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Hollywood star Paul Rudd pays surprise visit to Titanic Experience in Cork
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Hollywood star Paul Rudd pays surprise visit to Titanic Experience in Cork

HOLLYWOOD STAR Paul Rudd has been spotted in Ireland this week, and yesterday visited the Titanic Experience in Cobh, Co Cork.

The Marvel star and his family visited the popular attraction, with a photo of him and employees being shared on the Titanic Experience Cobh Facebook page.

"We were delighted to welcome Paul Rudd and his family to Titanic Experience Cobh earlier today," the post said.

"Paul's family have been regular visitors to Cobh in the past, as Paul's dad (the late Michael Rudd) had a great passion for history and the Titanic story.

"As the last port of call, Cobh has a unique and emotive link to the story and we hope the Rudd family enjoyed our tour and our stories.

"We had a few #antman fans at the experience today and thank you to Paul for being so gracious to his enthusiastic young fans (and the not so young fans!)"

Speaking in 2016, Rudd told James Corden that he was in the running to star in the 1997 blockbuster Titanic, which went on to become one of the highest grossing films of all time.

The role famously instead went to Leonardo DiCaprio, who starred alongside Kate Winslet.

"I auditioned for Titanic," Rudd said. "I wanted to get the part because my dad was a Titanic historian. He used to go all over the world talking about the Titanic."

He joked that he didn't mind not landing the role as "the guy that got it was pretty good."

Paul's father Michael, who passed away in 2008, was an expert on the Titanic and historical tour guide. He also travelled around the world giving university lectures on the subject of the ship.

Appearing on the Graham Norton show in 2019, Paul spoke about how he and DiCaprio worked together on the Bar Luhrmann flick Romeo and Juliet.

"At the time my father made his living as a Titanic expert and he used to go all over the world talking at universities," he said.

"It was my last day of filming on Romeo and Juliet and we all went out to a bar afterward, and I was riding to the place with Leo. He told me he just got offered this movie and that it was a big movie, because he had just done indie films up to that point.

"I knew a lot about the Titanic because of my dad and we just had a conversation about it, and he wasn't sure but I said 'you should do it!'"

He admitted that he doesn't think he had much influence on DiCaprio taking the role, but said it was "interesting to look back on."