Paul Rudd Says He Stopped Bringing His Phone to Film Sets Because He’s ‘Addicted Like Everybody Else’: ‘They’re Facilitating Our Own Destruction’

Paul Rudd stars as the host of the first-ever gathering focused on tackling America's climate problem in the movie "A Statement," directed by Tom McCarthy, who has won an Oscar.The film is set in a Florida beach resort in 1980 and follows 20 experts who spend a weekend in a conference room, much like the movie "12 Angry Men," discussing how to write a statement for Congress about the impact of carbon emissions on the climate.

Rudd said he felt more connected with the large group of actors, including Paul Giamatti, Tatiana Maslany, and John Turturro, because he left his smartphone in his trailer.

He said he has been doing this for a while now.

"I don't bring my phone to set.

I haven't done that for a while," he told Variety during the film's world premiere at the New York Film Festival."It's important to put it down.Anytime.They're terrible things.I'm addicted to them like everyone else.They're helping destroy us."

Rudd explained that McCarthy had a strict no-phone rule on the set of "A Statement," which helped the cast bond more and made filming feel more like a play.

"The world has changed since cell phones came around.

We don't look at each other or talk to each other the same way anymore," Rudd said."Now, with the phone ban, we were forced to really spend time with each other and talk.Working on a movie set in 1980, we were dressed a certain way.It felt like, 'Oh yeah.I remember this.This feels like it used to feel when people sat around and spoke to one another.'"

Amy Ryan, whose character gives a serious warning to the group at the film's end, encouraged other filmmakers to follow McCarthy's example.

She said the lack of notifications and endless scrolling definitely made the work richer.

"What happens is there's a five-minute break and people are connected.

'Hey, what are you doing?How's your morning?What do you think of this scene?'" Ryan explained."I equate it to when you quit sugar.In three days, it's out of your system.You don't miss it!And hopefully, it becomes like a toy you're gonna get sick of."