Russell Brand’s top film on Rotten Tomatoes is inspired by a real Hollywood break up

Russell Brand may have taken a step back from Hollywood in recent years, but there was a time when the British comedian seemed determined to carve out a career on the big screen.

One of his earliest film roles earned him his highest ever Rotten Tomatoes rating - and it turns out the movie was inspired by a true story.

Forgetting Sarah Marshall, a Jason Segel creation, currently has an 83 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes' audience score.

While the film would go on to become Brand's most well-received, what many people may not know is that it was inspired by real life events in Segel's life.

The Hollywood actor-turned-writer doesn't deny that a real world break-up with former Freaks and Geeks co-star Linda Cardellini was, in part, the inspiration behind the film's hilarious plot.

Forgetting Sarah Marshall sees composer Peter Bretter (played by Segel) attempt to get over a break-up with the titular Sarah Marshall (Kristen Bell).

YouTube/Rotten Tomatoes Classic trailers

However, after booking a holiday to try and get away from constant reminders of his ex, Peter discovers that she is staying at the same hotel - with Russell Brand's character Aldous Snow.

According to Segel, he drew upon some real world experiences when writing the hit movie's script.

He told the LA Times that the film's fictional break-up wasn't just based on his breakup with Cardellini, but several ex-lovers.

He said: "This [plot] was more an amalgamation of a lot of different relationships and breakups I’ve had.

"People are bound to talk, but she [Cerdellini] was a great girlfriend."

Segel starred alongside Cardellini in Freaks and Geeks before it was cancelled in 2000.

YouTube/Rotten Tomatoes Classic Trailers

Their onscreen romance was carried over in the real world, as the pair dated once the series abruptly came to an end.

At the time, it was rumoured that Cardellini decided to end the relationship - much like Sarah Marshall does in the 2008 feature.

The actor even claims that the cringe-inducing moment of the film where he is broken up with while naked was also based on a first-hand experience.

Speaking about that real life moment, he told the New York Times: “I was trying to experience this viscerally, as a person.

“But all I could think was: ‘This [break-up] is hilarious. I cannot wait for her [his ex-girlfriend] to leave so I can write this down."

Meanwhile, Forgetting Sarah Marshall was Brand's third ever film, and it's fair to say that nothing has quite captured the public's imagination in the same way since then.

Brand now uploads daily to his official YouTube channel. YouTube/Russell Brand.

Forays into the world of politics and a return to stand up comedy have seen his appearances in films drop significantly since 2016.

Nevertheless, he has still featured in 2020's Four Kids and It, as well as Death on the Nile, which was released at the beginning of this year.

Brand's most prominent platform today is YouTube, where he uploads commentary videos on topics such as Covid and social media censorship.

The 47-year-old most recently made the headlines for reportedly intending to turn a village's only pub into a vegan restaurant - much to the anger of many locals.

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