Thursday, Apr. 01, 2010
Judd Apatow
Age: 42
Occupation: Writer, producer, filmmaker
Previous TIME 100 Appearances: 1
As Apatow alums have continued to conquer Hollywood — Steve Carell in Date Night, Seth Rogen in The Green Hornet — the director chose to go serious with last year's Funny People. Bringing out Adam Sandler's somber side and meditating on the heartache and insecurities that lurk within the most hilarious personalities, the movie showed that the man behind Freaks and Geeks can not only make movie stars of comedians; he can deliver big drama too.