| 100% | PAULRUDD | 8 | Star of Ant-Man and This Is 40 |
| 60% | APATOW | 6 | Judd, director of Knocked Up and This Is 40 |
| 60% | HARTLEY | 7 | Justin, star of This Is Us and Revenge |
| 59% | IJUSTMETYOU | 11 | "Hey, ___, and this is crazy ..." (start of the chorus in 40-Across): 4 wds. |
| 51% | TIC | 3 | With 40- and 43-Across, game that's been played in each of this puzzle's corners |
| 50% | MANN | 4 | Leslie ___, an actress known for her roles in "This is 40" and "George of the Jungle" |
| 50% | ANOUKAIMEE | 10 | Sultry star of "A Man and a Woman" |
| 50% | MATTDAMON | 9 | Star of The Martian and Good Will Hunting |
| 50% | SEANPENN | 8 | Star of Mystic River and I Am Sam |
| 49% | MILO | 4 | Mr. Ventimiglia, star of This Is Us |
| 48% | PRIMOLEVI | 9 | Italian chemist and writer of If This is a Man |
| 48% | ECLIPSE | 7 | This was Total and of the Heart, for Bonnie Tyler |
| 48% | MICE | 4 | "Of ___ and Men," 1939 film starring Burgess Meredith that was nominated for multiple Oscars |
| 48% | KEEPTHEFAITH | 12 | 1992 Bon Jovi album whose three Top 40 hits were the title track, "Bed of Roses," and "In These Arms" (3 wds.) |
| 48% | TIMALLEN | 8 | Star of "Home Improvement" and "Last Man Standing": 2 wds. |
| 48% | ROBREINER | 9 | Director of films LBJ and This Is Spinal Tap |
| 47% | THELATESHOW | 11 | Previously hosted by David Letterman, and now starring Stephen Colbert, CBS talk-show that was a fierce competitor of 40-Across: 3 wds. |
| 47% | INBLACK | 7 | Men __, Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones star |
| 47% | GILMORE | 7 | These Stars Hollow girls are mother and daughter |
| 47% | PAUL | 4 | "This Is 40" star Rudd |
| 46% | PAULRUDD | 8 | Star of Ant-Man film, born in New Jersey in 1969 |
| 46% | RUDD | 4 | Last name of Paul, star of Ant Man |
| 46% | FERRELL | 7 | Will, star of comedy movies Elf and Anchorman |
| 46% | THATWASNTON | 11 | With 70-Down, "Never would've predicted this scenario," and what can be said about the first word of the answer to each starred clue? |
| 46% | RICHARDGERE | 11 | Star of "Pretty Woman" and "Chicago" who is a practicing Buddhist: 2 wds.. |
| 46% | MARK | 4 | Emmy-winning actor Ruffalo, star of “I Know This Much Is True” |
| 46% | ASHTON | 6 | ___ Kutcher, star of "That 70s Show" and "Two and a Half Men" |
| 45% | ELI | 3 | Manning who was MVP of Super Bowl XLII and XLVI |
| 45% | JUSTAVERAGELOOKING | 18 | However, this man was balding, gray-haired and ... |
| 45% | SHIA | 4 | Zaydism and Isma'ilism are sects of this |