How Personal Is Judd Apatow's Funny People?

Lets face it, Judd Apatow likes to keep it in the family. His films feature many of the same familiar faces — a comedy troupe he has collected, whom often star in the films that he directs and produces. But not only that, his wife Leslie Mann has appeared in every one of the films he's directed thus far. In fact, the couple met on the set of The Cable Guy, which Apatow produced. Apatow and Mann have two daughters named Iris and Maude. The kids made their big screen debut in Knocked Up, playing the kids of Mann's character in the film.

Apatow's next film, Funny People, gets even more personal.

The filmmaker's daughters will appear, in a larger role, again as daughters of Mann's character. Actually, even Mann's part has been enlarged to the be the movie's "romantic lead". But that we already knew. And the the story itself is inspired by the big break Apatow received from Garry Shandling.

The New York Times reveals that the movie will begin with a "grainy video" of a young 20-something Adam Sandler laying down on a messy bed in a "dingy Los Angeles apartment" making prank phone calls to the amusement of a few off screen friends. The video was shot by Apatow himself, nearly 20 years ago when he was Sandler's roommate. This was back when the two were struggling to make it in the comic scene.

Snippets from Mann's early television commercials might also appear in the film, as well as a video of their daughter Maude singing Memory at a recital. And while this movie isn't necessarily about him, or his experience, even Apatow will admit that Sander's character is what he would've become if he "didn't get sane and get married and have children."