Ben Stiller, All you want to know about a great actor star
Benjamin Edward Meara Stiller
(born November 30, 1965) is an American actor, comedian, producer, director, and screenwriter. He is the son of the comedians and actors Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara.
After beginning his acting career with a play, Stiller wrote several mockumentaries and was offered his own show, titled The Ben Stiller Show, which he produced and hosted for its 13-episode run. Having previously acted in television, he began acting in films.
He made his directorial debut with Reality Bites. Throughout his career he has written, starred in, directed, or produced more than 50 films including The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, Zoolander, The Cable Guy, There’s Something About Mary, the Meet the Parents trilogy, DodgeBall, Tropic Thunder, the Madagascar series, and the Night at the Museum trilogy. He has also made numerous cameos in music videos, television shows, and films.
Stiller is 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. Throughout his career, he has received various awards and honors, including an Emmy Award, multiple MTV Movie Awards, a Britannia Award and a Teen Choice Award.
Early life
Benjamin Edward Meara Stiller was born on November 30, 1965, in New York City[6] and raised on the Upper West Side. His father, comedian and actor Jerry Stiller, was from a Jewish family that emigrated from Poland and Galicia in Central Europe. His mother, actress and comedian Anne Meara, who was from an Irish Catholic background, converted to Reform Judaism after marrying his father. While they “were never a very religious family”, they celebrated both Hanukkah and Christmas,[16] and Stiller had a Bar Mitzvah.
His parents frequently took him on the sets of their appearances, including The Mike Douglas Show when he was 6. 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.” His older sister, Amy, has appeared in many of his productions, including Reality Bites, DodgeBall: A True Underdog Story, and Zoolander. Stiller displayed an early interest in filmmaking and made Super 8 movies with his sister and friends.
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.
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. 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 (as of 2018) an Arizona Court of Appeals Judge. The band reunited in 2018 to release a new EP, titled This is Capital Punishment, for Record Store Day. 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. 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.
Personal life
Stiller dated several actresses during his early television and film career, including Jeanne Tripplehorn, Calista Flockhart, and Amanda Peet.
In May 2000, Stiller married actress Christine Taylor at an oceanfront ceremony in Kauai, Hawaii. They met in 1999, while filming a never-broadcast television pilot for the Fox Broadcasting network 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.
They live in Westchester County, New York and have a daughter Ella Olivia (b. 2002) and a son Quinlin Dempsey “Quinn” Stiller (b. 2005). Both adopted a vegetarian diet for health reasons. After 17 years of marriage, Taylor and Stiller separated in 2017. The couple later reconciled, after living together during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown.
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.
Stiller is a supporter of the Democratic Party and donated money to John Kerry’s 2004 U.S. presidential campaign. 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.
Stiller supports such charities as Declare Yourself, the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, and the Starlight Starbright Children’s Foundation. In 2010, Stiller, together with Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Robin Williams, and others, starred in The Cove PSA: My Friend is… , in an effort to stop the slaughter of dolphins. He was appointed Goodwill Ambassador for UNHCR on July 2, 2018.
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.
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. 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”.
Stiller considers Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to be his “hero”, and he visited him in Kyiv in June 2022; on the same trip Stiller visited Lviv, Irwin and Makarov to bring attention to the humanitarian need of refugees in Poland and Ukraine.
Stiller was diagnosed with prostate cancer in June 2014 and was declared cancer-free in September 2014 following the surgical removal of his prostate.
Ben Stiller Biography
Overview
| Born | in New York City, New York, USA |
| Birth Name | Benjamin Edward Meara Stiller |
| Height | 5′ 7½” (1.71 m) |
Family
| Spouse | Christine Taylor (13 May 2000 – present) (2 children) |
| Children | Ella Olivia Stiller Quinn Dempsey Stiller |
| Parents | Anne Meara Jerry Stiller |
| Relatives | Amy Stiller (sibling) |
Trade Mark
Salary
| There’s Something About Mary (1998) | $3,000,000 |
| Zoolander (2001) | $2,500,000 |
| Meet the Fockers (2004) | $10,000,000 |
| Greenberg (2010) | $6,000,000 |
| Little Fockers (2010) | $20,000,000 |
| The Big Year (2011) | $1,000,000 (producer) |
| Tower Heist (2011) | $15,000,000 |
FILMOGRAPHY
Movies
| CREDIT | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 42% | 27% | Locked Down | Guy (Character) | – | 2021 |
| 91% | 85% | Dinner in America | Producer | – | 2020 |
| 19% | 24% | Friendsgiving | Producer | – | 2020 |
| 81% | 69% | Alex Strangelove | Producer | – | 2018 |
| No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Madagascar 4 | Unknown (Character) | – | 2018 |
| 67% | 49% | The Polka King | Executive Producer | – | 2017 |
| 93% | 72% | The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected) | Matthew (Character) | – | 2017 |
| 79% | 55% | Brad’s Status | Brad Sloan (Character) | $2.1M | 2017 |
| 39% | 51% | Why Him? | Producer | $60.2M | 2016 |
| 22% | 20% | Zoolander No. 2 | Derek Zoolander (Character), Director, Screenwriter, Producer |
$28.8M | 2016 |
| 67% | 81% | Sweet Micky for President | Unknown (Character) | – | 2015 |
| 33% | 46% | Being Canadian | Self | – | 2015 |
| No Score Yet | 89% | Burning Love 2 | Producer | – | 2014 |
| 83% | 51% | While We’re Young | Josh Srebnick (Character) | $7.6M | 2014 |
| 47% | 57% | Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb | Larry Daley/ |
$113.6M | 2014 |
| 52% | 71% | The Secret Life of Walter Mitty | Walter Mitty (Character), Director, Producer |
$58.2M | 2013 |
| 16% | 39% | The Watch | Evan Troutwig (Character) | $34.4M | 2012 |
| 78% | 72% | Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted | Alex (Voice) | – | 2012 |
| 68% | 48% | Tower Heist | Josh Kovaks (Character) | $78.0M | 2011 |
| 42% | 41% | The Big Year | Executive Producer | $7.2M | 2011 |
| 45% | 40% | 30 Minutes or Less | Producer | $37.1M | 2011 |
| 9% | 34% | Little Fockers | Greg Focker (Character) | $148.4M | 2010 |
| 72% | 72% | Megamind | Bernard (Voice), Executive Producer |
$148.3M | 2010 |
| 76% | 42% | Greenberg | Roger Greenberg (Character) | $4.2M | 2010 |
| No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Megamind | Executive Producer | $148.3M | 2010 |
| No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Megamind | Executive Producer | – | 2010 |
| 18% | 14% | The Marc Pease Experience | Jon Gribble (Character) | $2.6K | 2009 |
| 90% | 87% | The Boys: The Sherman Brothers’ Story | Executive Producer | $54.9K | 2009 |
| 44% | 47% | Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian | Larry Daley (Character) | $177.2M | 2009 |
| No Score Yet | 56% | Merry Madagascar | Unknown (Character) | – | 2009 |
| No Score Yet | 46% | Nick Nolte: No Exit | Self | – | 2008 |
| 64% | 66% | Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa | Alex (Voice) | – | 2008 |
| 82% | 70% | Tropic Thunder | Tugg Speedman (Character), Director, Screenwriter, Producer |
$110.4M | 2008 |
| 49% | 30% | The Ruins | Executive Producer | $17.4M | 2008 |
| 29% | 37% | The Heartbreak Kid | Eddie (Character) | $36.8M | 2007 |
| 70% | 68% | Blades of Glory | Producer | – | 2007 |
| 76% | 79% | Awesome; I F… Shot That! | Unknown (Character) | $161.4K | 2006 |
| No Score Yet | 28% | Danny Roane: First Time Director | Self | – | 2006 |
| 43% | 67% | Night at the Museum | Larry Daley (Character) | $113.7M | 2006 |
| 52% | 67% | Tenacious D in: The Pick of Destiny | Guitar Store Dude (Character), Executive Producer |
$8.3M | 2006 |
| 26% | 52% | School for Scoundrels | Lonnie (Character) | $17.8M | 2006 |
| 54% | 66% | Madagascar | Alex the Lion (Voice) | $193.1M | 2005 |
| 8% | 27% | Envy | Tim Dingman (Character) | $12.2M | 2004 |
| 57% | 29% | Pauly Shore Is Dead | Ben Stiller (uncredited) (Character) | – | 2004 |
| 38% | 58% | Meet the Fockers | Greg Focker (Character) | $279.2M | 2004 |
| 71% | 76% | Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story | White Goodman (Character), Producer |
$114.3M | 2004 |
| 63% | 49% | Starsky & Hutch | Dave Starsky (Character), Executive Producer |
$88.2M | 2004 |
| 27% | 47% | Along Came Polly | Reuben Feffer (Character) | $87.9M | 2004 |
| 35% | 40% | Duplex | Alex (Character) | $9.7M | 2003 |
| No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Our House | Alex Rose (Character) | – | 2003 |
| No Score Yet | 44% | Robbie the Reindeer in Hooves of Fire and the Legend of the Lost Tribe | Unknown (Character) | – | 2002 |
| 81% | 89% | The Royal Tenenbaums | Chas Tenenbaum (Character) | $52.4M | 2001 |
| 65% | 80% | Zoolander | Derek Zoolander (Character), Director, Writer, Producer |
$45.2M | 2001 |
| 60% | 49% | The Independent | Cop (Character) | $238.4K | 2000 |
| 84% | 79% | Meet the Parents | Greg Focker (Character) | $166.2M | 2000 |
| 69% | 59% | Keeping the Faith | Rabbi Jacob “Jake” Schram (Character) | $37.0M | 2000 |
| 38% | 30% | Black and White | Mark Clear (Character) | $5.2M | 1999 |
| 0% | 22% | The Suburbans | Jay Rose (Character) | $5.8K | 1999 |
| 61% | 57% | Mystery Men | Mr. Furious (Character) | $29.8M | 1999 |
| 58% | 54% | Permanent Midnight | Jerry Stahl (Character) | $1.2M | 1998 |
| 77% | 64% | Your Friends & Neighbors | Jerry (Character) | $4.7M | 1998 |
| 83% | 61% | There’s Something About Mary | Ted Stroehmann (Character) | $176.5M | 1998 |
| 64% | 77% | Zero Effect | Steve Arlo (Character) | $2.0M | 1998 |
| 87% | 69% | Flirting With Disaster | Mel Coplin (Character) | $14.8M | 1996 |
| 55% | 51% | The Cable Guy | Sam Sweet/ Director |
$60.2M | 1996 |
| 18% | 52% | If Lucy Fell | Bwick Elias (Character) | $2.2M | 1996 |
| 29% | 77% | Heavyweights | Tony Perkis/ |
$17.7M | 1995 |
| 64% | 74% | Reality Bites | Michael Grates (Character), Director |
$20.0M | 1994 |
| No Score Yet | 53% | Highway to Hell | Pluto’s Cook/ |
$12.3K | 1991 |
| No Score Yet | 61% | Working Trash | Freddy Novak (Character) | – | 1990 |
| 33% | 76% | Stella | Jim Uptegrove (Character) | $20.1M | 1990 |
| 50% | 45% | Next of Kin | Lawrence Isabella (Character) | $15.4M | 1989 |
| 0% | 32% | Fresh Horses | Tipton (Character) | $6.4M | 1988 |
| 0% | 43% | Hot Pursuit | Chris Honeywell (Character) | $2.9M | 1987 |
| 75% | 90% | Empire of the Sun | Dainty (Character) | $22.0M | 1987 |
TV
| CREDIT | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No Score Yet | 71% | In the Dark | Executive Producer | 2019-2022 |
| 97% | 93% | Severance | Executive Producer, Director |
2022 |
| No Score Yet | 49% | Late Night With Seth Meyers | Guest | 20152022 |
| No Score Yet | 43% | The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon | Guest | 2014-20172019-20202022 |
| No Score Yet | 10% | Jimmy Kimmel Live! | Guest | 2008-200920122018-2020 |
| 78% | No Score Yet | Gone Mental With Lior | Unknown (Character) | 2020 |
| No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Close Up With The Hollywood Reporter | Guest | 2019 |
| No Score Yet | 0% | The Ellen DeGeneres Show | Guest | 20132019 |
| No Score Yet | 66% | Desus & Mero | Guest | 2019 |
| 88% | 90% | Escape at Dannemora | Director | 2018 |
| No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Rachael Ray | Guest | 2018 |
| No Score Yet | 45% | The Late Show With Stephen Colbert | Guest | 20162018 |
| 74% | 85% | Arrested Development | Tony Wonder (Voice), Unknown (Guest Star) |
200520132018 |
| 75% | 89% | Another Period | Executive Producer | 20162018 |
| No Score Yet | 100% | The Meltdown With Jonah and Kumail | Executive Producer | 2015-2016 |
| 38% | 78% | Maya & Marty | Guest | 2016 |
| No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen | Guest | 2016 |
| No Score Yet | 25% | The Daily Show With Trevor Noah | Guest | 2016 |
| No Score Yet | 44% | Saturday Night Live | Unknown (Character), Unknown (Guest Star), Host |
198919982010-20112016 |
| No Score Yet | 100% | The Graham Norton Show | Guest | 2013-20142016 |
| No Score Yet | 75% | Late Show With David Letterman | Guest | 2013-2015 |
| 100% | 93% | The Birthday Boys | Executive Producer | 2014 |
| No Score Yet | 91% | Running Wild With Bear Grylls | Self | 2014 |
| No Score Yet | 83% | Burning Love | Executive Producer | 2013-2014 |
| No Score Yet | 100% | The Colbert Report | Guest | 2013 |
| No Score Yet | 87% | Conan | Unknown (Character), Guest |
2012-2013 |
| No Score Yet | 100% | Inside Comedy | Unknown (Character) | 2013 |
| No Score Yet | 20% | Late Night With Jimmy Fallon | Guest | 20102012 |
| 100% | No Score Yet | Funny or Die Presents | Ben (Character) | 2011 |
| No Score Yet | 100% | The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | Guest | 2003200620082010 |
| 92% | 92% | Curb Your Enthusiasm | Himself (Guest Star) | 20042007 |
| No Score Yet | 96% | Sesame Street | Unknown (Character), Music Performer |
20002007 |
| No Score Yet | 63% | Family Guy | Himself (Guest Voice) | 2007 |
| 88% | 90% | Extras | Unknown (Guest Star) | 2005 |
| No Score Yet | 56% | King of the Hill | Rich (Guest Voice) | 2004 |
| No Score Yet | 80% | The King of Queens | Unknown (Guest Star) | 2002 |
| 85% | 75% | The Simpsons | Garth Motherloving (Guest Voice) | 2002 |
| 100% | 96% | Freaks and Geeks | Agent Meara (Guest Star) | 2000 |
| No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Space Ghost: Coast to Coast | Guest | 1998 |
| 79% | 94% | Friends | Tommy (Guest Star) | 1997 |
| 95% | 67% | NewsRadio | Vic (Guest Star) | 1996 |
| 91% | 100% | The Ben Stiller Show | Unknown (Character) | 1992-19931995 |
| 95% | 94% | Frasier | Barry (Guest Voice) | 1993 |
| 71% | 91% | Miami Vice | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1987 |
| No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Kate & Allie | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1986 |