Seth Rogen on the High School Friendships That Inspired ‘Superbad’

I come from a world where like I come from a world where like everyone's, you know, parents were in everyone's, you know, parents were in everyone's, you know, parents were in therapy and and you know, like I'm from therapy and and you know, like I'm from therapy and and you know, like I'm from the I'm from the Pacific Northwest, you the I'm from the Pacific Northwest, you the I'm from the Pacific Northwest, you know, we were ahead of the curve on a know, we were ahead of the curve on a know, we were ahead of the curve on a lot of that stuff in the '80s and '90s lot of that stuff in the '80s and '90s lot of that stuff in the '80s and '90s and so I think like and so I think like and so I think like I come from a group of friends who were I come from a group of friends who were I come from a group of friends who were very like communicative and open and not very like communicative and open and not very like communicative and open and not afraid of sort of sharing what they were afraid of sort of sharing what they were afraid of sort of sharing what they were feeling with one another. feeling with one another. feeling with one another. >> Why do you think that version of male >> Why do you think that version of male >> Why do you think that version of male friendship translated so well on screen? friendship translated so well on screen? friendship translated so well on screen? >> Me and Evan still marvel that like >> Me and Evan still marvel that like >> Me and Evan still marvel that like Superbad is still Superbad is still Superbad is still remotely remotely remotely not just like accepted in today's not just like accepted in today's not just like accepted in today's society, but it's a thing like kids society, but it's a thing like kids society, but it's a thing like kids still really seem to watch. And like still really seem to watch. And like still really seem to watch. And like just like when we were young, we would just like when we were young, we would just like when we were young, we would all watch we would watch Fast Times and all watch we would watch Fast Times and all watch we would watch Fast Times and things like that. Like it seems like things like that. Like it seems like things like that. Like it seems like Superbad has somehow like filled the Superbad has somehow like filled the Superbad has somehow like filled the slot in many ways of like the high slot in many ways of like the high slot in many ways of like the high school movie you you watch and relate to school movie you you watch and relate to school movie you you watch and relate to when you are in high school, you know? when you are in high school, you know? when you are in high school, you know? And And And and I think part of it is because like and I think part of it is because like and I think part of it is because like it is it is it is it is about exploring it is about exploring it is about exploring kind of [snorts] being vulnerable with kind of [snorts] being vulnerable with kind of [snorts] being vulnerable with your friends, you know? When I was your friends, you know? When I was your friends, you know? When I was moving to LA, I was I did a bunch of moving to LA, I was I did a bunch of moving to LA, I was I did a bunch of shrooms with my friends. I was 16 years shrooms with my friends. I was 16 years shrooms with my friends. I was 16 years old and we were all at their house we old and we were all at their house we old and we were all at their house we were at one of my friends' houses and it were at one of my friends' houses and it were at one of my friends' houses and it was like the sun was coming up and I was was like the sun was coming up and I was was like the sun was coming up and I was laying on the couch and my friend Fogel, laying on the couch and my friend Fogel, laying on the couch and my friend Fogel, who McLovin is based on, was was there who McLovin is based on, was was there who McLovin is based on, was was there laying on the couch beside me the other laying on the couch beside me the other laying on the couch beside me the other like like we were it was like a like like we were it was like a like like we were it was like a sleepover and we were kind of, you know,

sleepover and we were kind of, you know, sleepover and we were kind of, you know, um um um and I remember just being like I'm so and I remember just being like I'm so and I remember just being like I'm so terrified to like move to Los Angeles to terrified to like move to Los Angeles to terrified to like move to Los Angeles to do this show and I'm not going to see do this show and I'm not going to see do this show and I'm not going to see you guys anymore and I'm going to have you guys anymore and I'm going to have you guys anymore and I'm going to have no friend I don't know anybody out there no friend I don't know anybody out there no friend I don't know anybody out there and [gasps] and [gasps] and [gasps] and he was like, yeah, man, like high and he was like, yeah, man, like high and he was like, yeah, man, like high school ends next year for us, too. Like school ends next year for us, too. Like school ends next year for us, too. Like I don't know where any of us are going I don't know where any of us are going I don't know where any of us are going to college, if we're going to be friends to college, if we're going to be friends to college, if we're going to be friends anymore, if any of this is going to anymore, if any of this is going to anymore, if any of this is going to happen and like it it it really happen and like it it it really happen and like it it it really and it felt like a big moment and it and it felt like a big moment and it and it felt like a big moment and it felt like the first time any of us had felt like the first time any of us had felt like the first time any of us had really really really acknowledged to one another like how acknowledged to one another like how acknowledged to one another like how much we cared about one another and how much we cared about one another and how much we cared about one another and how afraid we would be without one another, afraid we would be without one another, afraid we would be without one another, you know? And I think that's like a you know? And I think that's like a you know? And I think that's like a feeling especially as high school ends feeling especially as high school ends feeling especially as high school ends and you're kind of going your separate and you're kind of going your separate and you're kind of going your separate ways. For me it was to go work, but it ways. For me it was to go work, but it ways. For me it was to go work, but it was no different than if I was going to was no different than if I was going to was no different than if I was going to a college and all my friends a college and all my friends a college and all my friends [clears throat] are going to a different [clears throat] are going to a different [clears throat] are going to a different one, you know? one, you know? one, you know? >> little different. >> little different. >> little different. >> different, but >> different, but >> different, but >> [laughter] >> [laughter] >> [laughter] >> for all you know, for logistically it >> for all you know, for logistically it >> for all you know, for logistically it was very similar, you know? was very similar, you know? was very similar, you know? And and I think that feeling was what we And and I think that feeling was what we And and I think that feeling was what we really tried to put into the movie was really tried to put into the movie was really tried to put into the movie was this feeling of this feeling of this feeling of it's, you know, not that high school's it's, you know, not that high school's it's, you know, not that high school's easy, but there's easy, but there's easy, but there's it it it >> You're on the cusp of something.

>> You're on the cusp of something. >> You're on the cusp of something. >> You're on the cusp of something unknown, >> You're on the cusp of something unknown, >> You're on the cusp of something unknown, and I think that was and I think that was and I think that was however we were able to like bottle that however we were able to like bottle that however we were able to like bottle that feeling and put it into the movie seems feeling and put it into the movie seems feeling and put it into the movie seems to resonate.