Jason Segel Reflects on Judd Apatow's Mentorship

Jason Segel recently shared how pivotal advice from Judd Apatow during their time on the cult classic Freaks and Geeks shaped his Hollywood career. In an interview with Willie Geist, Segel recalled Apatow's encouragement to learn screenwriting, stating, 'If you can improv the way you’re improv-ing on this show, you can write.' He regarded the experience as an apprenticeship, which culminated in Apatow advising him to embrace his uniqueness by writing his own material. This advice led Segel to create Forgetting Sarah Marshall, which significantly boosted his career. Despite its cancellation after one season, Freaks and Geeks is recognized for launching the careers of several actors, including Seth Rogen and James Franco. Segel humorously theorized that Apatow embarked on a 'revenge mission' to prove Hollywood wrong about the show's talented cast.