because I don’t want to get skin cancer.”

Meanwhile, Roberts and Rudd both have some interesting work ahead, with the former set to star in the upcoming film Little Bee. As for the latter, the month of April 2019 will certainly be intriguing. Indeed, not only will he celebrate his 50th birthday at that time, but Avengers: Endgame comes out a few weeks later.