Director Sam Raimi didn’t miss a beat as he playfully and affectionately ribbed Rachel McAdams at her Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony.
On Tuesday, the Oscar-nominated actor, 47, was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for her “transformative performances” that “have established her as one of Hollywood’s most sought-after and respected actors,” according to a statement from Walk of Fame producer Anna Martinez.
Before the plaque’s unveiling, Raimi, who directed McAdams in both Doctor Strange (2016) and its 2022 sequel Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, shared a few teasing yet loving words.
“In 2001, Rachel made her film debut in Shotgun Love Dolls,” Raimi said of The Notebook star, with whom he also collaborates on his forthcoming horror comedy Send Help.
“The movie opened to unfortunate circumstances as all the seats faced the screen. Then in 2002, Rachel came to Hollywood, where she starred in the prestigious Hot Chicks,” he said, jokingly stumbling on the comedy’s title, which is actually The Hot Chick, “considered by many as the Citizen Kane of Rob Schneider body-swap movies.”
Calling McAdams’ honor “much deserved,” he then returned to roasting her. “Back then, Hollywood was a tough place to be for a young actress. And for Rachel, it was no different,” Raimi added. “People were mean. They’d walk all over her. But after 25 years of superb performances, she’s risen to great heights. And now, thanks to that star, people will once again walk all over her.”
The Spider-Man filmmaker also made sure to turn the jokes on himself. “Rachel’s latest film is a thriller called Send Help, which is also what Rachel said after she found out I was directing,” he jested. “As her director, I can honestly state that Rachel McAdams is one of the best actors in the movie. There are only two actors in the movie.”
Concluding on a heartwarming note, Raimi said: “Congratulations, Rachel. You are so kind and considerate. You’re a brilliant collaborator and a good friend and a real movie star, someone to light up this Hollywood Walk of Fame. And you are really deserving of this honor. And we all love you. Thank you, Rachel.”
McAdams is known for a wide range of films, from cult classic comedies like Mean Girls (2004) and Wedding Crashers (2005) to beloved romances such as The Notebook (2004) and The Time Traveler's Wife (2009), as well as critically acclaimed dramas including Disobedience (2017) and Spotlight (2015), which earned her an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress.
Up next, she leads Raimi’s movie Send Help, out January 30, about a woman and her overbearing boss who become stranded on a deserted island after a plane crash.
