Paul Rudd will be returning in Season 7 of the NBC sitcom Parks and Rec to reprise his role as the lovable, but oh so dumb, Sweetums heir Bobby Newport.
“He’s the world’s nicest human being—and the funniest,” Parks and Recreation executive producer Michael Schur says about Rudd. “We made a list of all the people that we wanted to have back and he was high on the list, so we managed to snag him.”
But as happy as we are to have Rudd coming back to Parks and Recreation, what’s the reason for Bobby’s return? What brings him back together with our favorite characters?
“Ben [Adam Scott] needs to fill a certain position and he thinks that Bobby might be a good candidate,” says Schur.
Rudd last appeared in Season 4 of Parks and Rec, during that season’s central storyline when Bobby and Leslie ran against each other for city council (as we all know, Leslie won, of course). He was able to find time in between his busy Ant Man shooting schedule (the film hits theaters in July 2015) to film his scenes for Parks and Recreation Season 7.
In addition to Rudd, many other familiar faces will be popping up on Parks and Rec during the show’s farewell season. Megan Mullally, Natalie Morales, Ben Schwartz, and Jon Hamm will also be returning for guest appearances, while former series regulars Rashida Jones and Rob Lowe, who both left Parks and Rec during the middle of Season 6, will be reprising their roles as Ann and Chris in at least one episode.
The seventh and final season of Parks and Recreation kicks off with back-to-back episodes on Tuesday, Jan. 13, at 8 p.m.
