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{{Short description|American actor, comedian, and filmmaker (born 1965)}}
{{Infobox actor
{{For|the television episode|Ben Stiller (Extras)}}
{{pp-blp|small=yes}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2013}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Ben Stiller
| name = Ben Stiller
| image = Ben Stiller at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival (cropped).jpg
| image = ben_stiller2.jpg
| caption = Stiller photographed by [[Jerry Avenaim]] in 2006
| caption = Stiller at the [[2024 Toronto International Film Festival]]
| birth_name = Benjamin Edward Meara Stiller
| alt = In the black and white image, Stiller is facing the camera. He has his right arm crossed in front of him and left hand raised to his chin, with the pointer finger right below his lips. He is wearing a black suit.
| occupation = {{hlist|Actor|comedian|writer|producer|director}}
| birth_name = Benjamin Edward Stiller
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|mf=yes|1965|11|30}}
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1965|11|30}}
| birth_place = [[New York City]], U.S.
| birth_place = [[New York City]], U.S.
| years_active = 1975–present
| occupation = Actor, comedian, director, producer, screenwriter
| education = [[University of California, Los Angeles]] (dropped out)
| years_active = 1975–present
| spouse = [[Christine Taylor]] (2000-present; 2 children)
| spouse = {{marriage|[[Christine Taylor]]|2000}}
| children = 2
| father = [[Jerry Stiller]]
| mother = [[Anne Meara]]
| works = [[Ben Stiller filmography|Full list]]
| awards = [[List of awards and nominations received by Ben Stiller|Full list]]
| website = {{URL|https://www.thestillerfoundation.org/|The Stiller Foundation}}
}}
}}
'''Benjamin Edward Meara Stiller''' (born November 30, 1965) is an American actor, comedian, and filmmaker. He is the son of the comedians and actors [[Jerry Stiller]] and [[Anne Meara]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://popculture.com/trending/2018/10/28/pittsburgh-synagogue-shooting-ellen-degeneres-mandy-moore-ben-stiller-celebrity-reactions/ |title=Ellen DeGeneres, Mandy Moore and Ben Stiller Among Stars Mourning Pittsburgh Synagogue Shooting|website=popculture.com|date=October 29, 2018 }}</ref> Stiller was a member of a group of comedic actors colloquially known as the [[Frat Pack]]. [[Ben Stiller filmography|His films]] have grossed more than $2.6 billion in Canada and the United States, with an average of $79 million per film.<ref name="BOMTotal">{{cite web|title=Ben Stiller – Actor|website=[[Box Office Mojo]]|url=https://boxofficemojo.com/people/chart/?id=benstiller.htm|access-date=Aug 10, 2013}}</ref> Throughout his career, he has received various [[List of awards and nominations received by Ben Stiller|awards and honors]], including an [[Emmy Award]], a [[Directors Guild of America Awards|Directors Guild of America Award]], a [[Britannia Awards|Britannia Award]] and a [[Teen Choice Awards|Teen Choice Award]].
'''Benjamin Edward''' "'''Ben'''" '''Stiller''' (born November 30, 1965) is an American comedian, actor, writer, film director, and producer. He is the son of veteran comedians and actors [[Jerry Stiller]] and [[Anne Meara]].<ref name="StillerBaby">{{cite news|title=Their House Won't Be Stiller They Had a Baby|work=[[Seattle Post-Intelligencer]]|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-84889925.html|format=Registration required|date=April 17, 2002|accessdate=March 29, 2009}}</ref>


After beginning his acting career with a play, Stiller wrote several mockumentaries, and was offered two of his own shows, both entitled ''The Ben Stiller Show''. He began acting in films, and had his directorial debut with ''[[Reality Bites]]''. Throughout his career he has since written, starred in, directed, and/or produced over fifty films including ''[[Heavyweights]]'', ''[[There's Something About Mary]]'', ''[[Meet the Parents]]'', ''[[Zoolander]]'', ''[[Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story|Dodgeball]]'', and ''[[Tropic Thunder]]''. In addition he has had multiple [[cameo appearance|cameos]] in music videos, television shows, and films with '''Alex Merrill'''.
While beginning his acting career, Stiller wrote several [[Mockumentary|mockumentaries]] and was offered a variety sketch comedy series titled ''[[The Ben Stiller Show]]'', which he produced and hosted for its 13-episode run. The series ran on [[MTV]] in 1990, and on [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] in 1992 and 1993, earning him a [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series|Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Program]]. He then appeared on shows such as ''[[Friends]]'', ''[[Curb Your Enthusiasm]]'', ''[[Arrested Development]]'', and ''[[Extras (TV series)|Extras]]'', the latter of which earned him a [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series]] nomination.


Having previously acted in television, he began acting in films. He made his directorial debut with ''[[Reality Bites]]'' and continued directing films and often starring in them, such as with ''[[The Cable Guy]]'' (1996), ''[[Zoolander]]'' (2001), ''[[Tropic Thunder]]'' (2008), and ''[[The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013 film)|The Secret Life of Walter Mitty]]'' (2013). During this time he also starred in a string of successful studio [[Comedy film|comedies]], including ''[[There’s Something About Mary]]'' (1998), ''[[Along Came Polly]]'' (2004), ''[[Dodgeball (film)|Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story]]'' (2004), ''[[Starsky & Hutch (film)|Starsky & Hutch]]'' (2004), and ''[[Tower Heist]]'' (2011). Stiller is also widely known for multiple franchise films such as the [[Meet the Parents (film series)|''Meet the Parents'' films]] (2000–2010), the [[Madagascar (franchise)|''Madagascar'' franchise]] (2005–2012), and the first three [[Night at the Museum (franchise)|''Night at the Museum'']] films (2006–2014).<ref name="imdb">{{IMDb name|1774}}</ref> His performances in [[independent film]]s include ''[[Flirting with Disaster (film)|Flirting with Disaster]]'' (1996); ''[[The Royal Tenenbaums]]'' (2001); and the [[Noah Baumbach]] films ''[[Greenberg (film)|Greenberg]]'' (2010), ''[[While We're Young (film)|While We're Young]]'' (2014), and ''[[The Meyerowitz Stories]]'' (2017).
Stiller is a member of the comedic acting brotherhood colloquially known as the [[Frat Pack]]. His films have grossed more than $2.1 billion domestically (United States and Canada), with an average of $73 million per film.<ref name="BOMTotal">{{cite web|title=Ben Stiller - Actor|work=[[Box Office Mojo]]|url=http://boxofficemojo.com/people/chart/?id=benstiller.htm|accessdate=May 10, 2010}}</ref> Throughout his career, he has received several awards and honors including an [[Emmy Award]], several [[MTV Movie Award]]s, and a [[Teen Choice Awards|Teen Choice Award]].


Since the mid-2010s, Stiller has primarily worked as a television showrunner. In 2018 he directed the [[Showtime (TV network)|Showtime]] limited series ''[[Escape at Dannemora]]'' earning himself a [[Directors Guild of America Award]] and two [[Primetime Emmy Award]] nominations for [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series|Outstanding Limited Series]] and [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie|Outstanding Directing for a Limited Series]]. In 2022 he served as a director and executive producer on the [[Apple TV+]] series ''[[Severance (TV series)|Severance]]'' earning two Primetime Emmy Award nominations for [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series|Outstanding Drama Series]] and [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series|Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series]].
==Early life==
Stiller was born in [[New York City]]. His father, [[Jerry Stiller]], is [[Jew]]ish; his mother [[Anne Meara]], who is of [[Irish Catholic]] background. Meara converted to [[Judaism]] after marrying Jerry Stiller(though the family celebrated both [[Hanukkah]] and [[Christmas]]).<ref name="background">{{cite news|last=Wallace |first=Debra|title=Stiller 'softy' in real life|publisher=''Jewish News of Greater Phoenix''|date=November 19, 1999|url=http://www.jewishaz.com/jewishnews/991119/stiller.shtml|accessdate=March 29, 2009}}</ref><ref name="IrishCatholic">{{cite news|last=O'Toole|first=Lesley|title=Ben Stiller:'Doing comedy is scary'|work=[[The Independent]]|date=December 22, 2006|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/film-and-tv/features/ben-stiller-doing-comedy-is-scary-429484.html |accessdate=March 29, 2009 | location=London}}</ref><ref name=lge>{{Cite news|last=Longsdorf|first=Amy|coauthors=|title=Christine Taylor: Sweet for the holidays|pages=|publisher=The Morning Call|date=2010-12-03|url=http://articles.mcall.com/2010-12-03/entertainment/mc-christine-taylor-20101203_1_christmas-tree-homemade-ornaments-holidays|accessdate=2010-12-05}}</ref> Stiller's parents frequently took him on the sets of their appearances, including an appearance on ''[[The Mike Douglas Show]]'' when he was six.<ref name="MikeDouglas">{{cite web|title=Monday, May 30, 2005, Show #2366 recap|work=[[Late Show with David Letterman]]|first=Michael Z.|last=McIntee|url=http://www.cbs.com/latenight/lateshow/wahoo/index/php/20050530.phtml|accessdate=March 29, 2009}}</ref> He admitted in an interview that he considered his childhood unusual: "In some ways, it was a show-business upbringing—a lot of traveling, a lot of late nights—not what you'd call traditional."<ref name="Parade">{{cite news|last=Masello|first=Robert|work=[[Parade (magazine)|Parade]]|title=What makes Ben Stiller funny? |url=http://www.parade.com/articles/editions/2006/edition_12-10-2006/Ben_Stiller|date=November 28, 2006|accessdate=March 29, 2009}}</ref> His sister, actress [[Amy Stiller]], has made appearances in many of his productions, including ''[[Reality Bites]]'', ''[[Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story]]'', and ''[[Zoolander]]''.<ref name="AmyRB">{{cite news|last=Bruni|first=Frank|title=Generation-X man Mercurial Ben Stiller gets raves for twentysomething flick|work=[[The Spectator]]|url=http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/thestar/access/512722751.html?dids=512722751:512722751&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Feb+22%2C+1994&author=FRANK+BRUNI&pub=The+Spectator&desc=Generation-X+man+Mercurial+Ben+Stiller+gets+raves+for+twentysomething+flick&pqatl=google|format=Registration required|date=February 22, 1994|accessdate=January 9, 2010}}</ref><ref name="AmyAct">{{cite news|last=Millar|first=John|title=Keeping it in the family is Ben's way|work=[[Daily Record]]|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-121367626.htmll|format=Registration required|date=August 28, 2004|accessdate=January 9, 2010}} {{Dead link|date=September 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref><ref name="AmyZoo">{{cite news|last=Mitchell|first=Elvis|title=A Lost Boy in a Plot to Keep The Fashion Industry Afloat|work=The New York Times|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2001/09/28/movies/film-review-a-lost-boy-in-a-plot-to-keep-the-fashion-industry-afloat.html|date=September 28, 2001|accessdate=January 9, 2010}}</ref>


==Early life and education==
He displayed an early interest in film making and made [[Super 8 mm film|Super 8]] movies with his sister and friends.<ref name="geek">{{cite news|work=The Guardian |title=The geek who stole Hollywood|first=Gaby|last=Wood|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2004/mar/14/features.magazine|publisher=[[guardian.co.uk]]|date=March 14, 2004|accessdate=March 29, 2009 | location=London}}</ref> At 10 years old, he made his acting debut as a guest on his mother's television series ''[[Kate McShane]]''. In the late 1970s he performed with the New York City troupe NYC's First All Children's Theater, performing in several roles, including the title role in ''Clever Jack and the Magic Beanstalk.''<ref name="JG"/> After being inspired by the television show ''[[Second City Television]]'' while in high school, Stiller realized that he wanted to get involved with sketch comedy.<ref name="JG">{{cite news|first=Ellen |last=McCarthy|title=Ben Stiller Isn't Funny. Or So He Says...|url=http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/washingtonpost/access/1184491571.html?dids=1184491571:1184491571&FMT=ABS|publisher=''[[The Washington Post]]''|format=Fee required|date=December 22, 2006 |accessdate=March 29, 2009}}</ref>
Benjamin Edward Meara Stiller<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2012/06/25/funny-is-money |title=Funny Is Money: Ben Stiller and the dilemma of modern stardom|author-link=Tad Friend|first=Tad|last=Friend|magazine=[[The New Yorker]]|date=June 25, 2012|access-date=March 26, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://fultonhistory.com/Newspapers%2023/Rockville%20Centre%20NY%20Long%20Island%20News%20and%20Owl/Rockville%20Centre%20NY%20Long%20Island%20News%20and%20Owl%201987%20Jan-Jul%201987/Rockville%20Centre%20NY%20Long%20Island%20News%20and%20Owl%201987%20Jan-Jul%201987%20-%201889.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/http://fultonhistory.com/Newspapers%2023/Rockville%20Centre%20NY%20Long%20Island%20News%20and%20Owl/Rockville%20Centre%20NY%20Long%20Island%20News%20and%20Owl%201987%20Jan-Jul%201987/Rockville%20Centre%20NY%20Long%20Island%20News%20and%20Owl%201987%20Jan-Jul%201987%20-%201889.pdf |archive-date=2022-10-09 |url-status=live|title=Edward J. Meara, Former Resident, Dies In Boston|work=Rockville Centre NY Long Island News and Owl|date=December 23, 1966|access-date=March 26, 2015}}</ref> was born on November 30, 1965, in [[New York City]]<ref name="Ben Stiller bio">{{cite web|title=Ben Stiller Biography: Film Actor|publisher=[[Biography.com]] ([[FYI (TV channel)|FYI]]/[[A&E Television Networks]])|url=http://www.biography.com/people/ben-stiller-9542437|access-date=March 26, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131002164039/http://www.biography.com/people/ben-stiller-9542437|archive-date=October 2, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> and raised on the [[Upper West Side]].<ref name="WSR">{{cite web |title=WHY JERRY STILLER LIVES ON THE UPPER WEST SIDE |url=https://www.westsiderag.com/2016/01/26/why-jerry-stiller-lives-on-the-upper-west-side |website=West Side Rag |date=January 26, 2016 |access-date=5 March 2019}}</ref> His father, comedian and actor [[Jerry Stiller]], was from a [[Jewish]] family that emigrated from Poland and [[Galicia (Central Europe)|Galicia]] in Central Europe.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=j3kb7JaHLZcC&pg=PA19|title=Married to Laughter: A Love Story Featuring Anne Meara - Jerry Stiller|date=August 8, 2000|isbn=9780743211468|access-date=2013-06-25|last1=Stiller|first1=Jerry|publisher=Simon and Schuster }}</ref><ref name="geek" /><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.interviewmagazine.com/film/new-again-ben-stiller|title= NEW AGAIN: BEN STILLER|work= Interview |date=March 11, 2015|access-date=April 18, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/showbiz/celebrity-news/ben-stiller-relieved-he-is-not-single-9022233.html|title=Ben Stiller relieved he is not single|work=London Evening Standard |date= December 23, 2013|access-date= April 18, 2018}}</ref> His mother, actress and comedian [[Anne Meara]], who was from an [[Irish Catholic]] background, [[Conversion to Judaism|converted]] to [[Reform Judaism]] after marrying his father.<ref name="background">{{cite news|last=Wallace|first=Debra|title=Stiller 'softy' in real life|newspaper=Jewish News of Greater Phoenix|date=November 19, 1999|url=http://www.jewishaz.com/jewishnews/991119/stiller.shtml|access-date=March 29, 2009|archive-date=December 11, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081211124151/http://www.jewishaz.com/jewishnews/991119/stiller.shtml|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-mar-01-ca-24141-story.html|title=Finding an Afterlife as a Playwright|date=Mar 1, 1998|access-date=Aug 10, 2013|work=Los Angeles Times|first=Elaine|last=Dutka}}</ref><ref name="IrishCatholic">{{cite news|last=O'Toole|first=Lesley|title=Ben Stiller:'Doing comedy is scary'|work=[[The Independent]]|date=December 22, 2006|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/features/ben-stiller-doing-comedy-is-scary-429484.html|access-date=Aug 10, 2013|location=London, UK}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/movies/movie-news/the-evolution-of-ben-stiller-190731/|title=The Evolution of Ben Stiller|last=Mundy|first=Chris|date=November 12, 1998|magazine=Rolling Stone|access-date=January 17, 2019}}</ref> While they "were never a very religious family", they celebrated both [[Hanukkah]] and [[Christmas]],<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/what-i-know-about-women-20140422-3722c.html|title=What I know about women|last=Dow|first=Steve|date=April 27, 2014|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|access-date=January 17, 2019}}</ref> and Stiller had a [[Bar and Bat Mitzvah|Bar Mitzvah]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.tvguide.com/news/ben-stiller-measures-39279/|title= Ben Stiller Measures Up|work=TV Guide |date=April 18, 2000|access-date=April 18, 2018}}</ref><ref name=lge>{{cite news|last=Longsdorf|first=Amy|title=Christine Taylor: Sweet for the holidays|newspaper=The Morning Call|date=December 3, 2010|url=https://www.mcall.com/2010/12/03/christine-taylor-sweet-for-the-holidays/|access-date=2010-12-05|archive-date=December 9, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101209151350/http://articles.mcall.com/2010-12-03/entertainment/mc-christine-taylor-20101203_1_christmas-tree-homemade-ornaments-holidays|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=tca>Stated on ''[[Inside the Actors Studio]]'', 2001.</ref>


His parents frequently took him on the sets of their appearances, including ''[[The Mike Douglas Show]]'' when he was 6.<ref name="MikeDouglas">{{cite web|title=Monday, May 30, 2005, Show #2366 recap|work=[[Late Show with David Letterman]]|first=Michael Z.|last=McIntee|url=http://www.cbs.com/latenight/lateshow/wahoo/index/php/20050530.phtml|access-date=March 29, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070514113516/http://www.cbs.com/latenight/lateshow/wahoo/index/php/20050530.phtml|archive-date=May 14, 2007}}</ref> He considered his childhood unusual, stating: "In some ways, it was a show-business upbringing—a lot of traveling, a lot of late nights—not what you'd call traditional."<ref name="Parade">{{cite news|last=Masello|first=Robert|work=[[Parade (magazine)|Parade]]|title=What makes Ben Stiller funny?|url=http://www.parade.com/articles/editions/2006/edition_12-10-2006/Ben_Stiller|date=November 28, 2006|access-date=March 29, 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090603000915/http://www.parade.com/articles/editions/2006/edition_12-10-2006/Ben_Stiller|archive-date=June 3, 2009}}</ref> His older sister, Amy,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Kilgannon |first=Corey |date=2018-10-19 |title=Ladies and Gentlemen, Give It Up for, er ... Ben Stiller's Sister! |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/19/nyregion/amy-stiller-is-more-than-ben-stillers-sister.html |access-date=2022-08-19 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> has appeared in many of his productions, including ''[[Reality Bites]]'', ''[[DodgeBall: A True Underdog Story]]'', and ''[[Zoolander]]''.<ref name="AmyRB">{{cite news|last=Bruni|first=Frank|title=Generation-X man Mercurial Ben Stiller gets raves for twentysomething flick|work=[[The Spectator]]|url=http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/thestar/access/512722751.html?dids=512722751:512722751&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Feb+22%2C+1994&author=FRANK+BRUNI&pub=The+Spectator&desc=Generation-X+man+Mercurial+Ben+Stiller+gets+raves+for+twentysomething+flick&pqatl=google|url-access=registration|date=February 22, 1994|access-date=January 9, 2010|archive-date=July 25, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120725024938/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/thestar/access/512722751.html?dids=512722751:512722751&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Feb+22%2C+1994&author=FRANK+BRUNI&pub=The+Spectator&desc=Generation-X+man+Mercurial+Ben+Stiller+gets+raves+for+twentysomething+flick&pqatl=google|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="AmyAct">{{cite news|last=Millar|first=John|title=Keeping it in the family is Ben's way|work=[[Daily Record (Scotland)|Daily Record]]|url=https://www.questia.com/read/1G1-121367626|url-access=registration|date=August 28, 2004|access-date=Aug 10, 2013}}{{Dead link|date=June 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref name="AmyZoo">{{cite news|last=Mitchell|first=Elvis|title=A Lost Boy in a Plot to Keep The Fashion Industry Afloat|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2001/09/28/movies/film-review-a-lost-boy-in-a-plot-to-keep-the-fashion-industry-afloat.html|date=September 28, 2001|access-date=January 9, 2010}}</ref> Stiller displayed an early interest in filmmaking and made [[Super 8 film|Super 8]] movies with his sister and friends.<ref name="geek">{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2004/mar/14/features.magazine|title=The geek who stole Hollywood|last=Wood|first=Gaby|date=March 14, 2004|work=[[The Guardian]]|access-date=March 29, 2009}}</ref>
Stiller attended the [[The Cathedral School, New York|Cathedral School]] in and graduated from the [[Calhoun school|Calhoun School]] in New York in 1983. He started performing on the cabaret circuit as opening act to the cabaret siren [[Jadin Wong]]. Stiller then enrolled as a film student at the [[University of California, Los Angeles]]. After nine months, Stiller left school to move back to New York City. He made his way through acting classes, auditioning, and trying to find an agent.<ref name="Tis">{{cite web|last=Wills|first=Dominic|title=Ben Stiller Biography|work=[[Tiscali]]|url=http://www.tiscali.co.uk/entertainment/film/biographies/ben_stiller_biog.html|accessdate=March 29, 2009}}</ref>


At age 9, Stiller made his acting debut as a guest on his mother's short-lived television series, ''[[Kate McShane]]''. In the late 1970s, he performed with the New York City troupe NYC's First All Children's Theater, playing several roles, including the title role in ''Clever Jack and the Magic Beanstalk.''<ref name="JG" /> After being inspired by the television show ''[[Second City Television]]'' while in high school, Stiller realized that he wanted to get involved with sketch comedy.<ref name="JG">{{cite news|first=Ellen|last=McCarthy|title=Ben Stiller Isn't Funny. Or So He Says...|url=http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/washingtonpost/access/1184491571.html?dids=1184491571:1184491571&FMT=ABS|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120725040634/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/washingtonpost/access/1184491571.html?dids=1184491571:1184491571&FMT=ABS|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 25, 2012|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|format=Fee required|date=December 22, 2006|access-date=March 29, 2009}}</ref> During his high school years, he was also the drummer of the [[post-punk]] band Capital Punishment, which released the studio album ''Roadkill'' in 1982. The band's bassist, Peter Swann, went on to become a judge on the [[Arizona Court of Appeals]], serving from 2008 until 2022.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/news/58997-ben-stillers-teenage-punk-band-capital-punishment-reissued-by-captured-tracks|title=Ben Stiller's Teenage Punk Band, Capital Punishment, Reissued by Captured Tracks|work=[[Pitchfork Media|Pitchfork]]|date=March 27, 2015|access-date=December 12, 2015|author=Gordon, Jeremy and Amy Phillips}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/news/various-artists/83984|title=Captured Tracks to reissue album by Ben Stiller's teenage 'no wave/retardo' punk band – listen|work=[[NME]]|date=March 27, 2015|access-date=December 12, 2015|author=Postigo, Cheyenne}}</ref> The band reunited in 2018 to release a new EP, titled ''This is Capital Punishment,'' for [[Record Store Day]].<ref>[https://consequenceofsound.net/2018/10/ben-stiller-capital-punishment-new-ep/ Ben Stiller’s high school punk band, Capital Punishment, is releasing an EP of new music] Consequence of Sound. October 9, 2018. Retrieved 28 May 2019.</ref> The current status of the band is unknown.
==Acting career==
===Beginning career===
Stiller landed a role in the [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] revival of [[John Guare]]'s ''[[The House of Blue Leaves]]'', alongside [[John Mahoney]]; the production would garner four [[Tony Award]]s.<ref name="Tis"/> During its run, Stiller produced a satirical [[mockumentary]] whose principal was fellow actor Mahoney. His comedic work was so well received by the cast and crew of the play that he followed up with a 10 minute short called ''The Hustler of Money'', a parody of the [[Martin Scorsese]] film ''[[The Color of Money]]''. The film featured him in a send-up of [[Tom Cruise]]'s character and Mahoney in the [[Paul Newman]] role, only this time as a [[bowling]] hustler instead of a [[pool shark]]. The short got the attention of ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'', which aired it in 1987, and two years later offered him a spot as a writer.<ref name="Tis"/> In the meantime, he also had a bit part in [[Steven Spielberg]]'s ''[[Empire of the Sun (film)|Empire of the Sun]]''.<ref name="EmpireHorses">{{cite news|last=Svetkey|first=Benjamin|title=Our Son the Comedian|work=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20053133,00.html|date=October 16, 1992|accessdate=January 9, 2010}}</ref>


Stiller attended [[The Cathedral School of St. John the Divine, New York|The Cathedral School of St. John the Divine]] and graduated from the [[Calhoun School]] in New York in 1983. He started performing on the cabaret circuit as opening act to the cabaret siren [[Jadin Wong]]. Stiller then enrolled as a film student at the [[University of California, Los Angeles]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tft.ucla.edu/alumni/notable-alumni-actors|title=NOTABLE ALUMNI ACTORS|publisher=UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television|access-date=September 29, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006111604/http://www.tft.ucla.edu/alumni/notable-alumni-actors/|archive-date=October 6, 2014|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}</ref> After nine months, Stiller left school to move back to New York City.<ref name=tca/> He made his way through acting classes, auditioning and trying to find an agent.<ref name="Tis">{{cite web|last=Wills|first=Dominic|title=Ben Stiller Biography|work=[[Tiscali]]|url=http://www.tiscali.co.uk/entertainment/film/biographies/ben_stiller_biog.html|access-date=March 29, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090217224635/http://www.tiscali.co.uk/entertainment/film/biographies/ben_stiller_biog.html|archive-date=February 17, 2009|url-status=live}}</ref>
In 1989, Stiller wrote and appeared on a season of ''Saturday Night Live'' as a featured performer. However, since the show did not want him to make more short films for the show, he left after five shows.<ref name="Tis"/> He then put together ''Elvis Stories'', a short film about a fictitious tabloid focused on recent sightings of [[Elvis Presley]].<ref name="ElvisStories">{{cite news|last=Wickstrom|first=Andy|title=The King Lives in 'Elvis Stories'|work=[[Boca Raton News]]|url=http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=X8UPAAAAIBAJ&sjid=zIwDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5430,1125901&dq=ben+stiller+elvis+stories&hl=en|date=January 5, 1990|accessdate=January 9, 2010}}</ref> The film starred friends and co-stars [[John Cusack]], [[Jeremy Piven]], [[Mike Myers (actor)|Mike Myers]], [[Andy Dick]], and Jeff Kahn.<ref name="ElvisStories"/> The film was considered a success, and led him to develop another film entitled ''Back to Brooklyn'' for MTV.<ref name="BackBrooklyn">{{cite news|title=Stiller gets serious|work=[[The Washington Post]]|url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=WT&p_theme=wt&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EED25DFF4A38F12&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM|format=Registration required|date=September 28, 2001|accessdate=January 9, 2010}}</ref>

==Career==
===Early work===
When he was approximately 15, Stiller obtained a small part with one line on the television soap opera ''[[Guiding Light]]'', although in an interview he characterized his performance as poor.<ref>{{cite episode|title=Something Something Japanese|series=[[Conan (talk show)|Conan]]|airdate=July 26, 2012|season=2|number=121|network=[[TBS (U.S. TV channel)|TBS]]}}</ref> He was later cast in a role in the 1986 Broadway revival of [[John Guare]]'s ''[[The House of Blue Leaves]]'', alongside [[John Mahoney]]; the production would garner four [[Tony Award]]s.<ref name="Tis"/>

During its run, Stiller produced a satirical [[mockumentary]] whose principal was fellow actor Mahoney. Stiller's comedic work was well received by the cast and crew of the play, and he followed up with a 10-minute short titled ''The Hustler of Money'', a parody of the [[Martin Scorsese]] film ''[[The Color of Money]]''. The film featured him in a send-up of [[Tom Cruise]]'s character and Mahoney in the [[Paul Newman]] role, only this time as a [[bowling]] hustler instead of a [[Hustling|pool shark]]. The short got the attention of ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'', which aired it in 1987 and two years later offered Stiller a spot as a writer.<ref name="Tis" /> In the meantime, he had a bit role in [[Steven Spielberg]]'s ''[[Empire of the Sun (film)|Empire of the Sun]]''.<ref name="EmpireHorses">{{cite magazine|last=Svetkey|first=Benjamin|title=Our Son the Comedian|magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|url=https://ew.com/article/1992/10/16/funny-man-ben-stiller/|date=October 16, 1992|access-date=January 9, 2010|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100113025333/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20053133,00.html|archive-date=January 13, 2010|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 1989 Stiller wrote and appeared on ''Saturday Night Live'' as a featured performer. However, since the show did not want him to make more short films, he left after four episodes.<ref name="Tis"/> He then put together ''Elvis Stories'', a short film about a fictitious tabloid focused on recent sightings of [[Elvis Presley]].<ref name="ElvisStories">{{cite news|last=Wickstrom|first=Andy|title=The King Lives in 'Elvis Stories'|work=[[Boca Raton News]]|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=X8UPAAAAIBAJ&pg=5430,1125901&dq=ben+stiller+elvis+stories|date=January 5, 1990|access-date=January 9, 2010}}{{Dead link|date=November 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> The film starred friends and co-stars [[John Cusack]], [[Jeremy Piven]], [[Mike Myers (actor)|Mike Myers]], [[Andy Dick]], and Jeff Kahn.<ref name="ElvisStories"/> The film was considered a success, and led him to develop the short film ''Going Back to Brooklyn'' for [[MTV]]; it was a music video starring comedian [[Colin Quinn]] that parodied [[LL Cool J]]'s recent hit "[[Going Back to Cali (LL Cool J song)|Going Back to Cali]]".<ref name="BackBrooklyn">{{cite news|title=Stiller gets serious|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=WT&p_theme=wt&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EED25DFF4A38F12&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D|url-access=registration |date=September 28, 2001|access-date=January 9, 2010}}</ref>


===''The Ben Stiller Show''===
===''The Ben Stiller Show''===
{{Main|The Ben Stiller Show}}
{{Main|The Ben Stiller Show}}
MTV was so impressed with ''Back to Brooklyn'' that they offered Stiller a 13-episode show in the experimental "vid-com" format.<ref name="BSBio">{{cite web|last=Wills|first=Dominic|title=Ben Stiller - Biography|publisher=[[Tiscali]]|url=http://www.talktalk.co.uk/entertainment/film/biography/artist/ben-stiller/biography/7|accessdate=January 9, 2010}}</ref> Entitled ''The Ben Stiller Show'', this series mixed comedy sketches with music videos and parodied various television shows, music stars, and films. It starred Stiller, along with main writer Jeff Khan and Harry O'Reilly with occasional appearances by his parents [[Jerry Stiller]] and [[Anne Meara]], and sister [[Amy Stiller]].<ref name="BSBio"/>
Producers at MTV were so impressed with ''Back to Brooklyn'' that they offered Stiller a 13-episode show in the experimental "vid-com" format.<ref name="BSBio">{{cite web|last=Wills|first=Dominic|title=Ben Stiller Biography|publisher=[[Tiscali]]|url=http://www.talktalk.co.uk/entertainment/film/biography/artist/ben-stiller/biography/7|access-date=January 9, 2010}}</ref> Titled ''The Ben Stiller Show'', this 1990 series mixed comedy sketches with music videos and parodied various television shows, music stars, and films. It starred Stiller, along with main writer Jeff Khan and Harry O'Reilly, with his parents and sister making occasional appearances.<ref name="BSBio" />


Although the show was canceled after its first season, it led to another show entitled ''[[The Ben Stiller Show]]'' on the [[Fox Network]] in 1992. ''The Ben Stiller Show'' aired 12 episodes on Fox, with a 13th unaired episode broadcast by [[Comedy Central]] in a later revival.<ref name="CC13th">{{cite news|last=Bianculli|first=David|title='Stiller' Gonna Make Sat. Night Livelier|work=[[New York Daily News]]|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/entertainment/1995/08/24/1995-08-24__stiller__gonna_make_sat__ni.html|date=August 24, 1995|accessdate=January 11, 2010}}</ref> Among the principal writers on ''The Ben Stiller Show'' were Stiller and [[Judd Apatow]], with the show featuring the ensemble cast of Stiller, [[Janeane Garofalo]], [[Andy Dick]], and [[Bob Odenkirk]].<ref name="EWTBSSCast">{{cite news|last=Kushner|first=David|title=Jokers Mild|work=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,274884,00.html|date=March 26, 1999|accessdate=January 11, 2010}}</ref> Both [[Denise Richards]] and [[Jeanne Tripplehorn]] appeared as extras in various episodes. Throughout its short run, ''The Ben Stiller Show'' frequently appeared at the bottom of the ratings, even as it garnered critical acclaim and eventually won the [[Emmy Award|Emmy]] for "Outstanding Individual Achievement in Writing in a Variety or Music Program" after it was canceled.<ref name="CC13th"/><ref name="EWEmmy">{{cite news |first=Josh|last=Wolk|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,552650,00.html|title=Stiller Standing|work=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|date=December 5, 2003|accessdate=March 29, 2009}}</ref><ref name="AboutPolar">{{cite news|last=Read|first=Kimberly|coauthors=Marsia Purse|date=August 4, 2007|publisher=[[About.com]]|title=Ben Stiller - Actor/Comedian|url=http://bipolar.about.com/cs/celebs/a/benstiller.htm|accessdate=March 29, 2009}}</ref>
Although the show was canceled after its first season, it led to another show titled ''[[The Ben Stiller Show]]'', on the [[Fox Network]] in 1992. The series aired 12 episodes on Fox, with a 13th unaired episode broadcast by [[Comedy Central]] in a later revival.<ref name="CC13th">{{cite news|last=Bianculli|first=David|title='Stiller' Gonna Make Sat. Night Livelier|work=[[Daily News (New York)|Daily News]]|location=New York|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/entertainment/stiller-gonna-sat-night-livelier-article-1.710267|date=August 24, 1995|access-date=August 10, 2013}}</ref> Among the principal writers on ''The Ben Stiller Show'' were Stiller and [[Judd Apatow]], with the show featuring the ensemble cast of Stiller, [[Janeane Garofalo]], [[Andy Dick]], and [[Bob Odenkirk]].<ref name="EWTBSSCast">{{cite magazine|last=Kushner|first=David|title=Jokers Mild|magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|url=https://ew.com/article/1999/03/26/ben-stiller-show-and-seinfeld-reunite/|date=March 26, 1999|access-date=January 11, 2010|archive-date=June 18, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090618160124/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,274884,00.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Both [[Denise Richards]] and [[Jeanne Tripplehorn]] appeared as extras in various episodes. Throughout its short run, ''The Ben Stiller Show'' frequently appeared at the bottom of the ratings, even as it garnered critical acclaim and eventually won an [[Primetime Emmy Award|Emmy Award]] for "[[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program|Outstanding Writing in a Variety or Music Program]]" posthumously.<ref name="CC13th" /><ref name="EWEmmy">{{cite magazine |first=Josh|last=Wolk|url=https://ew.com/article/2003/12/05/ben-still-talks-ew-about-his-new-dvd/|title=Stiller Standing|magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|date=December 5, 2003|access-date=March 29, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090425165600/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,552650,00.html|archive-date=April 25, 2009|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="AboutPolar">{{cite news|last1=Read|first1=Kimberly|last2=Purse|first2=Marsia|date=August 4, 2007|publisher=About.com|title=Ben Stiller Actor/Comedian|url=http://bipolar.about.com/cs/celebs/a/benstiller.htm|access-date=March 29, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090214155217/http://bipolar.about.com/cs/celebs/a/benstiller.htm|archive-date=February 14, 2009|url-status=live}}</ref>


===Directorial debut===
===Directorial debut===
[[File:BenStillerTropicThunderPendleton.jpg|thumb|right|alt=A crowd of people is all looking towards a man at the center who is signing a hat. The crowd is attempting to hand him posters to sign and others are taking pictures using cameras and cell phones.|Stiller signing autographs before a screening for ''[[Tropic Thunder]]'' at [[Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton|Camp Pendleton]] in August 2008]]
[[File:BenStiller08.jpg|thumb|upright|alt=Stiller is facing the camera and smiling. He is wearing a baseball cap and a blue shirt with a white t-shirt underneath.|Stiller in December 2008.]]
After a few minor film roles in the early 1990s, such as ''[[Stella (film)|Stella]]'', ''[[Highway to Hell (film)|Highway to Hell]]'', and a cameo in ''[[The Nutt House]]'', Stiller devoted his time to writing, fund raising, recruiting cast members, starring in, and directing ''[[Reality Bites]]''.<ref name="Tis"/> The film was produced by [[Danny DeVito]] (who later directed Stiller's 2003 film ''[[Duplex (film)|Duplex]]'' and produced the 2004 film ''[[Along Came Polly]]'').<ref name="BitesDevito">{{cite news|title=Ben Stiller Finds 'Reality' is in the Genes|work=[[New Straits Times]]|url=http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ie8VAAAAIBAJ&sjid=1xMEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4107,1370578&dq=danny+devito+reality+bites&hl=en|date=February 15, 1994|accessdate=January 9, 2010}}</ref> ''Reality Bites'' debuted as the highest-grossing film in its opening weekend and received mixed reviews.<ref name="BOXRBWeekend">{{cite web|title=Reality Bites Weekend Box Office|url=http://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?page=weekend&id=realitybites.htm|publisher=[[Box Office Mojo]]|accessdate=January 11, 2010}}</ref><ref name="RBRT">{{cite web|title=Reality Bites (1993)|url=http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/reality_bites/|publisher=[[Rotten Tomatoes]]|accessdate=January 11, 2010}}</ref>
In the early 1990s, Stiller had minor roles in films such as ''[[Stella (1990 film)|Stella]]'' and ''[[Highway to Hell (film)|Highway to Hell]]'' as well as a cameo in ''[[The Nutt House (film)|The Nutt House]]''. In 1992, Stiller was approached to direct ''[[Reality Bites]]'', based on a script by Helen Childress. Stiller devoted the next year and a half to rewriting the script with Childress, fundraising, and recruiting cast members for the film. It was eventually released in early 1994, directed by Stiller and featuring him as a co-star.<ref name="Tis" /> The film was produced by [[Danny DeVito]], who would later direct Stiller's 2003 film ''[[Duplex (film)|Duplex]]'' and produce his 2004 film ''[[Along Came Polly]]''.<ref name="BitesDevito">{{cite news|title=Ben Stiller Finds 'Reality' is in the Genes|work=[[New Straits Times]]|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ie8VAAAAIBAJ&pg=4107,1370578&dq=danny+devito+reality+bites|date=February 15, 1994|access-date=January 9, 2010}}{{Dead link|date=November 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> ''Reality Bites'' debuted as the fifth highest-grossing film over the President Day opening weekend and received mixed reviews.<ref name="RBRT">{{cite web|title=Reality Bites (1993)|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/reality_bites|website=[[Rotten Tomatoes]]|date=February 18, 1994 |access-date=January 11, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100213003345/http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/reality_bites|archive-date=February 13, 2010|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=February 18-21, 1994 - Presidents' Day weekend (US) |url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/weekend/1994W07/occasion/us_presidentsday_weekend/?ref_=bo_rl_table_2 |access-date=July 17, 2024 |website=Box Office Mojo}}</ref>


He joined his parents in the family film ''[[Heavyweights]]'', in which he played two roles, and then had a brief uncredited role in [[Adam Sandler]]'s ''[[Happy Gilmore]]''.<ref name="HeavyParents">{{cite news|last=Holden|first=Stephen|title=Spoofing the TV Gurus of Fitness|work=The New York Times|url=http://www.nytimes.com/1995/02/17/movies/film-review-spoofing-the-tv-gurus-of-fitness.html|date=February 17, 1995|accessdate=January 9, 2010}}</ref><ref name="HappyCameo">{{cite news|last=Lowry|first=Brian|title=Happy Gilmore|work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|url=http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117910802.html?categoryid=31&cs=1|date=February 19, 1996|accessdate=January 9, 2010}}</ref> Next, he had lead roles in ''[[If Lucy Fell]]'' and ''[[Flirting with Disaster]]'', before tackling his next directorial effort with ''[[The Cable Guy]]'' which starred [[Jim Carrey]]. Stiller once again was featured in his own film as twins. The film received mixed reviews, but was noted for paying the highest salary for an actor up to that point. [[Jim Carrey]] received $20 million for his work in the film.<ref name="Carrey20Mil">{{cite news|first=Sharon|last=Waxman|url=http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/washingtonpost/access/21833212.html?dids=21833212:21833212&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Jul+23%2C+1996&author=Sharon+Waxman&pub=The+Washington+Post+(pre-1997+Fulltext)&desc=Are+Superstars+Worth+Their+Pay%3F+After+Busts+Like+%60Striptease%2C%27+Some+Still+Pull+In+Tens+of+Millions&pqatl=google|title=Stiller Standing|work=[[The Washington Post]]|format=Fee required|date=July 23, 1996|accessdate=March 29, 2009}}</ref> The film also connected Stiller with future [[Frat Pack]] members [[Jack Black]] and [[Owen Wilson]].
Stiller joined his parents in the family film ''[[Heavyweights]]'' (1995), in which he played two roles. Following Heavyweights, he had a brief uncredited role in [[Adam Sandler]]'s ''[[Happy Gilmore]]'' (1996) where he played Hal L., the sadistic orderly running the nursing home.<ref name="HeavyParents">{{cite news|last=Holden|first=Stephen|title=Spoofing the TV Gurus of Fitness|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1995/02/17/movies/film-review-spoofing-the-tv-gurus-of-fitness.html|date=February 17, 1995|access-date=January 9, 2010}}</ref><ref name="HappyCameo">{{cite news|last=Lowry|first=Brian|title=Happy Gilmore|work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|url=https://www.variety.com/review/VE1117910802.html?categoryid=31&cs=1|date=February 19, 1996|access-date=January 9, 2010}}</ref> Next, he had lead roles in ''[[If Lucy Fell]]'' and ''[[Flirting with Disaster (film)|Flirting with Disaster]]'', before tackling his next directorial effort with ''[[The Cable Guy]]'', which starred [[Jim Carrey]]. Stiller once again was featured in his own film, as twins. The film received mixed reviews, but was noted for paying the highest salary for an actor up to that point, as Carrey received $20 million for his work in the film.<ref name="Carrey20Mil">{{cite news|first=Sharon|last=Waxman|url=http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/washingtonpost/access/21833212.html?dids=21833212:21833212&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Jul+23%2C+1996&author=Sharon+Waxman&pub=The+Washington+Post+(pre-1997+Fulltext)&desc=Are+Superstars+Worth+Their+Pay%3F+After+Busts+Like+%60Striptease%2C%27+Some+Still+Pull+In+Tens+of+Millions&pqatl=google|title=Stiller Standing|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|format=Fee required|date=July 23, 1996|access-date=March 29, 2009|archive-date=July 25, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120725044503/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/washingtonpost/access/21833212.html?dids=21833212:21833212&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Jul+23%2C+1996&author=Sharon+Waxman&pub=The+Washington+Post+(pre-1997+Fulltext)&desc=Are+Superstars+Worth+Their+Pay%3F+After+Busts+Like+%60Striptease%2C%27+Some+Still+Pull+In+Tens+of+Millions&pqatl=google|url-status=dead}}</ref> The film also connected Stiller with future [[Frat Pack]] members [[Jack Black]] and [[Owen Wilson]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Shaw |first=Gabbi |title=18 celebrity BFFs who have worked together |url=https://www.insider.com/celebrity-best-movies-tv-together-2018-4 |access-date=2022-03-28 |website=Insider}}</ref>


Also in 1996, MTV invited Stiller to host the VH1 Fashion Awards. Along with [[Saturday Night Live|SNL]] writer Drake Sather, Stiller developed a short film for the awards about a male model known as Derek Zoolander. It was so well received that Stiller developed another short film about the character for the 1997 VH1 Fashion Awards and finally remade the skit into a film.<ref name="Tis"/>
Also in 1996, MTV invited Stiller to host the [[VH1]] Fashion Awards. Along with ''[[Saturday Night Live|SNL]]'' writer Drake Sather, Stiller developed a short film for the awards about a male model known as Derek Zoolander. It was so well received that he developed another short film about the character for the 1997 VH1 Fashion Awards and finally remade the skit into a film.<ref name="Tis"/>


In 2021, Stiller signed on to co-write and direct ''Bag Man'', a [[Focus Features]] adaptation of [[Bag Man (podcast)|the 2018]] podcast about the kickback scandal that led to the resignation of Vice President [[Spiro Agnew]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Rubin |first1=Rebecca |title=Ben Stiller to Direct Adaptation of Rachel Maddow's 'Bag Man' Podcast |url=https://variety.com/2021/film/news/ben-stiller-rachel-maddow-bag-man-podcast-1234901906/ |access-date=29 October 2023 |work=Variety |date=5 February 2021}}</ref> As of October 2023, the movie remains in pre-production.<ref>{{cite web |title=Bag Man Official Web Site {{!}} Trailers and Release Dates {{!}} Focus Features |url=https://www.focusfeatures.com/bag-man |website=Focus Features |access-date=29 October 2023}}</ref>
===Comedy career===
In 1998, Stiller put aside his directing ambitions to star in ''[[There's Something About Mary]]'' alongside [[Cameron Diaz]], which accelerated Stiller's acting career. That year he also starred in several dramas including ''[[Zero Effect]]'', ''[[Your Friends & Neighbors]]'', and ''[[Permanent Midnight]]''. Stiller was invited to take part in hosting the Music Video awards, for which he developed a parody of the [[Backstreet Boys]] and performed a sketch with his father, commenting on his current career.<ref name="MTVAwards">{{cite news|url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=PG&p_theme=pg&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB48E29C6FF1273&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM|format=Registration required|title=Madonna Rules at Routine MTV Video Music Awards|work=[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]]|date=September 12, 1998|accessdate=January 11, 2010}}</ref>


===Comedic work===
In 1999, he starred in three films, including ''[[Mystery Men]]'', where he played a superhero wannabe called Mr. Furious. He returned to directing with a new spoof television series for Fox entitled ''[[Heat Vision and Jack]]'', starring Jack Black, however, the show was not picked up by Fox after its pilot episode and the series was cancelled.<ref name="HeatJack">{{cite news|last=Lawrence|first=Will|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/filmreviews/3668201/Ben-Stiller-behaving-badly.html|title=Ben Stiller behaving badly|publisher=[[guardian.co.uk]]|date=September 28, 2007|accessdate=January 11, 2010 | location=London}}</ref>
[[File:Ben Stiller 2010 (Cropped).jpg|upright|thumb|left|Stiller in 2010]]
In 1998, Stiller put aside his directing ambitions to star in the Farrelly Brothers' ''[[There's Something About Mary]]'', alongside [[Cameron Diaz]], which became a surprise hit with a long-lasting cult following. That year, he starred in several dramas, including ''[[Zero Effect]]'', ''[[Your Friends & Neighbors]]'', and ''[[Permanent Midnight]]''. He was invited to take part in hosting the Music Video awards, for which he developed a parody of the [[Backstreet Boys]] and performed a sketch with his father, commenting on his current career.<ref name="MTVAwards">{{cite news|url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=PG&p_theme=pg&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB48E29C6FF1273&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D|url-access=registration |title=Madonna Rules at Routine MTV Video Music Awards|work=[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]]|date=September 12, 1998|access-date=January 11, 2010}}</ref>


In 1999, he starred in three films, including ''[[Mystery Men]]'', where he played a superhero wannabe called Mr. Furious. He appeared in a segment on the July 26 episode of [[WWE|WWF]] [[WWE Raw|RAW is WAR]] to promote the then-upcoming movie and found himself on the wrong end of Intercontinental Champion [[Jeff Jarrett]]'s Figure-4 Leg Lock.
2000 would be a better year for Stiller as he starred in three more films including one of his most recognizable roles, as a male nurse named Greg Focker in ''[[Meet the Parents]]'' opposite [[Robert De Niro]].<ref name="MeetParent">{{cite news|last=Turan|first=Kenneth|url=http://www.calendarlive.com/movies/reviews/cl-movie001005-7,0,4306790.story|title=Meet the Parents|work=Los Angeles Times|date=October 6, 2000|accessdate=January 11, 2010}} {{Dead link|date=November 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref> The film was well-received by critics, grossed over $330 million worldwide, and spawned two sequels.<ref name="RTMeet">{{cite web|url=http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/meet_the_parents/|title=Meet the Parents|publisher=[[Rotten Tomatoes]]|accessdate=January 13, 2010}}</ref><ref name="MeetBO">{{cite web|work=[[Box Office Mojo]]|title=Meet the Parents|url=http://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=meettheparents.htm|accessdate=January 13, 2010}}</ref> Also in 2000, MTV again invited Stiller to make another short film and he developed ''Mission: Improbable'', a spoof of [[Tom Cruise]]'s role in ''[[Mission: Impossible II]]'' and other films.<ref name="MissImpr">{{cite news|last=Mills|first=Nancy|url=http://news.therecord.com/arts/article/250701|title=Bride of Ben|work=[[The Record]]|date=October 3, 2007|accessdate=January 11, 2010}}</ref>


He returned to directing with a new spoof television series for Fox titled ''[[Heat Vision and Jack]]'', starring Jack Black. However, the show was not picked up by Fox after its pilot episode and the series was cancelled.<ref name="HeatJack">{{cite news|last=Lawrence|first=Will|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/filmreviews/3668201/Ben-Stiller-behaving-badly.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/filmreviews/3668201/Ben-Stiller-behaving-badly.html |archive-date=January 10, 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Ben Stiller behaving badly|work=The Guardian|date=September 28, 2007|access-date=January 11, 2010|location=London, UK}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
In 2001, Stiller would direct his third feature film, ''[[Zoolander]]'', which focused on the character Derek Zoolander (played by Stiller) that he developed for the VH1 Fashion Awards. The film featured multiple cameos from a variety of celebrities including [[Donald Trump]], [[Paris Hilton]], [[Lenny Kravitz]], [[Heidi Klum]], and [[David Bowie]] among others. The film was banned in [[Malaysia]] (as the plot centered on an assassination attempt of a Malaysian prime minister)<ref name="GU">{{cite news|publisher=[[guardian.co.uk]]|title=Zoolander faces Malaysian censorship controversy|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2001/sep/28/filmcensorship.news|accessdate=March 29, 2009 | location=London | date=March 5, 2002}}</ref> while shots of the [[World Trade Center]] were digitally removed and hidden for the film's release after the [[September 11, 2001 attacks|September 11 terrorist attacks]].<ref name="WTCremoval">{{cite news|last=Maher|first=Kevin|work=[[The Observer]]|title=Back with a bang|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2002/jun/30/features.review|date=June 30, 2002|accessdate=March 29, 2009 | location=London}}</ref>


In 2000, Stiller starred in three more films, including one of his most recognizable roles, a male nurse named Gaylord "Greg" Focker in ''[[Meet the Parents]]'', opposite [[Robert De Niro]].<ref name="MeetParent">{{cite news|last=Turan|first=Kenneth|url=http://www.calendarlive.com/movies/reviews/cl-movie001005-7,0,4306790.story|title=Meet the Parents|work=Los Angeles Times|date=October 6, 2000|access-date=January 11, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071027061654/http://www.calendarlive.com/movies/reviews/cl-movie001005-7,0,4306790.story|archive-date=October 27, 2007}}</ref> The film was well received by critics, grossed over $330 million worldwide, and spawned two sequels.<ref name="RTMeet">{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/meet_the_parents/|title=Meet the Parents|website=[[Rotten Tomatoes]]|date=October 6, 2000 |access-date=January 13, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100106074241/http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/meet_the_parents/|archive-date=January 6, 2010|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="MeetBO">{{cite web|work=[[Box Office Mojo]]|title=Meet the Parents|url=https://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=meettheparents.htm|access-date=January 13, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100130064516/http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=meettheparents.htm|archive-date=January 30, 2010|url-status=live}}</ref> Also in 2000, MTV again invited Stiller to make another short film, and he developed ''[[Mission: Improbable]]'', a spoof of [[Tom Cruise]]'s role in ''[[Mission: Impossible II]]'' and other films.<ref name="MissImpr">{{cite news|last=Mills|first=Nancy|url=http://news.therecord.com/arts/article/250701|title=Bride of Ben|work=[[The Record (Waterloo Region)|The Record]]|date=October 3, 2007|access-date=January 11, 2010}}</ref>
After Stiller worked with [[Owen Wilson]] in ''Zoolander'', they joined together again for ''[[The Royal Tenenbaums]]''.<ref name="WTCremoval">{{cite news|last=Bradshaw|first=Peter|publisher=[[guardian.co.uk]]|title=The Royal Tenenbaums|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2002/mar/15/1|date=March 15, 2002|accessdate=January 13, 2010 | location=London}}</ref> Over the next two years, Stiller continued with the lackluster box office film ''[[Duplex (film)|Duplex]]'' and several cameos in ''[[Orange County (film)|Orange County]]'' and ''Nobody Knows Anything!''.<ref name="Duplex9M">{{cite news|last=Macaulay|first=Sean|work=[[The Times]]|location=London|title=Ben there, done that|url=http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/article998502.ece|date=January 20, 2004|accessdate=January 13, 2010}}</ref><ref name="OrangeCameo">{{cite news|last=Patterson|first=John|publisher=[[guardian.co.uk]]|title=Strange Fruit|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2002/jan/14/artsfeatures|date=January 14, 2002|accessdate=January 13, 2010 | location=London}}</ref><ref name="NYTNKA">{{cite news|work=The New York Times|title=Nobody Knows Anything (2003)|url=http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/310168/Nobody-Knows-Anything/overview|accessdate=January 13, 2010 | first=Duncan J. | last=Watts}}</ref> He also guest-starred on several television shows, including an appearance in an episode of the television series ''[[King Of Queens]]'' in a flashback as the father of the character Arthur (played by Jerry Stiller).<ref name="KingQueenFatherSon">{{cite news|last=Breznican|first=Anthony|work=[[USA Today]]|title='Museum' Exhibits Funny Pals; Ben Stiller's Key to Success: One For All, All For One|url=http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/USAToday/access/1178600971.html?dids=1178600971:1178600971&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Dec+12%2C+2006&author=Anthony+Breznican&pub=USA+TODAY&desc=%27Museum%27+exhibits+funny+pals+%3B+Ben+Stiller%27s+key+to+success%3A+One+for+all%2C+all+for+one&pqatl=google|format=Fee required|date=December 12, 2006|accessdate=January 13, 2010}}</ref> He also made a guest appearance on [[World Wrestling Entertainment]]'s [[WWE Raw]].<ref name="FindArticles">{{cite news|last=Clark|first=Tim|publisher=Cable World|title=PPV's Cure for the Summertime Blues|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0DIZ/is_31_12/ai_64148060|date=July 31, 2000|accessdate=March 29, 2009}}</ref>


In 2001, Stiller directed his third feature film, ''[[Zoolander]]'', in which he also starred as Derek Zoolander. The film featured multiple cameos from a variety of celebrities, including [[Donald Trump]], [[Paris Hilton]], [[Lenny Kravitz]], [[Heidi Klum]], and [[David Bowie]], among others. The film was banned in [[Malaysia]] (as the plot centered on an assassination attempt of a Malaysian prime minister),<ref name="GU">{{cite news|work=The Guardian|title=Zoolander faces Malaysian censorship controversy|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2001/sep/28/filmcensorship.news|access-date=March 29, 2009|location=London, UK|date=March 5, 2002}}</ref> while shots of the [[World Trade Center (1973–2001)|World Trade Center]] were digitally removed and hidden for the film's release after the [[September 11, 2001 attacks|September 11 terrorist attacks]].<ref name="WTCremoval2">{{cite news|last=Maher|first=Kevin|work=[[The Observer]]|title=Back with a bang|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2002/jun/30/features.review|date=June 30, 2002|access-date=March 29, 2009|location=London}}</ref>
In 2004, Stiller appeared in six different films, all of which were comedies, and include some of his highest grossing films. They include ''[[Starsky & Hutch (film)|Starsky & Hutch]]'', ''[[Envy (2004 film)|Envy]]'', ''[[Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story]]'', an uncredited cameo in ''[[Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy]]'', ''[[Along Came Polly]]'', and ''[[Meet the Fockers]]''. While ''Envy'' only grossed $14.5 million worldwide,<ref name="BOM1">{{cite web|work=[[Box Office Mojo]]|title=Envy|url=http://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=envy.htm|accessdate=March 29, 2009}}</ref> his most successful film of the year was ''Meet the Fockers'', which grossed over $516.6 million worldwide.<ref name="BOMMeetF">{{cite web|work=[[Box Office Mojo]]|title=Meet the Fockers|url=http://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=meetthefockers.htm|accessdate=March 29, 2009}}</ref> In 2005, Stiller would begin his first attempt at a computer-animated film with ''[[Madagascar (2005 film)|Madagascar]]'', which performed so well at the box office that it resulted in a [[Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa|sequel]] released in 2008.
[[File:BenStillerTropicThunderPendleton.jpg|thumb|alt=A crowd of people is all looking towards a man at the center who is signing a hat. The crowd is attempting to hand him posters to sign and others are taking pictures using cameras and cell phones.|Stiller signing autographs before a screening for ''[[Tropic Thunder]]'' at [[Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton|Camp Pendleton]] on August 3, 2008.]]


After Stiller worked with [[Owen Wilson]] in ''Zoolander'', they joined forces again for ''[[The Royal Tenenbaums]]''.<ref name="WTCremoval">{{cite news|last=Bradshaw|first=Peter|work=The Guardian|title=The Royal Tenenbaums|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2002/mar/15/1|date=March 15, 2002|access-date=January 13, 2010}}</ref>
In 2006, Stiller had cameo roles in ''[[School for Scoundrels (2006 film)|School for Scoundrels]]'', and ''[[Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny]]'', for which he served as executive producer. In December, Stiller starred in the lead role of ''[[Night at the Museum]]''. Although not a critical favorite, it earned over $115 million in ten days.<ref name="BOM3">{{cite web|work=[[Box Office Mojo]]|title=Night at the Museum - Daily Box Office|url=http://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?page=daily&id=nightatthemuseum.htm |accessdate=March 29, 2009}}</ref> In 2007, Stiller starred alongside [[Malin Åkerman]] in the romantic comedy ''[[The Heartbreak Kid (2007 film)|The Heartbreak Kid]]''. The film earned over $100 million worldwide despite receiving mostly negative reviews.<ref name="BOMHK">{{cite web|work=[[Box Office Mojo]]|title=The Heartbreak Kid|url=http://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=heartbreakkid.htm|accessdate=January 11, 2010}}</ref><ref name="RTHK">{{cite web|url=http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_heartbreak_kid/|title=The Heartbreak Kid|publisher=[[Rotten Tomatoes]]|accessdate=January 11, 2010}}</ref> ''[[Tropic Thunder]]'', a film he directed, co-wrote, and co-produced, and in which he starred with [[Robert Downey Jr.]] and [[Jack Black]], was released on August 13, 2008. In May 2009, he starred with [[Amy Adams]] in the sequel ''[[Night at the Museum 2: Battle of the Smithsonian]]''.<ref name="NightMuseum2">{{cite news|url=http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117986769.html|last=Siegel|first=Tatiana|title=Ed Helms mans 'Manure'|work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|date=June 2, 2008|accessdate=March 29, 2009}}</ref>


Over the next two years, Stiller continued with the lackluster box office film ''[[Duplex (film)|Duplex]]'', and cameos in ''[[Orange County (film)|Orange County]]'' and ''Nobody Knows Anything!''<ref name="Duplex9M">{{cite news|last=Macaulay|first=Sean|work=[[The Times]]|location=London|title=Ben there, done that|url=http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/article998502.ece|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110615185756/http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/article998502.ece|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 15, 2011|date=January 20, 2004|access-date=January 13, 2010}}</ref><ref name="OrangeCameo">{{cite news|last=Patterson|first=John|work=The Guardian|title=Strange Fruit|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2002/jan/14/artsfeatures|date=January 14, 2002|access-date=January 13, 2010|location=London, UK}}</ref><ref name="NYTNKA">{{cite news|title=Nobody Knows Anything (2003)|url=http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/310168/Nobody-Knows-Anything/overview|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121103090813/http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/310168/Nobody-Knows-Anything/overview|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 3, 2012|access-date=January 13, 2010|first=Duncan J.|department=Movies & TV Dept.|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=2012|last=Watts}}</ref> He has guest-starred on several television shows, including an appearance in an episode of the television series ''[[The King of Queens]]'', in a flashback as the father of the character Arthur (played by Jerry Stiller).<ref name="KingQueenFatherSon">{{cite news|last=Breznican|first=Anthony|work=[[USA Today]]|title='Museum' Exhibits Funny Pals; Ben Stiller's Key to Success: One For All, All For One|url=http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/USAToday/access/1178600971.html?dids=1178600971:1178600971&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Dec+12%2C+2006&author=Anthony+Breznican&pub=USA+TODAY&desc=%27Museum%27+exhibits+funny+pals+%3B+Ben+Stiller%27s+key+to+success%3A+One+for+all%2C+all+for+one&pqatl=google|format=Fee required|date=December 12, 2006|access-date=January 13, 2010|archive-date=July 24, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120724231115/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/USAToday/access/1178600971.html?dids=1178600971:1178600971&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Dec+12%2C+2006&author=Anthony+Breznican&pub=USA+TODAY&desc=%27Museum%27+exhibits+funny+pals+%3B+Ben+Stiller%27s+key+to+success%3A+One+for+all%2C+all+for+one&pqatl=google|url-status=dead}}</ref> He also made a guest appearance on [[World Wrestling Entertainment]]'s [[WWE Raw]].<ref name="FindArticles">{{cite news|last=Clark|first=Tim|publisher=Cable World|title=PPV's Cure for the Summertime Blues|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0DIZ/is_31_12/ai_64148060|date=July 31, 2000|access-date=March 29, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070301141248/http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0DIZ/is_31_12/ai_64148060|archive-date=March 1, 2007|url-status=dead}}</ref>
===Upcoming projects===
Stiller has several upcoming films in 2010, Stiller will again portray Gaylord 'Greg' Focker in ''[[Little Fockers]]'', a sequel to both ''[[Meet the Parents]]'' & ''[[Meet the Fockers]]''. Stiller had planned to voice a character in ''[[MegaMind]]'', but later dropped out while still remaining a producer.<ref name="MasterMind">{{cite news|url=http://www.vfxworld.com/?sa=adv&code=3631a5a1&atype=news&id=19455|title=DreamWorks Animation Acquires Superhero Spoof|accessdate=March 29, 2009|date=April 3, 2007|publisher=VFX World}}</ref> Stiller, along with [[Tom Cruise]], is attached to a comedy adaptation of ''[[The Hardy Boys]]'' entitled ''The Hardy Men''.<ref name="HardyMen">{{cite news|url=http://www.nationalpost.com/arts/movies/story.html?id=714377|title=Ben Stiller: Full meta jacket|accessdate=March 29, 2009|date=August 10, 2008|work=[[National Post]]|first=Bob|last=Thompson}}</ref> It has also been revealed he will star alongside Will Arnett and Katherine Heigl in Buggs P.I. voicing the hero ''Tommy Buggs'' which is set to be released in 2011.


In 2004, Stiller appeared in six different films, all of which were comedies, and include some of his highest-grossing films: ''[[Starsky & Hutch (film)|Starsky & Hutch]]'', ''[[Envy (2004 film)|Envy]]'', ''[[Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story]]'', ''[[Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy]]'' (in which he had an uncredited cameo), ''[[Along Came Polly]]'', and ''[[Meet the Fockers]]''. While the critical flop ''Envy'' only grossed $14.5 million,<ref name="BOM1">{{cite web|work=[[Box Office Mojo]]|title=Envy|url=https://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=envy.htm|access-date=March 29, 2009}}</ref> the most successful film of these was ''Meet the Fockers'', which grossed over $516.6 million worldwide.<ref name="BOMMeetF">{{cite web|work=[[Box Office Mojo]]|title=Meet the Fockers|url=https://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=meetthefockers.htm|access-date=March 29, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090331133453/http://boxofficemojo.com/|archive-date=March 31, 2009|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref>
Stiller will produce a [[Yahoo!]] web series starring his parents, [[Jerry Stiller]] and [[Anne Meara]]. The show will be launched by the end of the year (2010).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tvguide.com/News/Stiller-Parents-Yahoo-1019875.aspx|title=Meet Ben Stiller's Parents on New Yahoo! Web Show|publisher=TVGuide.com}}</ref>


He also made extended guest appearances on ''[[Curb Your Enthusiasm]]'' and ''[[Arrested Development (TV series)|Arrested Development]]'' in the same year. In 2005, Stiller appeared in ''[[Madagascar (2005 film)|Madagascar]]'', which was his first experience as a voice actor in an animated film. ''Madagascar'' was a massive worldwide hit, and spawned the sequels ''[[Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa]]'' in 2008 and ''[[Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted]]'' in 2012.<ref>{{cite news|last=Fritz|first=Ben|title=D'Works will rely on animal instinct|url=https://variety.com/2005/digital/features/d-works-will-rely-on-animal-instinct-1117929100/|access-date=May 3, 2019|newspaper=Variety|date=September 14, 2005}}</ref>
==The Frat Pack==

In 2006, Stiller had cameo roles in ''[[School for Scoundrels (2006 film)|School for Scoundrels]]'' and ''[[Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny]]''; he was executive producer of the latter. In December 2006, he had the lead role in ''[[Night at the Museum]]''. Although not a critical favorite, it earned over $115 million in ten days.<ref name="BOM3">{{cite web|work=[[Box Office Mojo]]|title=Night at the Museum – Daily Box Office|url=https://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?page=daily&id=nightatthemuseum.htm|access-date=March 29, 2009}}</ref>

In 2007, Stiller starred alongside [[Malin Åkerman]] in the romantic comedy ''[[The Heartbreak Kid (2007 film)|The Heartbreak Kid]]''. The film earned over $100 million worldwide despite receiving mostly negative reviews.<ref name="BOMHK">{{cite web|work=[[Box Office Mojo]]|title=The Heartbreak Kid|url=https://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=heartbreakkid.htm|access-date=January 11, 2010}}</ref><ref name="RTHK">{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_heartbreak_kid|title=The Heartbreak Kid|website=[[Rotten Tomatoes]]|date=October 5, 2007 |access-date=January 11, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100213010408/http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_heartbreak_kid|archive-date=February 13, 2010|url-status=live}}</ref>
[[file:Ben Stiller Dustin Hoffman Cannes 2017.jpg|thumb|270px|Stiller with [[Dustin Hoffman]], 2017]]
In 2008, Stiller directed, co-wrote, co-produced, and starred in the film ''[[Tropic Thunder]]'', with [[Robert Downey Jr.]] and [[Jack Black]]; Stiller had originally conceived of the film's premise while filming ''Empire of the Sun'' in 1987.<ref name="ew">{{Cite magazine|last=Vary|first=Adam B.|title=First Look: 'Tropic Thunder'|magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|date=March 3, 2008|url=https://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20182058,00.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101120224356/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20182058,00.html|archive-date=November 20, 2010|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In 2009, he starred with [[Amy Adams]] in ''[[Night at the Museum 2: Battle of the Smithsonian]]'', sequel to ''[[Night at the Museum]]''.<ref name="NightMuseum2">{{cite news|url=https://variety.com/2008/film/markets-festivals/ed-helms-mans-manure-1117986769/|last=Siegel|first=Tatiana|title=Ed Helms mans 'Manure'|work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|date=June 2, 2008|access-date=March 29, 2009}}</ref>

In 2010, Stiller made a brief cameo in [[Joaquin Phoenix]]'s mockumentary ''[[I'm Still Here (2010 film)|I'm Still Here]]'' and played the lead role in the comedy-drama ''[[Greenberg (film)|Greenberg]]''. He again portrayed Greg Focker in the critically panned but financially successful ''[[Little Fockers]]'', the second sequel to ''Meet the Parents''. He originally had planned to voice the titular protagonist of ''[[Megamind]]'' along with [[Robert Downey Jr.]], but later dropped out and was replaced by [[Will Ferrell]] while still remaining an executive producer and voicing a minor character in the film, a museum curator named Bernard.<ref name="MasterMind">{{cite news|url=http://www.vfxworld.com/?sa=adv&code=3631a5a1&atype=news&id=19455|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130105091936/http://www.vfxworld.com/?sa=adv&code=3631a5a1&atype=news&id=19455|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 5, 2013|title=DreamWorks Animation Acquires Superhero Spoof|access-date=March 29, 2009|date=April 3, 2007|publisher=VFX World}}</ref>

In 2011, Stiller starred with [[Eddie Murphy]] and [[Alan Alda]] in ''[[Tower Heist]]'', about a group of maintenance workers planning a heist in a residential skyscraper.<ref name="Tower">{{cite news|last=Kit|first=Borys|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory?id=11875353|title=Eddie Murphy to Star in 'Tower Heist'|access-date=January 6, 2010|date=October 13, 2010|work=[[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]]}}</ref> He produced, directed, and starred in ''[[The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013 film)|The Secret Life of Walter Mitty]]'', which was released in 2013.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Barnes|first1=Henry|title=Ben Stiller to direct and star in The Secret Life of Walter Mitty|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2011/jul/20/ben-stiller-direct-walter-mitty|website=[[The Guardian]]|access-date=July 16, 2015|date=July 20, 2011}}</ref>

In 2018 and 2019, Stiller played [[Michael Cohen (lawyer)|Michael Cohen]] on ''Saturday Night Live'' for 6 episodes.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/how-ben-stiller-started-playing-michael-cohen-snl-1196381/ | title=Ben Stiller Reveals How He Started Playing Michael Cohen on 'SNL' | website=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] | date=March 22, 2019 }}</ref>

=="Frat Pack"==
{{Main|Frat Pack}}
{{Main|Frat Pack}}
Stiller is the "acknowledged leader" of the [[Frat Pack]], a core group of actors that has worked together in multiple films. The group includes [[Jack Black]], [[Will Ferrell]], [[Vince Vaughn]], [[Owen Wilson]], [[Luke Wilson]], [[Steve Carell]], and [[Paul Rudd]].<ref name="FPT">{{cite web|work=Frat Pack Tribute|title=Learn More|url=http://the-frat-pack.com/learn-more/|accessdate=Jul 13, 2010}}</ref><ref name="LinchpinFP">{{cite news|last=Wloszczyna|first=Susan|work=[[USA Today]]|title='Frat Pack' splits|url=http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2006-07-12-frat-pack-main_x.htm|date=July 13, 2006|accessdate=January 9, 2010}}</ref> Stiller has been acknowledged as the leader of the group due to his multiple cameos and for his consistent use of the other members in roles in films which he produces and directs.<ref name="FPT"/> He has appeared the most with [[Owen Wilson]], in ten films including: ''[[The Cable Guy]]'' (1996), ''[[Permanent Midnight]]'' (1998), ''[[Heat Vision and Jack]]'' (1999 [[television pilot]]), ''[[Meet the Parents]]'' (2000), ''[[Zoolander]]'' (2001), ''[[The Royal Tenenbaums]]'' (2001), ''[[Starsky & Hutch (film)|Starsky & Hutch]]'' (2004), ''[[Meet the Fockers]]'' (2004), ''[[Night at the Museum]]'' (2006), and ''[[Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian]]'' (2009).<ref name="FPT"/><ref name="HangOut">{{cite news|last=Wloszczyna|first=Susan|work=[[USA Today]]|title=These guys would be great to hang out with|url=http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2004-06-16-fratpackchart.htm|date=June 17, 2004|accessdate=January 9, 2010}}</ref> Of the 35 primary films that are considered Frat Pack films, Stiller has been involved with 20, in some capacity.<ref name="FPT"/> He is also the only member of this group to have appeared in a [[Brat Pack (actors)|Brat Pack]] film (''[[Fresh Horses]]'').<ref name="EmpireHorses"/>
Stiller has been described as the "acknowledged leader" of the [[Frat Pack]], a core group of actors who have worked together in multiple films. The group includes [[Jack Black]], [[Will Ferrell]], [[Vince Vaughn]], [[Owen Wilson]], [[Luke Wilson]], [[Steve Carell]] and [[Paul Rudd]].<ref name="FPT">{{cite web|work=Frat Pack Tribute|title=Learn More|url=http://the-frat-pack.com/learn-more|access-date=July 13, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100728004453/http://the-frat-pack.com/learn-more|archive-date=July 28, 2010|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="LinchpinFP">{{cite news|last=Wloszczyna|first=Susan|work=[[USA Today]]|title='Frat Pack' splits|url=https://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2006-07-12-frat-pack-main_x.htm|date=July 13, 2006|access-date=January 9, 2010}}</ref> Stiller has been acknowledged as the leader of the group because of his multiple cameos and for his consistent use of the other members in roles in films which he produces and directs. He has appeared the most with Owen Wilson (in 12 films).<ref name="FPT"/><ref name="HangOut">{{cite news|last=Wloszczyna|first=Susan|work=[[USA Today]]|title=These guys would be great to hang out with|url=https://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2004-06-16-fratpackchart.htm|date=June 17, 2004|access-date=January 9, 2010}}</ref> Of the 35 primary films that are considered Frat Pack films, Stiller has been involved with 20, in some capacity.<ref name="FPT"/>

Stiller is also the only member of this group to have appeared in a [[Brat Pack (actors)|Brat Pack]] film (''[[Fresh Horses (film)|Fresh Horses]]'').<ref name="EmpireHorses"/> He rejects the "Frat Pack" label, saying in a 2008 interview that the concept was "completely fabricated".<ref>{{cite web|title=Stiller tired of 'Frat Pack' label|publisher=Ben Stiller dot Net|date=September 23, 2006|url=http://www.benstiller.net/ben-stiller/stiller-tired-of-frat-pack-tag|access-date=February 14, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090107045333/http://www.benstiller.net/ben-stiller/stiller-tired-of-frat-pack-tag/|archive-date=January 7, 2009|url-status=dead}}</ref>


==Personal life==
==Personal life==
Ben Stiller dated several actresses during his early television and film career including [[Jeanne Tripplehorn]], [[Calista Flockhart]], and [[Amanda Peet]].<ref name="Yahoo">{{cite web|work=[[Yahoo!]]|title=Ben Stiller |url=http://tv.yahoo.com/ben-stiller/contributor/31663/bio;_ylt=Avdnl1zLWRNAS2XImByvwQa.o9EF|accessdate=March 29, 2009}}</ref><ref name="M&C">{{cite news|publisher=[[Monsters and Critics]]|title=Ben Stiller's funny charms|url=http://www.monstersandcritics.com/people/news/article_1233786.php/Ben_Stillers_funny_charms|date=December 16, 2006|accessdate=March 29, 2009}}</ref> In May 2000, Stiller married [[Christine Taylor]], whom he met while filming a never-broadcast television pilot for the [[Fox Broadcasting]] network called ''[[Heat Vision and Jack]]'', which starred [[Jack Black (actor)|Jack Black]].<ref name="Buzzle">{{cite news|author=Buzzle Staff and Agencies|publisher=Buzzle.com|title=Ben Stiller, Christine Taylor Welcome a Girl|url=http://www.buzzle.com/editorials/4-16-2002-16705.asp|date=April 16, 2002|accessdate=March 29, 2009}}</ref> The couple appeared onscreen together in ''[[Zoolander]]'', ''[[Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story]]'', and ''[[Tropic Thunder]]''. He and Taylor reside in [[Hollywood Hills]]<ref name="Parade"/> and have a daughter, Ella Olivia, born April 10, 2002, and a son, Quinlin Dempsey, born July 10, 2005.<ref name="NP">{{cite news|last=Thompson|first=Bob|work=[[National Post]]|title=Group Outing |url=http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=7601301e-15e5-42de-9c5e-5ff46fd1a9d6&k=32249|date=December 16, 2006|accessdate=March 29, 2009}}</ref>
Stiller dated several actresses during his early television and film career, including [[Jeanne Tripplehorn]] between 1990 and 1996, [[Calista Flockhart]], and [[Amanda Peet]].<ref name="Yahoo">{{cite web|publisher=[[Yahoo!]]|title=Ben Stiller|url=http://tv.yahoo.com/ben-stiller/contributor/31663/bio;_ylt=Avdnl1zLWRNAS2XImByvwQa.o9EF|access-date=March 29, 2009}}</ref><ref name="M&C">{{cite news|publisher=Monsters and Critics|title=Ben Stiller's funny charms|url=http://www.monstersandcritics.com/people/news/article_1233786.php/Ben_Stillers_funny_charms|date=December 16, 2006|access-date=March 29, 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090111005555/http://www.monstersandcritics.com/people/news/article_1233786.php/Ben_Stillers_funny_charms|archive-date=January 11, 2009}}</ref>


In May 2000, Stiller married actress [[Christine Taylor]] at an oceanfront ceremony in [[Kauai]], [[Hawaii]].<ref>{{cite news|first=Marcus|last=Errico|title=Ben Stiller Hitched!|url=http://uk.eonline.com/news/39862/ben-stiller-hitched|publisher=E!|date=May 16, 2000|access-date=October 9, 2013}}</ref> The two had met in 1999, while filming a never-broadcast television pilot for [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] called ''[[Heat Vision and Jack]]''. Taylor and Stiller appeared together in the films ''[[Zoolander]]'', ''[[Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story]]'', ''[[Tropic Thunder]]'', ''[[Zoolander 2]]'' and in the TV series ''[[Arrested Development (TV series)|Arrested Development]]'', and ''[[Curb Your Enthusiasm]]''. Both adopted a vegetarian diet for health reasons.<ref>{{cite web |first=Karin |last=Yates |url=http://www.ecorazzi.com/2012/05/18/christine-taylor-and-ben-stiller-embrace-plant-based-lifestyle/ |title=Christine Taylor and Ben Stiller Embrace Plant-Based Lifestyle |website=Ecorazzi.com |date=May 18, 2012 |access-date=February 22, 2013 |archive-date=May 25, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130525093250/http://www.ecorazzi.com/2012/05/18/christine-taylor-and-ben-stiller-embrace-plant-based-lifestyle |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Denson|first=Jarrod|date=2013-01-09|title=Living Green with Christine Taylor|url=https://www.organicspamagazine.com/living-green-with-christine-taylor/|access-date=2020-10-19|website=Organic Spa Magazine}}</ref> After 17 years of marriage, Taylor and Stiller [[Marital separation|separated]] in 2017.<ref>{{cite news|first=Jayme|last=Deerwester|title=Ben Stiller, Christine Taylor separate after 17 years of marriage|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/people/2017/05/26/ben-stiller-christine-taylor-separate-after-17-years-of-marriage/102214466/|newspaper=[[USA Today]]|location=Mclean, Virginia|date=May 26, 2017|access-date=May 28, 2017}}</ref> They later reconciled after living together during the [[COVID-19 pandemic]] lockdown.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/tv/a39139152/ben-stiller-severance-profile/ |title=Ben Stiller Sees the World Differently Now |work=Esquire |last=D'Agostino |first=Ryan |date=February 22, 2022 |access-date=March 7, 2022}}</ref> The couple lives in [[Westchester County, New York]] and [[Manhattan]] and has two children, a daughter, Ella Olivia (born 2002), and a son, Quinlin Dempsey (born 2005).<ref>{{cite news |last=Tulloch |first=Lee |date=November 16, 2013 |title=Ben Stiller in the moment |newspaper=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]] |location=Sydney, Australia |url=http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/movies/ben-stiller-in-the-moment-20131111-2xani.html |access-date=October 14, 2018}}</ref><ref name="NP">{{cite news |last=Thompson |first=Bob |date=December 16, 2006 |title=Group Outing |work=[[National Post]] |url=https://nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=7601301e-15e5-42de-9c5e-5ff46fd1a9d6&k=32249 |url-status=dead |access-date=March 29, 2009 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121208132451/http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=7601301e-15e5-42de-9c5e-5ff46fd1a9d6&k=32249 |archive-date=December 8, 2012}}</ref> Stiller and Taylor's daughter, Ella, graduated from the [[Juilliard School]] in [[New York City, New York]] with a degree in acting on May 24, 2024.<ref>{{cite web |title=Ben Stiller and Christine Taylor's 22-Year-Old Daughter Ella Stiller Graduates From Juilliard |url=https://www.eonline.com/news/1402462/ben-stiller-and-christine-taylors-22-year-old-daughter-ella-stiller-graduates-from-juilliard?query=Ella%20 |website=E! Online |access-date=12 June 2024 |date=27 May 2024}}</ref>
Stiller is a supporter of the [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]] and donated money to [[John Kerry]]'s 2004 U.S. Presidential campaign.<ref name="Newsmeat">{{cite web|work=Newsmeat|title=Ben Stiller's Federal Campaign Contribution Report |url=http://www.newsmeat.com/celebrity_political_donations/Ben_Stiller.php|accessdate=March 29, 2009}}</ref> In February 2007, Stiller attended a fundraiser for [[Barack Obama]] and later donated to the 2008 U.S. Presidential campaigns of Democrats Obama, [[John Edwards]], and [[Hillary Clinton]].<ref name="MTVpol">{{cite news|last=Kaufman|first=Gil|publisher=MTV|title=Will Smith, Ben Stiller, Even Paulie Walnuts Open Wallets for Presidential Candidates|url=http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1564950/20070717/story.jhtml|date=July 17, 2007|accessdate=March 29, 2009}}</ref> Stiller is also a supporter of several charities including [[Declare Yourself]], the [[Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation]], and the Starlight Starbright Children's Foundation.<ref name="LTTS">{{cite web|work=Look to the Stars|title=Ben Stiller Charity Information|url=http://www.looktothestars.org/celebrity/18-ben-stiller|accessdate=March 29, 2009}}</ref> In 2010, Stiller joined [[Jennifer Aniston]], [[Courteney Cox]], [[Robin Williams]], and other Hollywood stars in "The Cove PSA: My Friend is... ", an effort to stop the slaughter of dolphins and protect the Japanese population from the toxic levels of mercury found in dolphin meat.<ref>[http://mashable.com/2010/04/22/the-cove-psa/ Hollywood and “The Cove” Join Forces for Dolphin Awareness: Ben Stiller, Jennifer Aniston and friends appear in The Cove PSA directed by Andrés Useche ]</ref>


===Philanthropy and advocacy===
In a 1999 interview with ''[[GQ (magazine)|GQ]]'' and later in a 2001 interview with Hollywood.com, Stiller stated that he has [[bipolar disorder]], an illness he said that ran in his family.<ref name="AboutPolar"/> In interviews in November and December 2006, Stiller claimed that this earlier interview's comment about the disorder was false.<ref name="DT">{{cite news|last=Cassimatis|first=Georgia|work=[[The Daily Telegraph]]|title=Ben at work|url=http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,20809123-5006011,00.html|date=November 26, 2006|accessdate=March 29, 2009}}</ref> In one interview he clarified, "I said jokingly in ''GQ'' that I was, like, crazy, and it came out as: Ben Stiller, bipolar manic-depressive!"<ref name="ClownPrince">{{cite news|last=Ayres|first=Chris|work=[[The Times]]|title=Clown prince|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,20029-2500717,00.html|date=December 16, 2006|accessdate=March 29, 2009|location=London}}</ref>
[[File:Президент зустрівся з голлівудським актором, посланцем доброї волі ООН Беном Стіллером 03.jpg|thumb|right|Stiller meeting with Ukraine President [[Volodymyr Zelenskyy]] in 2022]]
In 2001, Stiller appeared as a celebrity contestant on the game show ''[[Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (U.S. game show)|Who Wants to Be a Millionaire]]''. He won $32,000 for his charity [[Project ALS]], after incorrectly answering his $250,000 question in an attempt to equal [[Edie Falco]]'s $250,000 win.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Brandon|first1=Voss|title=Edie Falco & Ben Stiller Play House|url=https://www.playbill.com/article/edie-falco-ben-stiller-play-house-com-179258|website=Playbill|date=May 18, 2011|publisher=Philip S. Birsh|access-date=April 1, 2018}}</ref>


Stiller supports such charities as [[Declare Yourself]], the [[Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation]], and the Starlight Starbright Children's Foundation.<ref name="LTTS">{{cite web|work=Look to the Stars|title=Ben Stiller Charity Information|url=http://www.looktothestars.org/celebrity/18-ben-stiller|access-date=March 29, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090320154812/http://www.looktothestars.org/celebrity/18-ben-stiller|archive-date= March 20, 2009|url-status=live}}</ref> He was appointed [[Goodwill Ambassador]] for [[United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees|UNHCR]] on July 2, 2018.<ref>{{Cite press release|url=https://www.unhcr.org/news/press/2018/7/5b39ed354/ben-stiller-appointed-goodwill-ambassador-unhcr-un-refugee-agency.html|title=Ben Stiller appointed Goodwill Ambassador for UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency|publisher=United Nations High Commission for Refugees|access-date=2019-05-18}}</ref>
Stiller frequently does impersonations of many of his favorite performers, including [[Bono]], [[Tom Cruise]], [[Bruce Springsteen]], and [[David Blaine]]. In an interview with ''[[Parade (magazine)|Parade]]'', he commented that [[Robert Klein]], [[George Carlin]], and [[Jimmie Walker]] were inspirations for his comedy career.<ref name="Parade"/> Stiller is also a self-professed [[Trekkie]] and appeared in the television special ''Star Trek: 30 Years and Beyond'' to express his love of the show, as well as a comedy roast for [[William Shatner]].<ref name="Still30Years">{{cite news|agency=[[Associated Press]]|title='Five Year Mission' Enters 31st Season|work=[[The Daily Courier]]|url=http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=9bwKAAAAIBAJ&sjid=qU0DAAAAIBAJ&dq=star%20trek%2030%20years%20and%20beyond%20ben%20stiller&pg=5521%2C822468|publisher=[[Google News]]|date=October 7, 1996|accessdate=January 13, 2010}} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref><ref name="Roaster">{{cite web|title=Holy Shat! Insults Fly at Comedy Central Roast|publisher=Startrek.com|url=http://www.startrek.com/startrek/view/news/article/22175.html|date=August 15, 2006|accessdate=January 13, 2010}}</ref> He frequently references the show in his work, and named his production company [[Red Hour Productions]] after the original ''Star Trek'' episode "[[The Return of the Archons]]".<ref name="RedTrek">{{cite web|last=Silverstein|first=Adam|title=Stiller: 'J.J. Abrams did great job'|publisher=Digital Spy|url=http://www.digitalspy.com/movies/news/a156194/stiller-jj-abrams-did-great-job.html|date=April 19, 2009|accessdate=January 13, 2010}}</ref>


Stiller frequently impersonates such performers as [[Bono]], [[Tom Cruise]], [[Bruce Springsteen]], and [[David Blaine]]. In an interview with ''[[Parade (magazine)|Parade]]'', he commented that [[Robert Klein]], [[George Carlin]], and [[Jimmie Walker]] were inspirations for his comedy career.<ref name="Parade"/> Stiller is also a self-professed [[Trekkie]] and appeared in the television special ''Star Trek: 30 Years and Beyond'' to express his love of the show, as well as a comedy roast for [[William Shatner]].<ref name="Still30Years">{{cite news|agency=[[Associated Press]]|title='Five Year Mission' Enters 31st Season|work=[[The Daily Courier (Arizona)|The Daily Courier]]|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=9bwKAAAAIBAJ&dq=star%20trek%2030%20years%20and%20beyond%20ben%20stiller&pg=5521%2C822468|date=October 7, 1996|access-date=January 13, 2010}}{{Dead link|date=November 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref name="Roaster">{{cite web|title=Holy Shat! Insults Fly at Comedy Central Roast|publisher=Startrek.com|url=http://www.startrek.com/startrek/view/news/article/22175.html|date=August 15, 2006|access-date=January 13, 2010|archive-date=April 1, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090401031625/http://www.startrek.com/startrek/view/news/article/22175.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> He frequently references the show in his work, and named his production company [[Red Hour Productions]] after a time of day in the original series episode, "[[The Return of the Archons]]".<ref name="RedTrek">{{cite web|last=Silverstein|first=Adam|title=Stiller: 'J.J. Abrams did great job'|website=Digital Spy|url=http://www.digitalspy.com/movies/news/a156194/stiller-jj-abrams-did-great-job.html|date=April 19, 2009|access-date=January 13, 2010}}</ref>
== Filmography ==
=== Actor ===
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 100%;"
|-
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Year
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Film
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Role
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Notes
|-
| rowspan="3" | 1987
| ''[[Empire of the Sun (film)|Empire of the Sun]]''
| Dainty
|
|-
| ''[[Hot Pursuit (film)|Hot Pursuit]]''
| Chris Honeywell
|
|-
| ''Shoeshine''
|
|
|-
| 1988
| ''[[Fresh Horses]]''
| Tipton
|
|-
| rowspan="3" | 1989
| ''[[Next of Kin (1989 film)|Next of Kin]]''
| Lawrence Isabella
|
|-
| ''Elvis Stories''
| Bruce
|
|-
| ''[[That's Adequate]]''
| Chip Lane
|
|-
| 1990
| ''[[Stella (1990 film)|Stella]]''
| Jim Uptegrove
|
|-
| rowspan="2" | 1992
| ''The Nutt House''
| Pie Thrower
| Cameo
|-
| ''[[Highway to Hell (film)|Highway to Hell]]''
| Pluto's Cook/Attila the Hun
|
|-
| 1994
| ''[[Reality Bites]]''
| Michael Grates
| Also director
|-
| 1995
| ''[[Heavyweights]]''
| Tony Perkis/Tony Perkis Sr.
|
|-
| rowspan="4" | 1996
| ''[[The Cable Guy]]''
| Sam Sweet/Stan Sweet
| Also director
|-
| ''[[Flirting with Disaster]]''
| Mel
|
|-
| ''[[If Lucy Fell]]''
| Bwick Elias
|
|-
| ''[[Happy Gilmore]]''
| Hal L. (Nursing Home Orderly)
| Uncredited
|-
| rowspan="4" | 1998
| ''[[Permanent Midnight]]''
| Jerry Stahl
|
|-
| ''[[Your Friends & Neighbors]]''
| Jerry
|
|-
| ''[[There's Something About Mary]]''
| Ted Stroehmann
|
|-
| ''[[Zero Effect]]''
| Steve Arlo
|
|-
| rowspan="3" | 1999
| ''[[Black and White (1999 film)|Black and White]]''
| Mark Clear
|
|-
| ''[[Mystery Men]]''
| Mr. Furious
|
|-
| ''[[The Suburbans]]''
| Jay Rose
|
|-
| rowspan="3" | 2000 || ''[[Meet the Parents]]''
| Gaylord 'Greg' Focker
|
|-
| ''[[Keeping the Faith]]''
| Rabbi Jake Schram
|
|-
| ''[[The Independent (film)|The Independent]]''
| Cop
|
|-
| rowspan="2" | 2001
| ''[[The Royal Tenenbaums]]''
| [[Chas Tenenbaum]]
|
|-
| ''[[Zoolander]]''
| Derek Zoolander
| Also writer and director
|-
| rowspan="2" | 2002
| ''[[Orange County (film)|Orange County]]''
| The Firefighter
| Cameo
|-
| ''[[Run Ronnie Run]]''
| Himself
|
|-
| rowspan="3" | 2003
| ''Nobody Knows Anything!''
| Peach Expert
| Cameo
|-
| ''[[Duplex (film)|Duplex]]''
| Alex Rose
|
|-
| ''[[Pauly Shore Is Dead]]''
| Himself
| Cameo
|-
| rowspan="6" | 2004
| ''[[Meet the Fockers]]''
| Gaylord 'Greg' Focker
|
|-
| ''[[Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy]]''
| Arturo Mendes
| Cameo
|-
| ''[[Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story]]''
| White Goodman
|
|-
| ''[[Envy (2004 film)|Envy]]''
| Tim Dingman
|
|-
| ''[[Starsky & Hutch (film)|Starsky & Hutch]]''
| David Starsky
|
|-
| ''[[Along Came Polly]]''
| Reuben Feffer
|
|-
| rowspan="3" | 2005
| ''[[Danny Roane: First Time Director]]''
| Himself
|
|-
| ''[[Madagascar (2005 film)|Madagascar]]''
| Alex
| Voice only
|-
| ''Sledge: The Untold Story''
| Commander
|
|-
| rowspan="4" | 2006
| ''[[Night at the Museum]]''
| Larry Daley
|
|-
| ''In Search of Ted Demme''
| Himself
|
|-
| ''[[Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny]]''
| Guitar Center Guy
| Cameo and producer
|-
| ''[[School for Scoundrels (2006 film)|School for Scoundrels]]''
| Lonnie
|
|-
| 2007
| ''[[The Heartbreak Kid (2007 film)|The Heartbreak Kid]]''
| Eddie Cantrow
|
|-
| rowspan="2" | 2008
| ''[[Tropic Thunder]]''
| Tugg Speedman
| Also writer and director
|-
| ''[[Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa]]''
| Alex
| Voice only
|-
| rowspan="2" | 2009
| ''[[Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian]]''
| Larry Daley
|
|-
| ''[[The Marc Pease Experience]]''
| Jon Gribble
|
|-
| rowspan="3" | 2010
| ''[[Greenberg (2010 film)|Greenberg]]''
| Roger Greenberg
|Nominated — [[Independent Spirit Award for Best Male Lead]]
|-
| ''[[Megamind]]''
| Bernard
| Voice only
|-
| ''[[Little Fockers]]''
| Gaylord 'Greg' Focker
|
|-
| rowspan="2" | 2011
| ''[[Tower Heist]]''
| Josh Kovacs
|
|-
| ''Bunnicula''
| Edgar Allan Crow
|
|-
| 2012
| ''[[Madagascar 3]]''
| Alex
| Voice only
|}


Stiller considers [[Ukraine|Ukrainian]] President [[Volodymyr Zelenskyy]] to be his "hero", and he visited him in [[Kyiv]] in June 2022; on the same trip Stiller visited [[Lviv]], [[Irpin]] and [[Makariv]] to bring attention to the humanitarian need of refugees in Poland and Ukraine.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/06/21/ben-stiller-zelensky-ukraine-visit/ |title=Ben Stiller tells Zelensky in Ukraine: 'You're my hero' |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |first=Bryan |last=Pietsch |date=June 21, 2022 |access-date=June 22, 2022}}</ref> Russia sanctioned Ben Stiller over his Ukraine support.<ref>{{cite web |title=Russia sanctions Ben Stiller and Sean Penn over Ukraine support |date=2022-09-06 |website=[[Reuters]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230214043157/https://www.reuters.com/world/russia-sanctions-ben-stiller-sean-penn-over-ukraine-support-2022-09-06/ |archive-date=2023-02-14 |url-status=live |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/russia-sanctions-ben-stiller-sean-penn-over-ukraine-support-2022-09-06/}}</ref>
=== Director and producer ===
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 100%;"
|-
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Year
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Title
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Notes
|-
| 1989 || ''Elvis Stories'' || Director and writer
|-
| 1994 || ''[[Reality Bites]]'' || rowspan="3" | Director
|-
| 1996 || ''[[The Cable Guy]]''
|-
| 1999 || ''[[Heat Vision and Jack]]''
|-
| 2001 || ''[[Zoolander]]'' || Director, producer, and writer
|-
| rowspan="2" | 2003 || ''[[Duplex (film)|Duplex]]'' || Producer
|-
| ''Crooked Lines'' || rowspan="2" | [[Executive producer]]
|-
| rowspan="2" | 2004 || ''[[Starsky & Hutch (film)|Starsky & Hutch]]''
|-
| ''[[Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story]]'' || Producer
|-
| 2006 || ''[[Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny]]'' || Executive producer
|-
| 2007 || ''[[Blades of Glory]]'' || rowspan="3" | Producer
|-
| rowspan="3" | 2008 || ''Date School''
|-
| ''[[The Ruins (film)|The Ruins]]''
|-
| ''[[Tropic Thunder]]'' || Director, producer, and writer
|-
| 2009 || ''[[The Boys: The Sherman Brothers' Story]]'' || Executive producer
|-
| 2010 || ''[[Megamind]]'' || Executive producer
|}


=== Television work ===
===Politics===
Stiller is a supporter of the [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]] and donated money to [[John Kerry]]'s 2004 U.S. presidential campaign.<ref name="Newsmeat">{{cite web |title=Ben Stiller's Federal Campaign Contribution Report |url=http://www.newsmeat.com/celebrity_political_donations/Ben_Stiller.php |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081017195238/http://newsmeat.com/celebrity_political_donations/Ben_Stiller.php |archive-date=October 17, 2008 |access-date=March 29, 2009 |work=Newsmeat}}</ref> In February 2007, Stiller attended a fundraiser for [[Barack Obama]] and later donated to the 2008 U.S. presidential campaigns of Democrats Obama, [[John Edwards]], and [[Hillary Clinton]].<ref name="MTVpol">{{cite news |last=Kaufman |first=Gil |date=July 17, 2007 |title=Will Smith, Ben Stiller, Even Paulie Walnuts Open Wallets for Presidential Candidates |publisher=MTV |url=http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1564950/20070717/story.jhtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070821103329/http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1564950/20070717/story.jhtml |url-status=dead |archive-date=August 21, 2007 |access-date=March 29, 2009}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 100%;"
|-
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Year
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Title
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Role
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Notes
|-
| 1987 || ''[[Miami Vice]]'' || Fast Eddie Felcher || Single episode
|-
| rowspan="2" | 1990 || <!-- This is not a duplicate show, he had 2 shows with the same name -->''The Ben Stiller Show'' || Himself || Director and writer
|-
| ''Working Trash'' || Freddy Novak || Television film
|-
| 1992–1993 || ''[[The Ben Stiller Show]]'' || Himself || Director, producer, and writer
|-
| rowspan="2" | 1995 || ''[[Duckman]]'' || Harry Medfly || Voice only; single episode
|-
| ''[[2 Stupid Dogs]]'' || Tony Robbins-style character || Voice Only
|-
| 1996 || ''[[NewsRadio]]'' || Vic || rowspan="3" | Single episode
|-
| 1997 || ''[[Friends]]'' || Tommy
|-
| 1998 || ''[[Space Ghost Coast to Coast]]'' || Himself
|-
| rowspan="2" | 1999 || ''[[Heat Vision and Jack]]'' || Strip Club DJ || Director and executive producer
|-
| ''WWF Raw Is War'' || Himself || Special guest host
|-
| 2000 || ''[[Freaks and Geeks]]'' || Secret Service Agent || rowspan="2" | Single episode
|-
| 2001 || ''[[Undeclared]]'' || Rex
|-
| rowspan="3" | 2002 || ''[[The Simpsons]]'' || Garth Motherloving || Voice only; single episode
|-
| ''[[Prehistoric Planet]]'' || Narrator || First season
|-
| ''[[The King of Queens]]'' || Jerry || Single episode
|-
| 2004 || ''[[Curb Your Enthusiasm]]'' || Himself || Three episodes
|-
| 2004–2006 || ''[[Arrested Development (TV series)|Arrested Development]]'' || Tony Wonder || Four episodes
|-
| 2005 || ''[[Extras (TV series)|Extras]]'' || rowspan="3" | Himself || Single episode
|-
| 2007 || ''[[Family Guy]]'' || Voice only; [[No Meals on Wheels|single episode]] (uncredited)
|-
| 2008 || ''[[Sesame Street]]'' || Single episode
|-
| rowspan="2" | 2010 || ''[[Phineas and Ferb]]'' || Khaka Peu Peu || [[The Beak (Phineas and Ferb)|The Beak]]
|-
| ''[[Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!]]'' || Himself || Single episode
|-
| 2010 || ''[[The Trip (2010 TV series)|The Trip]] (BBC)'' || [[Steve Coogan]]'s dream agent || Single episode, cameo (uncredited)
|}


=== Music videos ===
===Health===
Stiller has [[bipolar disorder]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.promises.com/addiction-blog/celebrities-bipolar-disorder/ | title=Celebrities Diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder | date=July 13, 2012 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/society/2011/apr/14/bipolar-disorder-facts-symptoms | title=What is bipolar disorder? | newspaper=The Guardian | date=April 14, 2011 | last1=Taylor | first1=Rosie }}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 100%;"

|-
Stiller was diagnosed with [[prostate cancer]] in June 2014 and was declared cancer-free in September 2014 following the surgical removal of his [[prostate]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2016/oct/04/ben-stiller-speaks-about-battle-with-prostate-cancer|title=Ben Stiller speaks about diagnosis with prostate cancer|author=Shoard, Catherine|work=[[The Guardian]]|date=October 4, 2016|access-date=January 26, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/ben-stiller-reveals-he-was-diagnosed-with-prostate-cancer-w443251|title=Ben Stiller Reveals He Was Diagnosed With Prostate Cancer|author=Hautman, Nicholas|work=[[Us Weekly]]|date=October 4, 2016|access-date=October 4, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Hollywood actor Ben Stiller reveals he had prostate cancer but is now cancer-free|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/article/37551842/hollywood-actor-ben-stiller-reveals-he-had-prostate-cancer-but-is-now-cancer-free|access-date=October 4, 2016|work=BBC News|date=October 4, 2016}}</ref>
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Year

! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Title
==Filmography==
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Role
{{main|Ben Stiller filmography}}
|-
[[File:Ben Stiller Cannes 2012.jpg|thumb|upright|Stiller at the ''[[Madagascar 3]]'' premiere at the 2012 [[Cannes Film Festival]]]]
| 1999 || "[[All Star (song)|All Star]]" || Mr. Furious

|-
Stiller has mostly appeared in comedy films. He is an [[Emmy Award]] winner for his television show, ''[[The Ben Stiller Show]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.emmys.com/bios/ben-stiller|title=Ben Stiller|website=Television Academy|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160802004015/https://www.emmys.com/bios/ben-stiller|archive-date=August 2, 2016|access-date=2019-02-03}}</ref>
| rowspan="2" | 2000 || "[[Rollin' (Air Raid Vehicle)|Rollin']]" || rowspan="2" | Himself
|-
| "[[Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water]]"
|-
| 2001 || "Bad Boy for Life" || P. Diddy's neighbor
|-
| 2002 || "[[Tribute (song)|Tribute]]" || rowspan="3" | Himself
|-
| 2004 || "[[Taylor (song)|Taylor]]"
|-
| 2006 || ''Awesome: I Fuckin' Shot That!''
|-
| 2007 || "[[Closer (Travis song)|Closer]]" || Supermarket manager
|}


==Awards and honors==
==Awards and honors==
{{main|List of awards and nominations received by Ben Stiller}}
*Stiller was awarded an [[Emmy Award]] for "Outstanding Individual Achievement in Writing in a Variety or Music Program"for his work on ''[[The Ben Stiller Show]]''.<ref name="AboutPolar"/>
*He has been nominated twelve times for the [[Teen Choice Awards]] and won once for "Choice Hissy Fit" for his work in ''Zoolander''. He also was nominated by the [[MTV Movie Award]]s thirteen times and won three times for "Best Fight" in ''There's Something About Mary'', "Best Comedic Performance" in ''Meet the Parents'', and "Best Villain" in ''Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story''.<ref name="IMDB">{{cite web|work=Internet Movie Database|title=Awards for Ben Stiller|url=http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001774/awards|accessdate=March 29, 2009}}</ref>
Stiller was awarded an [[Emmy Award]] for "[[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program|Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program]]" for his work on ''[[The Ben Stiller Show]]''.<ref name="AboutPolar"/> He has been nominated twelve times for the [[Teen Choice Awards]], and won once, for "Choice Hissy Fit" for his work in ''Zoolander''. He has been nominated for the [[MTV Movie Awards]] thirteen times, and has won three times: for "Best Fight" in ''There's Something About Mary'', "Best Comedic Performance" in ''Meet the Parents'', and "Best Villain" in ''DodgeBall: A True Underdog Story''.<ref name="IMDBawards">{{cite web|title=Awards for Ben Stiller|publisher=IMDb|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001774/awards|access-date=March 29, 2009}}</ref> He received the MTV Movie Awards' [[MTV Movie Awards#Lifetime Achievement Award/MTV Generation Award|MTV Generation Award]], the ceremony's top honor, in 2009.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/8065304.stm|title=Ben Stiller to receive MTV honour|publisher=BBC|date=May 23, 2009|access-date=March 25, 2010}}</ref> On March 31, 2007, Stiller received the "Wannabe Award" (given to a celebrity whom children "want to be" like) at the [[Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards|Kids' Choice Awards]].<ref name="Eagle">{{cite news |last=Rogers|first=John|work=[[The Bryan-College Station Eagle|The Eagle]]|title=Ben Stiller wins top Kids Choice prize – the Wannabe|url=http://theeagle.com/stories/040107/entertainment_20070401007.php|archive-url=https://archive.today/20071012164032/http://theeagle.com/stories/040107/entertainment_20070401007.php |url-status=dead|archive-date=October 12, 2007|date=April 1, 2007|access-date=March 29, 2009}}</ref>

*[[Princeton University]]'s Class of 2005 inducted Stiller as an honorary member of the class during its "Senior Week" in April 2005.<ref name="DP">{{cite news|last=Senn|first=Tom|work=[[The Daily Princetonian]]|title=Comedian Stiller performs at Class of 2005 event| url=http://www.dailyprincetonian.com/archives/2005/04/19/news/12659.shtml|date=April 19, 2005|accessdate=March 29, 2009}}</ref>
*On February 23, 2007, Stiller received the Hasty Pudding Man of the Year award from Harvard's Hasty Pudding Theatricals. According to the organization, the award is given to performers who give a lasting and impressive contribution to the world of entertainment.<ref name="HT">{{cite news|agency=[[Associated Press]]|work=[[International Herald Tribune]]|title=Ben Stiller, Scarlett Johansson to receive Hasty Pudding awards at Harvard|url=http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/01/29/arts/NA-A-E-CEL-US-Hasty-Pudding-Awards.php |date=January 29, 2007|accessdate=March 29, 2009 |archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20070903162431/http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/01/29/arts/NA-A-E-CEL-US-Hasty-Pudding-Awards.php |archivedate = September 3, 2007}}</ref>
[[Princeton University]]'s Class of 2005 inducted Stiller as an honorary member of the class during its "Senior Week" in April 2005.<ref name="DP">{{cite news|last=Senn|first=Tom|date=April 19, 2005|work=[[The Daily Princetonian]] |title=Comedian Stiller performs at Class of 2005 event |url=http://www.dailyprincetonian.com/archives/2005/04/19/news/12659.shtml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080928160944/http://www.dailyprincetonian.com/archives/2005/04/19/news/12659.shtml|archive-date=September 28, 2008|access-date=March 29, 2009|url-status=dead}}</ref> On February 23, 2007, Stiller received the Hasty Pudding Man of the Year award from Harvard's [[Hasty Pudding Theatricals]]. According to the organization, the award is given to performers who give a lasting and impressive contribution to the world of entertainment.<ref name="HT">{{cite news|agency=[[Associated Press]]|work=[[International Herald Tribune]]|title=Ben Stiller, Scarlett Johansson to receive Hasty Pudding awards at Harvard|url=http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/01/29/arts/NA-A-E-CEL-US-Hasty-Pudding-Awards.php|date=January 29, 2007|access-date=March 29, 2009|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070903162431/http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/01/29/arts/NA-A-E-CEL-US-Hasty-Pudding-Awards.php|archive-date=September 3, 2007}}</ref> In 2011 he was awarded the [[British Academy of Film and Television Arts|BAFTA]] Britannia – Charlie Chaplin Britannia Award for Excellence in Comedy by [[Britannia Awards|BAFTA Los Angeles]].<ref>{{cite news |first=Dave|last=McNary|url=https://variety.com/2011/scene/awards/bafta-l-a-award-to-ben-stiller-1118041686/|title=BAFTA/L.A. award to Ben Stiller|work=Variety|publisher=[[Reed Elsevier Inc.]]|date=August 23, 2011|access-date=July 31, 2012}}</ref> In 2014, Stiller was nominated for [[Saturn Award for Best Actor|Best Actor]] at the [[40th Saturn Awards]] for ''[[The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013 film)|The Secret Life of Walter Mitty]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.saturnawards.org/nominations.html|title=The 40th Annual Aturn Awards Nominations |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140403201116/http://www.saturnawards.org/nominations.html |archive-date=2014-04-03|url-status=dead}}</ref> On February 2, 2019, Stiller won the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Movies for Television and Limited Series for his miniseries, ''[[Escape at Dannemora]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.dga.org/awards/annual.aspx#mft|title=71st Annual DGA Awards|website=dga.org|access-date=2019-07-03}}</ref>

*On March 31, 2007, Stiller received the "Wannabe Award" from the [[Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards|Kids' Choice Awards]].<ref name="Eagle">{{cite news|last=Rogers|first=John|work=[[The Eagle (newspaper)|The Eagle]]|title=Ben Stiller wins top Kids Choice prize - the Wannabe|url=http://theeagle.com/stories/040107/entertainment_20070401007.php |date=April 1, 2007|accessdate=March 29, 2009 |archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20071012164032/http://theeagle.com/stories/040107/entertainment_20070401007.php |archivedate = October 12, 2007}}</ref>
On February 6, 2016, Stiller set the ''Guinness World Record'' for longest selfie stick (8.56 meters) at the World Premiere of ''[[Zoolander 2]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/news/2016/2/ben-stiller-snaps-up-guinness-world-records-title-for-longest-selfie-stick-at-zoo-415656|title=Zoolander 2 premiere: Ben Stiller snaps up Guinness World Records title for longest selfie stick|date=February 5, 2016}}</ref>
*On May 31, 2009, Stiller received the [[MTV Movie Award#Lifetime Achievement Award/MTV Generation Award|MTV Generation Award]], at the 2009 [[MTV Movie Awards]]. It is the ceremony's top honor.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/8065304.stm|title=Ben Stiller to receive MTV honour|publisher=BBC|date=May 23, 2009 | accessdate=March 25, 2010}}</ref>


==References==
==References==
{{Reflist|2}}
{{Reflist}}


==Further reading==
===Sources===
*Bankston, John. ''Ben Stiller (Real-Life Reader Biography)''. Mitchell Lane Publishers, 2002. ISBN 1584151323.
*{{cite book|author=Bankston, John| title=Ben Stiller: Real-Life Reader Biography|publisher= Mitchell Lane Publishers|date= 2002|isbn=1-58415-132-3}}
*Dougherty, Terri. ''Ben Stiller (People in the News)''. Lucent Books, 2006. ISBN 1590187237.
*{{cite book|author=Dougherty, Terri|title=Ben Stiller: People in the News|publisher=Lucent Books|date=2006|isbn=1-59018-723-7|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/benstiller0000doug}}


==External links==
==External links==
{{Commons category}}
{{Commons category|Ben Stiller}}
*{{IMDB name|1774}}
{{Wikiquote}}
*{{twitter|RedHourBen}}
* {{IMDb name|1774}}
* {{Twitter}}


{{S-start}}
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{{Succession box|before=[[Courteney Cox]] and [[Jon Lovitz]]| title=[[MTV Movie Awards]] host| years=[[1996 MTV Movie Awards|1996]] (with '''[[Janeane Garofalo]]''')| after=[[Mike Myers (actor)|Mike Myers]]}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Courteney Cox]] and [[Jon Lovitz]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[MTV Movie Awards]] host|years=[[1996 MTV Movie Awards|1996]] (with '''[[Janeane Garofalo]]''')}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Mike Myers]]}}
{{Succession box|before=[[Chris Rock]]| title=[[MTV Video Music Awards]] host| years=1998| after=Chris Rock}}
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{{Ben Stiller}}
{{Template group
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|title = Awards for Ben Stiller
|title= [[List of awards and nominations received by Ben Stiller|Awards for Ben Stiller]]
|list =
|list =
{{BAFTA Los Angeles Britannia Awards}}
{{EmmyAward ComedyVarietyMusicWriting 1975-2000}}
{{DirectorsGuildofAmericaAwardMiniseriesorTVFilm}}
{{EmmyAward ComedyVarietyMusicWriting 1990s}}
{{Hasty Pudding Man of the Year}}
{{Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Award for Favorite Movie Actor}}
{{MTV Movie Award for Best Comedic Performance}}
{{MTV Movie Award for Best Comedic Performance}}
{{MTV Movie Award for Best Fight}}
{{MTV Movie Award for Best Fight}}
{{MTV Movie Award for Best Villain}}
{{MTV Movie Award for Best Villain}}
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{{Authority control}}
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{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2010}}
{{Good article}}
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|DATE OF BIRTH= November 30, 1965
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|DATE OF DEATH=
|PLACE OF DEATH=
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Latest revision as of 21:09, 26 November 2024

Ben Stiller
Born
Benjamin Edward Meara Stiller

(1965-11-30) November 30, 1965 (age 59)
EducationUniversity of California, Los Angeles (dropped out)
Occupations
  • Actor
  • comedian
  • writer
  • producer
  • director
Years active1975–present
WorksFull list
Spouse
(m. 2000)
Children2
Parents
AwardsFull list
WebsiteThe Stiller Foundation

Benjamin Edward Meara Stiller (born November 30, 1965) is an American actor, comedian, and filmmaker. He is the son of the comedians and actors Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara.[1] Stiller was a member of a group of comedic actors colloquially known as the Frat Pack. His films have grossed more than $2.6 billion in Canada and the United States, with an average of $79 million per film.[2] Throughout his career, he has received various awards and honors, including an Emmy Award, a Directors Guild of America Award, a Britannia Award and a Teen Choice Award.

While beginning his acting career, Stiller wrote several mockumentaries and was offered a variety sketch comedy series titled The Ben Stiller Show, which he produced and hosted for its 13-episode run. The series ran on MTV in 1990, and on Fox in 1992 and 1993, earning him a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Program. He then appeared on shows such as Friends, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Arrested Development, and Extras, the latter of which earned him a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series nomination.

Having previously acted in television, he began acting in films. He made his directorial debut with Reality Bites and continued directing films and often starring in them, such as with The Cable Guy (1996), Zoolander (2001), Tropic Thunder (2008), and The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013). During this time he also starred in a string of successful studio comedies, including There’s Something About Mary (1998), Along Came Polly (2004), Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story (2004), Starsky & Hutch (2004), and Tower Heist (2011). Stiller is also widely known for multiple franchise films such as the Meet the Parents films (2000–2010), the Madagascar franchise (2005–2012), and the first three Night at the Museum films (2006–2014).[3] His performances in independent films include Flirting with Disaster (1996); The Royal Tenenbaums (2001); and the Noah Baumbach films Greenberg (2010), While We're Young (2014), and The Meyerowitz Stories (2017).

Since the mid-2010s, Stiller has primarily worked as a television showrunner. In 2018 he directed the Showtime limited series Escape at Dannemora earning himself a Directors Guild of America Award and two Primetime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Limited Series and Outstanding Directing for a Limited Series. In 2022 he served as a director and executive producer on the Apple TV+ series Severance earning two Primetime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Drama Series and Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series.

Early life and education

Benjamin Edward Meara Stiller[4][5] was born on November 30, 1965, in New York City[6] and raised on the Upper West Side.[7] His father, comedian and actor Jerry Stiller, was from a Jewish family that emigrated from Poland and Galicia in Central Europe.[8][9][10][11] His mother, actress and comedian Anne Meara, who was from an Irish Catholic background, converted to Reform Judaism after marrying his father.[12][13][14][15] While they "were never a very religious family", they celebrated both Hanukkah and Christmas,[16] and Stiller had a Bar Mitzvah.[17][18][19]

His parents frequently took him on the sets of their appearances, including The Mike Douglas Show when he was 6.[20] He considered his childhood unusual, stating: "In some ways, it was a show-business upbringing—a lot of traveling, a lot of late nights—not what you'd call traditional."[21] His older sister, Amy,[22] has appeared in many of his productions, including Reality Bites, DodgeBall: A True Underdog Story, and Zoolander.[23][24][25] Stiller displayed an early interest in filmmaking and made Super 8 movies with his sister and friends.[9]

At age 9, Stiller made his acting debut as a guest on his mother's short-lived television series, Kate McShane. In the late 1970s, he performed with the New York City troupe NYC's First All Children's Theater, playing several roles, including the title role in Clever Jack and the Magic Beanstalk.[26] After being inspired by the television show Second City Television while in high school, Stiller realized that he wanted to get involved with sketch comedy.[26] During his high school years, he was also the drummer of the post-punk band Capital Punishment, which released the studio album Roadkill in 1982. The band's bassist, Peter Swann, went on to become a judge on the Arizona Court of Appeals, serving from 2008 until 2022.[27][28] The band reunited in 2018 to release a new EP, titled This is Capital Punishment, for Record Store Day.[29] The current status of the band is unknown.

Stiller attended The Cathedral School of St. John the Divine and graduated from the Calhoun School in New York in 1983. He started performing on the cabaret circuit as opening act to the cabaret siren Jadin Wong. Stiller then enrolled as a film student at the University of California, Los Angeles.[30] After nine months, Stiller left school to move back to New York City.[19] He made his way through acting classes, auditioning and trying to find an agent.[31]

Career

Early work

When he was approximately 15, Stiller obtained a small part with one line on the television soap opera Guiding Light, although in an interview he characterized his performance as poor.[32] He was later cast in a role in the 1986 Broadway revival of John Guare's The House of Blue Leaves, alongside John Mahoney; the production would garner four Tony Awards.[31]

During its run, Stiller produced a satirical mockumentary whose principal was fellow actor Mahoney. Stiller's comedic work was well received by the cast and crew of the play, and he followed up with a 10-minute short titled The Hustler of Money, a parody of the Martin Scorsese film The Color of Money. The film featured him in a send-up of Tom Cruise's character and Mahoney in the Paul Newman role, only this time as a bowling hustler instead of a pool shark. The short got the attention of Saturday Night Live, which aired it in 1987 and two years later offered Stiller a spot as a writer.[31] In the meantime, he had a bit role in Steven Spielberg's Empire of the Sun.[33]

In 1989 Stiller wrote and appeared on Saturday Night Live as a featured performer. However, since the show did not want him to make more short films, he left after four episodes.[31] He then put together Elvis Stories, a short film about a fictitious tabloid focused on recent sightings of Elvis Presley.[34] The film starred friends and co-stars John Cusack, Jeremy Piven, Mike Myers, Andy Dick, and Jeff Kahn.[34] The film was considered a success, and led him to develop the short film Going Back to Brooklyn for MTV; it was a music video starring comedian Colin Quinn that parodied LL Cool J's recent hit "Going Back to Cali".[35]

The Ben Stiller Show

Producers at MTV were so impressed with Back to Brooklyn that they offered Stiller a 13-episode show in the experimental "vid-com" format.[36] Titled The Ben Stiller Show, this 1990 series mixed comedy sketches with music videos and parodied various television shows, music stars, and films. It starred Stiller, along with main writer Jeff Khan and Harry O'Reilly, with his parents and sister making occasional appearances.[36]

Although the show was canceled after its first season, it led to another show titled The Ben Stiller Show, on the Fox Network in 1992. The series aired 12 episodes on Fox, with a 13th unaired episode broadcast by Comedy Central in a later revival.[37] Among the principal writers on The Ben Stiller Show were Stiller and Judd Apatow, with the show featuring the ensemble cast of Stiller, Janeane Garofalo, Andy Dick, and Bob Odenkirk.[38] Both Denise Richards and Jeanne Tripplehorn appeared as extras in various episodes. Throughout its short run, The Ben Stiller Show frequently appeared at the bottom of the ratings, even as it garnered critical acclaim and eventually won an Emmy Award for "Outstanding Writing in a Variety or Music Program" posthumously.[37][39][40]

Directorial debut

A crowd of people is all looking towards a man at the center who is signing a hat. The crowd is attempting to hand him posters to sign and others are taking pictures using cameras and cell phones.
Stiller signing autographs before a screening for Tropic Thunder at Camp Pendleton in August 2008

In the early 1990s, Stiller had minor roles in films such as Stella and Highway to Hell as well as a cameo in The Nutt House. In 1992, Stiller was approached to direct Reality Bites, based on a script by Helen Childress. Stiller devoted the next year and a half to rewriting the script with Childress, fundraising, and recruiting cast members for the film. It was eventually released in early 1994, directed by Stiller and featuring him as a co-star.[31] The film was produced by Danny DeVito, who would later direct Stiller's 2003 film Duplex and produce his 2004 film Along Came Polly.[41] Reality Bites debuted as the fifth highest-grossing film over the President Day opening weekend and received mixed reviews.[42][43]

Stiller joined his parents in the family film Heavyweights (1995), in which he played two roles. Following Heavyweights, he had a brief uncredited role in Adam Sandler's Happy Gilmore (1996) where he played Hal L., the sadistic orderly running the nursing home.[44][45] Next, he had lead roles in If Lucy Fell and Flirting with Disaster, before tackling his next directorial effort with The Cable Guy, which starred Jim Carrey. Stiller once again was featured in his own film, as twins. The film received mixed reviews, but was noted for paying the highest salary for an actor up to that point, as Carrey received $20 million for his work in the film.[46] The film also connected Stiller with future Frat Pack members Jack Black and Owen Wilson.[47]

Also in 1996, MTV invited Stiller to host the VH1 Fashion Awards. Along with SNL writer Drake Sather, Stiller developed a short film for the awards about a male model known as Derek Zoolander. It was so well received that he developed another short film about the character for the 1997 VH1 Fashion Awards and finally remade the skit into a film.[31]

In 2021, Stiller signed on to co-write and direct Bag Man, a Focus Features adaptation of the 2018 podcast about the kickback scandal that led to the resignation of Vice President Spiro Agnew.[48] As of October 2023, the movie remains in pre-production.[49]

Comedic work

Stiller in 2010

In 1998, Stiller put aside his directing ambitions to star in the Farrelly Brothers' There's Something About Mary, alongside Cameron Diaz, which became a surprise hit with a long-lasting cult following. That year, he starred in several dramas, including Zero Effect, Your Friends & Neighbors, and Permanent Midnight. He was invited to take part in hosting the Music Video awards, for which he developed a parody of the Backstreet Boys and performed a sketch with his father, commenting on his current career.[50]

In 1999, he starred in three films, including Mystery Men, where he played a superhero wannabe called Mr. Furious. He appeared in a segment on the July 26 episode of WWF RAW is WAR to promote the then-upcoming movie and found himself on the wrong end of Intercontinental Champion Jeff Jarrett's Figure-4 Leg Lock.

He returned to directing with a new spoof television series for Fox titled Heat Vision and Jack, starring Jack Black. However, the show was not picked up by Fox after its pilot episode and the series was cancelled.[51]

In 2000, Stiller starred in three more films, including one of his most recognizable roles, a male nurse named Gaylord "Greg" Focker in Meet the Parents, opposite Robert De Niro.[52] The film was well received by critics, grossed over $330 million worldwide, and spawned two sequels.[53][54] Also in 2000, MTV again invited Stiller to make another short film, and he developed Mission: Improbable, a spoof of Tom Cruise's role in Mission: Impossible II and other films.[55]

In 2001, Stiller directed his third feature film, Zoolander, in which he also starred as Derek Zoolander. The film featured multiple cameos from a variety of celebrities, including Donald Trump, Paris Hilton, Lenny Kravitz, Heidi Klum, and David Bowie, among others. The film was banned in Malaysia (as the plot centered on an assassination attempt of a Malaysian prime minister),[56] while shots of the World Trade Center were digitally removed and hidden for the film's release after the September 11 terrorist attacks.[57]

After Stiller worked with Owen Wilson in Zoolander, they joined forces again for The Royal Tenenbaums.[58]

Over the next two years, Stiller continued with the lackluster box office film Duplex, and cameos in Orange County and Nobody Knows Anything![59][60][61] He has guest-starred on several television shows, including an appearance in an episode of the television series The King of Queens, in a flashback as the father of the character Arthur (played by Jerry Stiller).[62] He also made a guest appearance on World Wrestling Entertainment's WWE Raw.[63]

In 2004, Stiller appeared in six different films, all of which were comedies, and include some of his highest-grossing films: Starsky & Hutch, Envy, Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story, Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (in which he had an uncredited cameo), Along Came Polly, and Meet the Fockers. While the critical flop Envy only grossed $14.5 million,[64] the most successful film of these was Meet the Fockers, which grossed over $516.6 million worldwide.[65]

He also made extended guest appearances on Curb Your Enthusiasm and Arrested Development in the same year. In 2005, Stiller appeared in Madagascar, which was his first experience as a voice actor in an animated film. Madagascar was a massive worldwide hit, and spawned the sequels Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa in 2008 and Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted in 2012.[66]

In 2006, Stiller had cameo roles in School for Scoundrels and Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny; he was executive producer of the latter. In December 2006, he had the lead role in Night at the Museum. Although not a critical favorite, it earned over $115 million in ten days.[67]

In 2007, Stiller starred alongside Malin Åkerman in the romantic comedy The Heartbreak Kid. The film earned over $100 million worldwide despite receiving mostly negative reviews.[68][69]

Stiller with Dustin Hoffman, 2017

In 2008, Stiller directed, co-wrote, co-produced, and starred in the film Tropic Thunder, with Robert Downey Jr. and Jack Black; Stiller had originally conceived of the film's premise while filming Empire of the Sun in 1987.[70]

In 2009, he starred with Amy Adams in Night at the Museum 2: Battle of the Smithsonian, sequel to Night at the Museum.[71]

In 2010, Stiller made a brief cameo in Joaquin Phoenix's mockumentary I'm Still Here and played the lead role in the comedy-drama Greenberg. He again portrayed Greg Focker in the critically panned but financially successful Little Fockers, the second sequel to Meet the Parents. He originally had planned to voice the titular protagonist of Megamind along with Robert Downey Jr., but later dropped out and was replaced by Will Ferrell while still remaining an executive producer and voicing a minor character in the film, a museum curator named Bernard.[72]

In 2011, Stiller starred with Eddie Murphy and Alan Alda in Tower Heist, about a group of maintenance workers planning a heist in a residential skyscraper.[73] He produced, directed, and starred in The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, which was released in 2013.[74]

In 2018 and 2019, Stiller played Michael Cohen on Saturday Night Live for 6 episodes.[75]

"Frat Pack"

Stiller has been described as the "acknowledged leader" of the Frat Pack, a core group of actors who have worked together in multiple films. The group includes Jack Black, Will Ferrell, Vince Vaughn, Owen Wilson, Luke Wilson, Steve Carell and Paul Rudd.[76][77] Stiller has been acknowledged as the leader of the group because of his multiple cameos and for his consistent use of the other members in roles in films which he produces and directs. He has appeared the most with Owen Wilson (in 12 films).[76][78] Of the 35 primary films that are considered Frat Pack films, Stiller has been involved with 20, in some capacity.[76]

Stiller is also the only member of this group to have appeared in a Brat Pack film (Fresh Horses).[33] He rejects the "Frat Pack" label, saying in a 2008 interview that the concept was "completely fabricated".[79]

Personal life

Stiller dated several actresses during his early television and film career, including Jeanne Tripplehorn between 1990 and 1996, Calista Flockhart, and Amanda Peet.[80][81]

In May 2000, Stiller married actress Christine Taylor at an oceanfront ceremony in Kauai, Hawaii.[82] The two had met in 1999, while filming a never-broadcast television pilot for Fox called Heat Vision and Jack. Taylor and Stiller appeared together in the films Zoolander, Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story, Tropic Thunder, Zoolander 2 and in the TV series Arrested Development, and Curb Your Enthusiasm. Both adopted a vegetarian diet for health reasons.[83][84] After 17 years of marriage, Taylor and Stiller separated in 2017.[85] They later reconciled after living together during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown.[86] The couple lives in Westchester County, New York and Manhattan and has two children, a daughter, Ella Olivia (born 2002), and a son, Quinlin Dempsey (born 2005).[87][88] Stiller and Taylor's daughter, Ella, graduated from the Juilliard School in New York City, New York with a degree in acting on May 24, 2024.[89]

Philanthropy and advocacy

Stiller meeting with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in 2022

In 2001, Stiller appeared as a celebrity contestant on the game show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. He won $32,000 for his charity Project ALS, after incorrectly answering his $250,000 question in an attempt to equal Edie Falco's $250,000 win.[90]

Stiller supports such charities as Declare Yourself, the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, and the Starlight Starbright Children's Foundation.[91] He was appointed Goodwill Ambassador for UNHCR on July 2, 2018.[92]

Stiller frequently impersonates such performers as Bono, Tom Cruise, Bruce Springsteen, and David Blaine. In an interview with Parade, he commented that Robert Klein, George Carlin, and Jimmie Walker were inspirations for his comedy career.[21] Stiller is also a self-professed Trekkie and appeared in the television special Star Trek: 30 Years and Beyond to express his love of the show, as well as a comedy roast for William Shatner.[93][94] He frequently references the show in his work, and named his production company Red Hour Productions after a time of day in the original series episode, "The Return of the Archons".[95]

Stiller considers Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to be his "hero", and he visited him in Kyiv in June 2022; on the same trip Stiller visited Lviv, Irpin and Makariv to bring attention to the humanitarian need of refugees in Poland and Ukraine.[96] Russia sanctioned Ben Stiller over his Ukraine support.[97]

Politics

Stiller is a supporter of the Democratic Party and donated money to John Kerry's 2004 U.S. presidential campaign.[98] In February 2007, Stiller attended a fundraiser for Barack Obama and later donated to the 2008 U.S. presidential campaigns of Democrats Obama, John Edwards, and Hillary Clinton.[99]

Health

Stiller has bipolar disorder.[100][101]

Stiller was diagnosed with prostate cancer in June 2014 and was declared cancer-free in September 2014 following the surgical removal of his prostate.[102][103][104]

Filmography

Stiller at the Madagascar 3 premiere at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival

Stiller has mostly appeared in comedy films. He is an Emmy Award winner for his television show, The Ben Stiller Show.[105]

Awards and honors

Stiller was awarded an Emmy Award for "Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program" for his work on The Ben Stiller Show.[40] He has been nominated twelve times for the Teen Choice Awards, and won once, for "Choice Hissy Fit" for his work in Zoolander. He has been nominated for the MTV Movie Awards thirteen times, and has won three times: for "Best Fight" in There's Something About Mary, "Best Comedic Performance" in Meet the Parents, and "Best Villain" in DodgeBall: A True Underdog Story.[106] He received the MTV Movie Awards' MTV Generation Award, the ceremony's top honor, in 2009.[107] On March 31, 2007, Stiller received the "Wannabe Award" (given to a celebrity whom children "want to be" like) at the Kids' Choice Awards.[108]

Princeton University's Class of 2005 inducted Stiller as an honorary member of the class during its "Senior Week" in April 2005.[109] On February 23, 2007, Stiller received the Hasty Pudding Man of the Year award from Harvard's Hasty Pudding Theatricals. According to the organization, the award is given to performers who give a lasting and impressive contribution to the world of entertainment.[110] In 2011 he was awarded the BAFTA Britannia – Charlie Chaplin Britannia Award for Excellence in Comedy by BAFTA Los Angeles.[111] In 2014, Stiller was nominated for Best Actor at the 40th Saturn Awards for The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.[112] On February 2, 2019, Stiller won the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Movies for Television and Limited Series for his miniseries, Escape at Dannemora.[113]

On February 6, 2016, Stiller set the Guinness World Record for longest selfie stick (8.56 meters) at the World Premiere of Zoolander 2.[114]

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Sources

Preceded by MTV Movie Awards host
1996 (with Janeane Garofalo)
Succeeded by
Preceded by MTV Video Music Awards host
1998
Succeeded by
Chris Rock