Cinema’s resident lovable stoner and all-around endearing funnyman Seth Rogen is undoubtedly one of the best comedic minds of his generation; he has been a constant presence on both the big and small screen for over twenty years. The gifted actor, comedian and filmmaker got his start on the short lived cult classic Freaks and Geeks in 1999 before making his transition to film with a small role in the sci-fi psychological thriller Donnie Darko in 2001. Rogen was taken under the wing of the esteemed director Judd Apatow, who worked on Freaks and Geeks and offered the actor guidance and encouragement that proved pivotal for his success as both a writer and director. He collaborated with the filmmaker for the 2005 smash hit The 40-Year-Old-Virgin, producing and appearing in the comedy that serves as a stepping stone for his career and brought him into several collaborations with Apatow.

It was Rogen’s leading role in the 2007 romantic comedy Knocked Up that was truly his breakthrough performance and which led to other hilarious and highly lucrative projects. From that moment forward, the Canadian comedian took the silver screen by storm, writing, producing and starring in a slew of knockout farces like Superbad, Pineapple Express, This is the End and Neighbors. The talented performer also branched out from comedy and appeared in dramatic films like the autobiographical drama 50/50 and the biopic Steve Jobs. Rogen has had a busy couple of years, starring in and helping to create the acclaimed Hulu series Pam & Tommy, along with voicing Santa Claus in Santa Inc. He is set to voice Donkey Kong in an upcoming untitled Mario film, alongside Chris Pratt, Charlie Day and Jack Black. These are the best Seth Rogen movies, ranked.

9 Long Shot

Jonathan Levine’s 2019 romantic comedy Long Shot follows journalist Fred Flarsky as he is reunited with his childhood crush and former babysitter Charlotte Field, now the United States Secretary of State who is preparing to run for president. Field enlists the help of Flarsky to be her speechwriter, and the two find themselves unexpectedly falling for each other. Starring Seth Rogen and Charlize Theron, the director wanted to create a callback to the popular romantic comedies of the 1980s like When Harry Met Sally and Tootsie. Rogen was eager to take on the project and specifically wanted to team up with Theron; the funnyman joked that it took about “seven years to get popular enough to work with her.” The unlikely pairing of the two resulted in odd couple chemistry that shines on the screen, and the actor is every bit as charming and entertaining in the rom-com role.

8 Neighbors

Nicholas Stoller’s hilarious comedy flick Neighbors stars Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne as a couple with a newborn baby who are forced to live next door to a rowdy fraternity house, prompting an all-out war and battle of wits between the dueling households. Zac Efron, Dave Franco and Christopher Mintz-Plasse portray the ringleaders of Delta Psi Beta, who refuse to back down with their epic partying ways. Neighbors is jam-packed with bawdy humor and wild hijinks, with the couple constantly attempting to outmaneuver and gain the upper hand over the other. Rogen and Efron are a surprising comedic dream team as they engage in a sidesplitting back and forth turf war. The comedy was a smash hit with both moviegoers and critics, with Cinema Sight proclaiming it’s “An entertaining examination of growing up vs. growing old and how neither is necessarily the right thing to do.” The success of Neighbors led to its 2014 sequel Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising.

7 50/50

Based on the autobiographical script by screenwriter Will Reiser, 2011’s dramedy 50/50 centers on Adam Lerner, who receives the shocking news that he has cancer and has 50/50 odds of survival. He attempts to remain optimistic and upbeat as he struggles to fight the disease, with the often comedic support of his best friend Kyle. The drama features Joseph Gordon-Levitt as the mild-mannered and health-centric Adam and Seth Rogen as the crude Kyle; Rogen and his long-time friend and collaborator Evan Goldberg also produced the film. Rogen is close friends with Reiser, and his character is based on the actor himself. During the head-shaving scene, the star revealed that, “It was the first day of filming, and we improvised the whole thing, which is not wise when it’s something you have one take for, but it turned out funny.” 50/50 earned widespread acclaim, with praise going towards the touching screenplay and Gordon-Levitt’s emotionally driven performance. Rogen also received attention for taking on a more dramatic role, with the Washington Examiner writing, “Rogen is a funnyman who’s growing up without losing any of his ribald charm.”

6 This is the End

Written, directed and produced by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, 2013’s apocalyptic comedy film This is the End stars some of Hollywood’s funniest stars including Rogen himself, James Franco, Jonah Hill and Danny McBride. The movie focuses on fictionalized versions of the cast in the wake of a global biblical apocalypse, and follows the group as they seek refuge in Franco’s mansion while waiting out the catastrophe. Director Evan Goldberg created a fun game during production, with the goal being to get as many cast members to say “No, I can’t do that” and then refuse to do something; Rogen and Franco were the only people he wasn’t able to break. This is the End was a homerun with audiences and reviewers, with the star-studded picture bursting with self-deprecating humor that makes fun of the real-life characters and full of terrifically raunchy one-liners.

5 Steve Jobs

For Danny Boyle's 2015 biographical drama Steve Jobs, Seth Rogen decided to switch lanes and take on a serious role, portraying Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak. The actor joins some of cinema’s most talented stars for the picture, including Michael Fassbender (starring as Jobs), Kate Winslet and Jeff Daniels. The biopic begins with the Apple Inc. co-founders as they prepare to unveil the first Macintosh in 1984, while showcasing the digital evolution and 14 years of Jobs’ life. Steve Jobs premiered at the 2015 Telluride Film Festival and opened to critical acclaim, with Boyle’s direction, the film’s screenplay and the cast’s compelling performances all earning praise. Rogen was commended for his impressive portrayal by Wozniak, who proclaimed the actor did an “excellent job” and people close to the Apple Inc. founders approved of the poignant and riveting picture.

Related: Best Dramatic Movies From Funny Comedian

4 The 40-Year-Old-Virgin

Judd Apatow’s iconic 2005 romantic comedy The 40-Year-Old-Virgin famously stars Steve Carell as the shy and introverted titular character Andy, who is goaded by his electronics store buddies to finally “do the deed.” The epic farce follows Andy and his small group of work colleagues who ruthlessly ridicule and mock him for his virginity, despite their own relationship woes. Seth Rogen plays Cal, one of Andy’s co-workers who often gives him ill-fated advice; Rogen also served as a producer for the flick and improvised all of his dialogue. The funnyman had yet to make a name for himself on the silver screen when The 40-Year-Old-Virgin was released, but the comedy and his character proved to be one of his most cherished. In the notorious chest-waxing scene, Rogen revealed to Kelly Clarkson herself that he came up with the idea while watching the singer on television as he was compiling a list of “clean jokes” and “dirty jokes” to use in the scene.

3 Superbad

The 2007 coming-of-age teen buddy comedy Superbad was formualted by Rogen and Goldberg when they were just 13 years old, and is loosely inspired by their own experience as high-schoolers in Vancouver in the late 1990s; the main characters were named Seth and Evan for the duo. The film follows two codependent high schoolers who are forced to address their separation anxiety when their plans of throwing a huge party go awry. Rogen and Bill Hader portray the inept police officers Michaels and Slater, who find themselves bemused by the high schoolers' attempt to score liquor and even offer a helping hand. Superbad was a hit with audiences, and both the writing and comical adventure of the two best friends were heralded by critics. NPR commented, “What makes the film so appealing is the disconnect between what comes from the mouths of these hormone-addled pups and what’s going on in their heads, where they’re still clinging desperately to the innocence they’re leaving behind.” Superbad is widely considered one of the best high school movies of all time.

Related: The Best Coming-Of-Age Films of the '80s

2 Pineapple Express

The 2008 classic stoner comedy Pineapple Express was written and produced by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, and the plot centers on a process server and his marijuana dealer as they are forced to go on the run from a hitman and corrupt police officer after witnessing a murder. The collaborating duo joined forces with Judd Apatow to come up with the story and, according to the director, drew inspiration from Brad Pitt’s character in True Romance, a stoner named Floyd. Apatow “thought it would be funny to make a movie in which you follow that character out of his apartment and watch him get chased by bad guys.” James Franco co-stars as the lovable and laid-back drug dealer Saul, who views the lazy Dale (Rogen) as a friend despite the character’s disinterest. Pineapple Express is Seth Rogen in all his stoner glory and the film shines because of his palpable comedy chemistry with Franco, making it an uproarious riot for audiences.

1 Knocked Up

Undeniably the film that took Seth Rogen from funnyman to Hollywood’s leading comedic movie star, 2007’s Knocked Up was written and directed by creative genius Judd Apatow and depicts the repercussions of a drunken one-night stand between a slacker stoner and a career=driven media personality, resulting in an unplanned pregnancy. Katherine Heigl, Paul Rudd and Leslie Man join Rogen for the explosively funny and heartfelt flick, which helped launch the lead stars and Apatow to newfound mainstream success. Rogen and Heigl’s mismatched personas and delightful chemistry really stand out in the comedy. Apatow and Rogen have a long collaborative history, having worked together on the short-lived cult classic series Freaks and Geeks and Undeclared, and their comedic chemistry is front-and-center in the film. The Daily Telegraph perfectly summed up the charm of Knocked Up, having said, “Judd Apatow’s follow-up to the 40-Year-Old-Virgin is snort-all-over-the-person-in-front-of-you funny, and hand-over-mouth filthy, and as exhilarating as inhaling from a 10-ton oxygen tank.”