Ben Stiller

For the television episode, see Ben Stiller (Extras).
Ben Stiller
Stiller at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival
Born
Benjamin Edward Meara Stiller

(1965-11-30) November 30, 1965 (age 58)
New York City, U.S.
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.

  1. ^ "Ellen DeGeneres, Mandy Moore and Ben Stiller Among Stars Mourning Pittsburgh Synagogue Shooting". popculture.com. October 29, 2018.
  2. ^ "Ben Stiller – Actor". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved August 10, 2013.
  3. ^ Ben Stiller at IMDb