How 'Giant Joints' and “The Matrix” Began Seth Rogen and Jason Segel's 27-Year Friendship and Left Them 'Changed'

Seth Rogen and Jason Segel's longtime relationship started disconnected connected a high.

For Variety's Actors connected Actors, Rogen, 43, and Segel, 45, reminisced connected nan first clip they genuinely clicked arsenic friends while filming nan aviator of Judd Apatow's bid Freaks and Geeks. At nan time, nan Shrinking co-creator said neither of them knew their castmates well, and because nan 2 had conscionable met, nan only similarity he knew was that they "both liked to fume weed."

The Studio prima recalled that The Matrix was released nationwide connected nan aforesaid time they wrapped nan Freaks and Geeks pilot, March 31, 1999.

"We rolled elephantine joints and drove to nan movie theater," Segel said. "I retrieve coming retired of that movie legitimately emotion for illustration thing had changed."

After nan "inspiring" viewing of nan Keanu Reeves-led action movie, Segel said nan 2 "started penning harder."

He added, "I deliberation astir that play arsenic thing you tin ne'er get back. We had nan naivete of youth. We didn't really cognize really to do it."

Since costarring successful nan short-lived Freaks and Geeks, Segel and Rogen person appeared successful galore projects together. In 2001, they some worked connected Apatow's sitcom Undeclared, which besides only lasted 1 season.

They reunited pinch nan head and producer, 57, for nan 2007 rom-com Knocked Up starring other Katherine Heigl, Paul Rudd, Leslie Mann and Jonah Hill. Most recently, for Rogen's 2013 directorial debut This Is nan End, Segel supported his friend pinch an uncredited cameo.

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Although Freaks and Geeks produced respective lasting friendships — including Busy Philipps and Linda Cardellini — Rogen told PEOPLE successful 2023 that he doesn't judge "anyone" would do a revival of nan cult classic.

"It's truthful uncommon that you do thing successful your profession that is really conscionable viewed arsenic good," he explained. "I cognize capable now not to f--- pinch that, to conscionable fto it beryllium bully and not effort to spell revisit it."