Photo: Rodin Eckenroth/Getty ImagesPaul Rudd, known for his lovable persona onscreen and off-, has a new friend in a 12-year-old Colorado boy.TheAnt-Manactor, 53, recently reached out to Brody Ridder, after hearing that the seventh-grader had been bullied in school and that kids had refused to sign his yearbook.Rudd sent the boy a letter, along with a signedAnt-Manhelmet. The boy’s mother, Cassandra, shared images of both onFacebook,News10reported.“It’s important to remember that even when life is tough that things get better. There are so many people that love you and think you’re the coolest kid there is — me being one of them! I can’t wait to see all the amazing things you’re going to accomplish,” Rudd wrote, according to the news outlet.Since then, Rudd has alsoFaceTimed the boyand they’ve texted too, according to Brody’s mom, Cassandra, who has documented the budding friendship on Facebook.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Cassandra first posted about the yearbook incident in late May, after picking up her son, who was upset, at school one day.“My poor son. Doesn’t seem like it’s getting any better. 2 teachers and a total of 2 students wrote in his yearbook despite Brody asking all kinds of kids to sign it,” Cassandra wrote, and included a picture of the near-empty autograph pages.For more on Paul Rudd sending Brody Ridder a letter, listen below to our daily podcast PEOPLE Every Day.Cassandra toldThe Washington Postthat her son had also been bullied.“There’s kids that have pushed him and called him names,” RiddertoldThe Post. “Brody has been through a lot.“Brody’s story has since touched thousands of others throughout the country, first starting with local high school students in Westminster, Colo., who banded together to sign his yearbook, to even the Broadway cast ofDear Evan Hansen.Last month, the cast invited Brody to New York City to catch the show — and requested that he bring his yearbook so they could sign it.

Photo: Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images

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Paul Rudd, known for his lovable persona onscreen and off-, has a new friend in a 12-year-old Colorado boy.TheAnt-Manactor, 53, recently reached out to Brody Ridder, after hearing that the seventh-grader had been bullied in school and that kids had refused to sign his yearbook.Rudd sent the boy a letter, along with a signedAnt-Manhelmet. The boy’s mother, Cassandra, shared images of both onFacebook,News10reported.“It’s important to remember that even when life is tough that things get better. There are so many people that love you and think you’re the coolest kid there is — me being one of them! I can’t wait to see all the amazing things you’re going to accomplish,” Rudd wrote, according to the news outlet.Since then, Rudd has alsoFaceTimed the boyand they’ve texted too, according to Brody’s mom, Cassandra, who has documented the budding friendship on Facebook.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Cassandra first posted about the yearbook incident in late May, after picking up her son, who was upset, at school one day.“My poor son. Doesn’t seem like it’s getting any better. 2 teachers and a total of 2 students wrote in his yearbook despite Brody asking all kinds of kids to sign it,” Cassandra wrote, and included a picture of the near-empty autograph pages.For more on Paul Rudd sending Brody Ridder a letter, listen below to our daily podcast PEOPLE Every Day.Cassandra toldThe Washington Postthat her son had also been bullied.“There’s kids that have pushed him and called him names,” RiddertoldThe Post. “Brody has been through a lot.“Brody’s story has since touched thousands of others throughout the country, first starting with local high school students in Westminster, Colo., who banded together to sign his yearbook, to even the Broadway cast ofDear Evan Hansen.Last month, the cast invited Brody to New York City to catch the show — and requested that he bring his yearbook so they could sign it.

Paul Rudd, known for his lovable persona onscreen and off-, has a new friend in a 12-year-old Colorado boy.

TheAnt-Manactor, 53, recently reached out to Brody Ridder, after hearing that the seventh-grader had been bullied in school and that kids had refused to sign his yearbook.

Rudd sent the boy a letter, along with a signedAnt-Manhelmet. The boy’s mother, Cassandra, shared images of both onFacebook,News10reported.

“It’s important to remember that even when life is tough that things get better. There are so many people that love you and think you’re the coolest kid there is — me being one of them! I can’t wait to see all the amazing things you’re going to accomplish,” Rudd wrote, according to the news outlet.

Since then, Rudd has alsoFaceTimed the boyand they’ve texted too, according to Brody’s mom, Cassandra, who has documented the budding friendship on Facebook.

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Cassandra first posted about the yearbook incident in late May, after picking up her son, who was upset, at school one day.

“My poor son. Doesn’t seem like it’s getting any better. 2 teachers and a total of 2 students wrote in his yearbook despite Brody asking all kinds of kids to sign it,” Cassandra wrote, and included a picture of the near-empty autograph pages.

For more on Paul Rudd sending Brody Ridder a letter, listen below to our daily podcast PEOPLE Every Day.

Cassandra toldThe Washington Postthat her son had also been bullied.

“There’s kids that have pushed him and called him names,” RiddertoldThe Post. “Brody has been through a lot.”

Brody’s story has since touched thousands of others throughout the country, first starting with local high school students in Westminster, Colo., who banded together to sign his yearbook, to even the Broadway cast ofDear Evan Hansen.

Last month, the cast invited Brody to New York City to catch the show — and requested that he bring his yearbook so they could sign it.

source: people.com