Seth Rogen Recalls His Cringeworthy Start on Freaks and Geeks
Seth Rogen opens up about his early days on Freaks and Geeks, calling his own acting the worst, but credits the show’s unique, supportive atmosphere for helping him grow as an actor.
For Seth Rogen, the journey into acting wasn’t a straight shot. He’s spoken about how some people seem born for the spotlight, while others learn as they go. Rogen found himself somewhere in between, shaped by a mix of on-the-job lessons and figuring things out as he went along. This blend of experience played a big part in molding the performer he would eventually become.
Learning the Ropes on Set
Rogen’s early exposure to acting was pretty relaxed. He took a few classes as a kid and kept at it in a laid-back way through high school. None of it, he says, was especially strict or focused on the skills he’d need if he ever landed a real gig in film or TV. He realized later just how much industry know-how is picked up over time.
“I take for granted a lot of the movie bullshit you pick up over the years, and you forget how specific it is,”
he admitted.
“And how if you didn’t know, if no one told you what a mark is, it would be so foreign.”
These thoughts came up when Rogen looked back on his time filming Freaks and Geeks at just 17. He remembered the steep learning curve and how the crew encouraged the cast to sit in on writers’ meetings, giving them a rare behind-the-scenes look at how things worked. That kind of open-door policy isn’t common, especially now, when actors and writers often keep to their own corners.
A Different Kind of Set
On Freaks and Geeks, the team took a hands-on approach. Rogen recalled,
“Let’s teach these people” and “Let’s go out of our way to explain everything,”
was the attitude. The cast was invited to contribute and learn, not just show up and recite lines. This environment was more like a real high school than a typical TV set, with a relaxed vibe that encouraged everyone to be themselves.
Despite the supportive atmosphere, Rogen doesn’t look back on his performance with pride. He’s blunt about it:
“When I watch [the episodes], it looks terrible—like the worst acting in the entire world. But that was the mantra of the show: Act normal. Act natural. What would you do in this situation? What would you say? The writers would ask us what we would actually say in a situation. Not ‘What do you think will be funny?’”
Finding His Footing
Rogen believes that this approach shaped the show’s performances.
“I think that type of attitude went across the whole show, which is why I think the performances are so great. Except me. Although, I got better near the end, just in time to get cancelled. We still say that every day when we’re shooting: ‘Do what feels natural.’”
He sees the experience as both a blessing and a challenge. For a young actor, it was the perfect place to learn, make mistakes, and be taken seriously. The patience and flexibility of the team were key to his growth, helping him develop into the actor he is today.