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Forgetting Sarah Marshall's Jason Segel and Kristen Bell on the set. For more photos from Eric's visit, click here. Courtesy of Universal Pictures

The phrase "striking while the iron is hot" comes to mind on the set of Forgetting Sarah Marshall, a new romantic comedy from the increasingly potent Judd Apatow stable. While the 40-Year-Old Virgin and Knocked Up director dons a producer's hat for Marshall, the film is being directed by an Undeclared alum (Nicholas Stoller was a writer on the Apatow-created TV series) and was written by and stars Knocked Up's Jason Segel.

Marshall tells the story of an average guy who happens to date, and then break up with, a starlet on the rise (Veronica Mars cutie Kristen Bell). On this night, a movie theater in the heart of Hollywood is decked out for a faux-premiere for one of Bell's character's movies. Or maybe it's an awards ceremony. Or maybe it's both. I'm not entirely sure because I'm not standing around scribbling in a notepad the way set-visiting press normally would. No, I'm part of the scene — that's me, mic in hand, hitting the red carpet and pretending to interview the scene's lavishly dressed extras and, eventually, a plucky Bell. Um, I mean the titular "Sarah." But also the real Bell. It's that kind of night.

From my vantage point on a raised platform near the red carpet, I — a budget Ryan Seacrest — observe Segel and Bell in action. And it's a sight to behold: Segel is tall, lanky, and moves like an elderly man covered in cement. Bell is petite, bright-eyed, and bounces around with an energy that should be bottled and sold on the mass market. Noticing that my fellow journalists and I are too far from the craft services table to make an easy food run, Bell sweetly saunters over with a handful of grapes and offers them to us. As she literally has us eating out of her hand, Segel shouts above the crowd of extras and crew (all of whom he towers over), "Stop sucking up to the press." Bell's middle finger says the rest.

"We all just got back from two weeks in Hawaii, so we got to know each other really well," Bell says. "So, we screw around whenever we can."

The action consists of Bell navigating her way along the carpet through throngs of photographers, fellow actors, and fans while Segel stands off to the side, neglected. In between takes, Bell and Segel fall into an easy chemistry. For a while, they pass the time mock-slapping each other, tossing their heads back dramatically with each almost-impact. Bell will later explain that this is part of Segel's professional philosophy: "In comedy," she imparts, like a true devotee, "you have to be willing to take the hit."