Seth Rogen is the kind of guy who you can’t help but cheer for…and, okay, maybe hate a little. He’s 23 years old, but he’s already starred in two critically-acclaimed (if short-lived) TV series – “Freaks and Geeks” and “Undeclared” – and appeared in movies alongside Jake Gyllenhaal, Will Ferrell and Steve Carell. Bullz-Eye had a chance to chat with Rogen about the upcoming release of “The 40 Year Old Virgin” on DVD, his past and future work with Judd Apatow, and his pleasure at not having had a particular vegetable lodged in his rectum…oh, but I’ve said too much already.

Bullz-Eye: And then there was “Undeclared.” I know a lot of people have referred to it as “The Judd Apatow Curse,” the fact that, like “Freaks and Geeks,” it was cancelled right after the Museum of TV and Radio paid tribute to it.

Seth Rogen: I know, exactly. That William S. Paley!

BE: Of course, you realize it could also be called “The Seth Rogen Curse,” since you were in both shows as well.

SR: I couldn’t agree more. I really could not agree more. But I will say this: Judd made several pilots throughout that time that didn’t even go to series that I wasn’t in, so I will give myself credit for getting his shows to air, but then getting them immediately cancelled.

BE: Fair enough. So it’s 50/50, then.

SR: Exactly.

BE: And, then, I guess it was a stepping stone…well, actually, I was going to say “Freaks and Geeks” was a stepping stone to appearing in “Anchorman,” but, in-between, you were also in “Donnie Darko.”

SR: Yes, I was right in there.

BE: What was that like? It’s certainly become a cult classic.

SR: I know! It’s very weird that that happened. You know, honestly, I did that movie – I mean, my part in it is so minute – but I was kind of just around a lot, one of those things where I’m just caught in the background of a lot of shots, just, like, in the high school a lot. So I was there a lot. And I really had no idea what the movie was about! I didn’t get it at all! And I remember being at a party with the director (Richard Kelly) about halfway through shooting, and I was really drunk, and so was he, and I was just, like, “Dude, I don’t get it, man!” And he was, like, “I don’t think anyone’s gonna get it, man! I’m really scared!” It turned out great; I think it was just beyond me…and still is, to some degree! But it definitely makes sense on a much greater level now. It’s amazing. I knew it seemed good; I just didn’t understand why it was good. It just seemed like something interesting. It’s really funny to me that that turned into this huge cult thing, and that people in England are grafitti-ing “Donnie Darko” on walls. It’s great. I couldn’t be happier for Jake (Gyllenhaal) and Richard Kelly; those guys are great guys. I’m glad I was there to watch it, even though I had no clue what I was watching at the time!

Click here for the full interview with Seth Rogen and more on the DVD release of “The 40-Year-Old Virgin”