Paul Rudd has responded to criticism of Clueless‘ central romance after Benny Blanco called his character’s storyline disturbing.
In the 1995 comedy, Rudd played Josh, a college freshman who eventually falls for Cher Horowitz, the 16-year-old high school student played by Alicia Silverstone. The twist in their relationship has long sparked debate because Josh is Cher’s former stepbrother.
Even nearly 30 years after its release, Clueless continues to draw strong reactions from fans and critics alike. The subject came up when Rudd appeared on the Friends Keep Secrets podcast with Benny Blanco, Lil Dicky and Kristin Batalucco.
“As I’ve grown older, I’ve realized this isn’t remotely incest, and actually, it’s really good writing,” Lil Dicky, real name, Dave Burd, said.
Blanco, however, pushed back hard on that take.
“Clueless is incest!”
Rudd immediately rejected that description and argued the movie’s setup has been misunderstood for years.
“It’s not incest,” the Friends star said.
Burd then explained why the storyline lingered with him from when he first saw the movie.
“It impacted my child brain and the way I was like, ‘Oh…'” Burd recalled.
Rudd clarified the characters’ family connection, stressing that Cher and Josh were never related by blood.
“That was her stepbrother… ex stepbrother,” Rudd explained.
He also pointed to Amy Heckerling’s writing and direction, saying the film carefully establishes why the relationship is unconventional but not incestuous.
“I think the fact that our parents weren’t married. My mother in Clueless had been married to Dan Hedaya’s character for a while, and then they got divorced.
“There was a moment in time where we were step brother and sister, but we weren’t blood related.”
That distinction has long been part of the broader debate around Clueless, with some viewers arguing the film is a clever teen comedy and others seeing the final romance as uncomfortable. The movie itself ultimately resolves the plot with Cher and Josh admitting their feelings and sharing a kiss.
By the end, the two are shown attending a wedding together, where Cher catches the bouquet. Whether that would ever have led to marriage on screen is something fans are unlikely to learn anytime soon.
A television follow-up had been in development, with Silverstone expected to return as Cher Horowitz. But in April 2026, Variety reported that Peacock would not be moving ahead with the project, though CBS Studios and Paramount remained interested in taking it back out to buyers.
Silverstone had previously shared her enthusiasm for the reboot during an appearance on Today.
“think we’re going to try really hard. The goal is to make it honor what everyone loves about Clueless and Cher. So we want to honor that, but also bring something fresh and new to it. I’m confident that we’ll be able to do that, but we’re in baby stages right now,” she told the outlet.
For now, the future of a new Clueless project remains uncertain. Even so, the movie’s cultural footprint clearly remains strong, decades after it first turned its Beverly Hills world into a pop-culture staple.