Ben stiller biography
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He emerged into fame as a member of the comedic actors group known as the Frat Pack. His childhood was unusual due to constant traveling, late nights, and atypical experiences such as attending film sets, eventually molding his interest in filmmaking.
Ben Stiller
1965-present
Who Is Ben Stiller?
The son of comedians Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara, Ben Stiller grew up in New York City.
He made his directorial debut with Reality Bites and continued directing films and often starring in them, such as 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).
Early in his career, he wrote for Saturday Night Live and created the short-lived The Ben Stiller Show. He has also notably starred in franchise films like Meet the Parents, the Madagascar series, and the first three Night at the Museum films. He has received various awards and honors, most notably an Emmy Award, a Directors Guild of America Award, a Britannia Award, and a Teen Choice Award.
We have worked as daily newspaper reporters, major national magazine editors, and as editors-in-chief of regional media publications. I had no idea,” Stiller told Stern. The following year, the comedian co-wrote the mock self-help book, Feel This Book: An Essential Guide to Self-Empowerment, Spiritual Supremacy, and Sexual Satisfaction, with Garofalo.
Meet the Parents and Sequels
In 2000, Stiller appeared with Jenna Elfman and Edward Norton in Keeping the Faith and teamed with Hollywood veterans Robert De Niro and Blythe Danner for the sidesplitting comedy Meet the Parents.
The film's success eventually led to the creation of two sequels, Meet the Fockers (2004) and Little Fockers (2010).
Zoolander and The Royal Tenenbaums
In 2001, Stiller appeared in distinctly contrasting roles on the big screen: Zoolander, a satirical look at the fashion industry, was more of his typical goofy effort.
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.
After directing and starring in several movies, he earned widespread fame for the 1998 gross-out comedy There's Something About Mary. 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).
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).
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A huge hit, it spawned the sequels Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (2009) and Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb (2014).Tropic Thunder and The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
Stiller directed and starred in Tropic Thunder (2008) and the remake of The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013), drawing mixed reviews.
The couple had two children, Ella and Quinlan, before announcing their split in 2017, though they continued to attend public events together, including the 2019 Emmy Awards.
He also paired with Jennifer Aniston for the romantic comedy Along Came Polly.
Night at the Museum Franchise
In 2006, Stiller channeled his brand of neurotic humor toward younger audiences for Night at the Museum. I feel like the test saved my life,” he said.
Fact Check: We strive for accuracy and fairness.He then made his acting debut in a Broadway revival of The House of Blue Leaves in 1985.
Two years later, Stiller made his big-screen debut in Fresh Horses, starring alongside aging Brat Pack members Molly Ringwald and Andrew McCarthy. However, he also showed a serious side as a fiercely protective father in the Wes Anderson comedy-drama The Royal Tenenbaums.
Starsky & Hutch, Dodgeball, and Along Came Polly
In 2004, Stiller teamed with Owen Wilson for an update of the classic TV action comedy Starsky & Hutch, and played Vince Vaughn's nemesis in the comic spoof Dodgeball.
The funnyman then reprised one of his most famous roles in 2016 with Zoolander 2.
The Meyerowitz Stories and Escape at Dannemora
After starring in a pair of 2017 comedy-dramas, The Meyerowitz Stories and Brad's Status, Stiller resumed his focus on directing with the Emmy-nominated Escape at Dannemora (2018), a seven-part series based on the true story of an infamous 2015 prison breakout that sparked a massive manhunt.
Throughout his career, his films have grossed over $2.6 billion in Canada and the United States. He described the backstage atmosphere there as "very negative" and, disillusioned, left for Los Angeles after just five weeks as an SNL writer.
Movies and TV Shows
The Ben Stiller Show
In Los Angeles, Stiller began work on The Ben Stiller Show, a half-hour sketch comedy that aired on MTV before being picked up by FOX for a brief run.
Stiller has since starred in Zoolander, as well as the successful Meet the Parents and Night at the Museum films.
Quick Facts
FULL NAME: Benjamin Edward Meara Stiller
BORN: November 30, 1965
BIRTHPLACE: New York, New York
SPOUSE: Christine Taylor (2000-present)
CHILDREN: Ella and Quinlin
ASTROLOGICAL SIGN: Sagittarius Early Life and Career
Benjamin Edward Meara Stiller was born on November 30, 1965, in New York City, the second child of famed comedians Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara.