About Funny People
George Simmons was prepared to die, but then a funny thing happened.
- Released on July 30, 2009
- Comedy Drama
"Funny People," directed by Judd Apatow, is a poignant exploration of life, comedy, and the complexities of human relationships, anchored by a cast that brings depth and authenticity to their roles. Adam Sandler steps into the shoes of George Simmons, a comedic actor who has climbed to the pinnacle of fame and fortune. His character is a nod to Sandler's own life, reflecting the familiar trajectory of a comedian who has found massive success in Hollywood. Alongside him, Seth Rogen embodies the character of Ira Wright, an up-and-coming stand-up comedian who is still navigating the tumultuous waters of the comedy scene, hoping to make a name for himself. The dynamic between these two characters is the heartbeat of the film, as their contrasting life experiences set the stage for personal growth and introspection.
The narrative of "Funny People" takes a compelling turn when George Simmons, basking in the glow of his accomplishments, is hit with a sobering wake-up call. A visit to the doctor reveals a dire health prognosis, a plot twist that shakes the foundation of George's lavish but hollow existence. This unexpected news serves as a catalyst for George to reassess his life's path, prompting him to seek out genuine connections and to confront the impact of his past actions. It is in this vulnerable state that he crosses paths with Ira Wright. Ira, with his sincere passion for comedy and his struggle to break into the mainstream, becomes an unlikely companion and confidant to George. Their burgeoning friendship, born out of George's newfound desire for meaningful relationships, becomes a central theme of the film, as both men learn from each other and navigate the unpredictable nature of fame, comedy, and mortality.
As the story unfolds, "Funny People" delves into the transformative power of human connection. George's journey towards redemption is not a straightforward one; it is fraught with the challenges of changing one's ways and the fear of facing one's own legacy. Ira, on the other hand, grapples with the realities of his chosen path, juggling the pursuit of his dreams with the complexities of his personal life. The film does not shy away from the uncomfortable truths of its characters' lives, presenting a raw and often humorous portrayal of the entertainment industry and the people within it. Through laughter and tears, "Funny People" offers a thought-provoking look at the human condition, reminding us that even those who make us laugh the most can face the darkest of days, and that in the end, it is our relationships that define us.
Full Cast of Funny People
Adam Sandler
plays George Simmons
Adam Richard Sandler (born September 9, 1966) is an American comedian, actor, and filmmaker. He was a cast member on ...
See Adam Sandler's other roles →
Seth Rogen
plays Ira Wright
Seth Aaron Rogen (born April 15, 1982) is a Canadian-American actor, comedian, and filmmaker. Originally a stand-up c...
See Seth Rogen's other roles →
Leslie Mann
plays Laura
Leslie Jean Mann (born March 26, 1972) is an American actress. She has appeared in numerous films, including The Cabl...
See Leslie Mann's other roles →
Eric Bana
plays Clarke
See Eric Bana's other roles →
Jonah Hill
plays Leo Koenig
Jonah Hill Feldstein (born December 20, 1983) is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter, producer and director. He...
See Jonah Hill's other roles →
Jason Schwartzman
plays Mark Taylor Jackson
Jason Francesco Schwartzman (born June 26, 1980) is an American actor and musician. Schwartzman made his film debut ...
See Jason Schwartzman's other roles →
Aubrey Plaza
plays Daisy Danby
Aubrey Christina Plaza (born June 26, 1984) is an American actress, comedian, and producer. She began her career perf...
See Aubrey Plaza's other roles →
RZA
plays Chuck
Robert Fitzgerald Diggs, better known by his stage name RZA or The RZA ( /ˈrɪzə/; born July 5, 1969), is an American ...
See RZA's other roles →
Aziz Ansari
plays Randy
See Aziz Ansari's other roles →
Maude Apatow
plays Mable
Maude Annabelle Apatow Mann (born December 15, 1997) is an American actress. She stars as Lexi Howard in the HBO dram...
See Maude Apatow's other roles →
Iris Apatow
plays Ingrid
See Iris Apatow's other roles →
Torsten Voges
plays Dr. Lars
See Torsten Voges's other roles →
Allan Wasserman
plays Dr. Stevens
Allan Wasserman was born on May 16, 1952 in The Bronx, New York, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for Big (198...
See Allan Wasserman's other roles →
Rod Man
plays Rod Man
See Rod Man's other roles →
Wayne Federman
plays Comedy & Magic Manager
Wayne Federman was born on June 22, 1959 and is currently 65 years old.
See Wayne Federman's other roles →
Mike O'Connell
plays MySpace Escort
See Mike O'Connell's other roles →
James Taylor
plays James Taylor
James Taylor was born on March 12, 1948 and is currently 76 years old.
See James Taylor's other roles →
Nicole Parker
plays Dawn
See Nicole Parker's other roles →
Andy Dick
plays Andy Dick
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Andrew Ryan "Andy" Dick (born December 21, 1965) is an American comedian, act...
See Andy Dick's other roles →
Charles Fleischer
plays Charles Fleischer
See Charles Fleischer's other roles →
Nicol Paone
plays George's Sister
See Nicol Paone's other roles →
George Coe
plays George's Dad
George Coe (May 10, 1929 – July 18, 2015) was an American actor. He was a cast member for the first season of Saturda...
See George Coe's other roles →
Budd Friedman
plays Budd Friedman
See Budd Friedman's other roles →
Monty Hoffman
plays Monty Hoffman
See Monty Hoffman's other roles →
Carol Leifer
plays Carol Leifer
Carol Leifer was born on July 27, 1956 and is currently 68 years old.
See Carol Leifer's other roles →
Paul Reiser
plays Paul Reiser
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Paul Reiser (born March 30, 1956) is an American actor, comedian, television w...
See Paul Reiser's other roles →
Mark Schiff
plays Mark Schiff
See Mark Schiff's other roles →
George Wallace
plays George Wallace
See George Wallace's other roles →
Norm Macdonald
plays Norm Macdonald
Norman Gene Macdonald (October 17, 1959 – September 14, 2021) was a Canadian stand-up comedian, writer, and actor kno...
See Norm Macdonald's other roles →
Dave Attell
plays Dave Attell
David Attell(born January 18, 1965)is an American stand-up comedian, actor and writer best known as the host ofCom...
See Dave Attell's other roles →
Sarah Silverman
plays Sarah Silverman
Sarah Kate Silverman (born December 1, 1970) is an American comedian, actress, and writer. Her comedy addresses socia...
See Sarah Silverman's other roles →
Bryan Batt
plays George's Agent
Bryan Batt (born March 1, 1963) is an American actor best known for his role in the AMC series Mad Men as Salvatore R...
See Bryan Batt's other roles →
Maggie Siff
plays Rachel
Maggie Siff (born June 21, 1974) is an American actress best known for her television roles, notably department-store...
See Maggie Siff's other roles →
Eminem
plays Eminem
See Eminem's other roles →
Ray Romano
plays Ray Romano
Ray Romano is an American film and television actor, writer, producer, and stand-up comedian, best known for his tele...
See Ray Romano's other roles →
Jon Brion
plays Jon Brion
Jon Brion (born December 11, 1963) is an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer, and com...
See Jon Brion's other roles →
Sebastian Steinberg
plays Sebastian Steinberg
James Gadson
plays James Gadson
See James Gadson's other roles →
Arshad Aslam
plays Yo Teach Cast Member
Bo Burnham
plays Yo Teach Cast Member
See Bo Burnham's other roles →
Miki Ishikawa
plays Yo Teach Cast Member
Miki Ishikawa is an American actress and singer. She was a part of the singing group T-Squad until they disbanded in ...
See Miki Ishikawa's other roles →
Kenny Copeland Jr.
plays Yo Teach Cast Member
See Kenny Copeland Jr.'s other roles →
Calvin Sykes
plays Yo Teach Cast Member
See Calvin Sykes's other roles →
Ca'Shawn Sims
plays Yo Teach Cast Member
See Ca'Shawn Sims's other roles →
Mandi Kreisher
plays Yo Teach Cast Member
Phillip Andre Botello
plays Yo Teach Cast Member
See Phillip Andre Botello's other roles →
Carla Gallo
plays Miss Pruitt on Yo Teach
Carla Paolina Gallo (born 1975) is an American actress. Gallo has had recurring roles in the television series Undecl...
See Carla Gallo's other roles →
Ernest Lee Thomas
plays Yo Teach Principal
See Ernest Lee Thomas's other roles →
Tonita Castro
plays Bonita
See Tonita Castro's other roles →
Carlos Andrade
plays Gardener
Steve Bannos
plays Deli Manager
See Steve Bannos's other roles →
Justin Long
plays Re-Do Guy
See Justin Long's other roles →
Lucas Astrom
plays College Guy with Camera
See Lucas Astrom's other roles →
Tyler Spindel
plays College Guy with Camera
See Tyler Spindel's other roles →
Deamor Yi
plays 8-Year-Old Girl Fan
Elaine Kao
plays Mom with Camera
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Elaine Kao is an Asian-American actress of film, television, and theatre. ...
See Elaine Kao's other roles →
King Kedar
plays Family with Camera
See King Kedar's other roles →
Andre Butler Jr.
plays Family with Camera
Tanya Acker
plays Family with Camera
See Tanya Acker's other roles →
Jarrett Grode
plays Magician
See Jarrett Grode's other roles →
Qiana Chase
plays Chuck's Wife
See Qiana Chase's other roles →
Tom Anderson
plays Tom Anderson
John Hartmann
plays Private Jet Pilot
See John Hartmann's other roles →
Dave Rath
plays San Francisco Theatre Manager
See Dave Rath's other roles →
Dan Harmon
plays Paparazzi at Medical Center
Daniel James Harmon is an American writer, producer and actor. Harmon created and produced the NBC sitcom Community, ...
See Dan Harmon's other roles →
Brandon Cournoyer
plays Paparazzi at Medical Center
Kyle Kinane
plays Paparazzi at Medical Center
See Kyle Kinane's other roles →
Mark Cohen
plays Emcee at Improv
Mark Cohen is an American comedian best known for hosting Comedy Central's Make Me Laugh in 1998.
See Mark Cohen's other roles →
Denise Meyerson
plays Deli Customer
Joanie Marx
plays Deli Customer
See Joanie Marx's other roles →
Adam J. Bernstein
plays Hot Dog-Eating Champion's Son
See Adam J. Bernstein's other roles →
Da'Vone McDonald
plays Hot Dog-Eating Co-Star
See Da'Vone McDonald's other roles →
Orny Adams
plays Orny Adams
See Orny Adams's other roles →
Al Lubel
plays Al Lubel
See Al Lubel's other roles →
Jerry Minor
plays Jerry Minor
Jerry Minor is an actor and writer.
See Jerry Minor's other roles →
Eleanor Zee
plays George's Mom
See Eleanor Zee's other roles →
Ben Meyerson
plays George's Brother-In-Law
See Ben Meyerson's other roles →
Sammy Jack
plays George's Young Nephew
See Sammy Jack's other roles →
Kim Taylor
plays Kim Taylor
Andrea Zonn
plays Andrea Zonn
See Andrea Zonn's other roles →
Kate Markowitz
plays Kate Markowitz
Arnold McCuller
plays Arnold McCuller
See Arnold McCuller's other roles →
Larry Goldings
plays Larry Goldings
Luis Conte
plays Luis Conte
Russ Kunkel
plays Russ Kunkel
See Russ Kunkel's other roles →
Jimmy Johnson
plays Jimmy Johnson
Brad Grunberg
plays Comedy & Magic Club Audience
Brad Grunberg was born on November 6, 1964 and is currently 59 years old.
See Brad Grunberg's other roles →
Brian Lally
plays Comedy & Magic Club Audience
Brian Lally was born on March 14, 1965 in Hollywood, California, USA. Brian is an actor and writer, known for L.A. Co...
See Brian Lally's other roles →
Crew of Funny People
Discover the backstage crew of Funny People →