Ben Stiller
Personal Info
Known for
Acting
Gender
Male
Birthday
1965-11-30 (59 years old)
Place of Birth
New York City, New York, USA
Ben Stiller
Biography
Benjamin Edward Meara Stiller (born November 30, 1965) is an American actor, comedian, and filmmaker. Known for his blend of slapstick humor and sharp wit, Stiller rose to fame through comedies such as There's Something About Mary (1998), Zoolander (2001), and Tropic Thunder (2008). Stiller is also known for his work in franchises such as the Meet the Parents films (2000–2010), the Madagascar franchise (2005–2012), and the Night at the Museum films (2006–2014). His films have grossed over $2.6 billion in Canada and the United States, with an average of $79 million per film. His awards and honors include an Emmy Award, a Directors Guild of America Award, a Britannia Award and a Teen Choice Award.
Stiller is the son of the comedians and actors Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara. He began his career writing mockumentaries and was offered a variety sketch series, The Ben Stiller Show, which he produced and hosted for its 13-episode run. The series ran on MTV in 1990 and Fox in 1992 and 1993, earning him a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Program. Stiller was a member of a group of comedic actors colloquially known as the Frat Pack.
Transitioning to acting in films, Stiller made his directorial debut with Reality Bites (1994) and went on to direct and star in films such as The Cable Guy (1996) and The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013). He also starred in a string of successful studio comedies, including Along Came Polly (2004), Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story (2004), Starsky & Hutch (2004), and Tower Heist (2011). 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 director and showrunner. In 2018, he directed the Showtime limited series Escape at Dannemora, earning 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 was 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.
Known For
Acting
Rat
as Drew Larson
Belly of the Beast
as Norman Mailer
(2026)
Focker-In-Law
as Greg Focker
(2025)
Happy Gilmore 2
as Hal L
(2025)
(2024)
Dear Santa
as Lucifer (uncredited)
(2024)
Nutcrackers
as Mike Maxwell
(2023)
(2023)
Bleecker
as Dr. Pots
(2022)
Bros
as Ben Stiller (uncredited)
(2021)
Locked Down
as Guy
(2020)
Hubie Halloween
as Orderly Hal
(2020)
Beastie Boys Story
as Self
(2020)
(2020)
Sarah Cooper: Everything's Fine
as 8008s
(2020)
Celebrity Escape Room
as Self
(2019)
Greed
as Self
(2017)
(2017)
The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected)
as Matthew Meyerowitz
(2017)
Brad's Status
as Brad Sloan
(2017)
The Truth Is in the Stars
as Self
(2017)
(2016)
Zoolander 2
as Derek Zoolander
(2016)
Don't Think Twice
as Self
(2016)
Zoolander: Super Model
as Derek Zoolander (voice)
(2016)
(2015)
Sweet Micky for President
as Self
(2015)
Being Canadian
as Self
(2015)
While We're Young
as Josh Schrebnick
(2015)
(2014)
Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb
as Larry Daley / Laaa
(2014)
Harmontown
as Self
(2013)
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
as Walter Mitty
(2013)
Madly Madagascar
as Alex (voice)
(2013)
Le Débarquement
as Self - host
(2013)
He's Way More Famous Than You
as Ben Stiller
(2013)
(2013)
Here Comes the Night Time
as Fake Arcade Fire Bandmember
(2012)
Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted
as Alex (voice)
(2012)
The Watch
as Evan
(2012)
(2012)
The Secret Policeman's Ball
as Self
(2012)
Nantucket Film Festival's Comedy Roundtable
as Self - Panelist
(2011)
Tower Heist
as Josh Kovacs
(2011)
The Trip
as Ben Stiller
(2011)
Submarine
as Soap Opera Star (uncredited)
(2011)
(2010)
Megamind
as Bernard (voice)
(2010)
Little Fockers
as Greg Focker
(2010)
Greenberg
as Roger Greenberg
(2010)
I'm Still Here
as Ben Stiller
(2009)
Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian
as Larry Daley
(2009)
Merry Madagascar
as Alex (voice)
(2009)
The Marc Pease Experience
as Jon Gribble
(2009)
Funny People
as Friend in video (archive footage) (uncredited)
(2009)
(2008)
Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa
as Alex (voice)
(2008)
Tropic Thunder
as Tugg Speedman
(2008)
Tropic Thunder: Rain of Madness
as Tugg Speedman
(2007)
The Heartbreak Kid
as Eddie Cantrow
(2007)
(2007)
Sesame Street: Elmo's Christmas Countdown
as Stiller the Elf (voice)
(2007)
(2007)
(2006)
Night at the Museum
as Larry Daley
(2006)
School for Scoundrels
as Lonnie Ratcliff
(2006)
Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny
as Guitar Center Guy
(2006)
Comedy Central Roast of William Shatner
as Self - Filmed Roaster
(2006)
(2006)
(2005)
Madagascar
as Alex (voice)
(2005)
Earth to America
as Self
(2005)
Confessions of an Action Star
as Commander
(2005)
All Aboard the Crazy Train
as Self - Special Appearance
(2005)
Romanekian
as Self
(2004)
DodgeBall: A True Underdog Story
as White Goodman
(2004)
Meet the Fockers
as Greg Focker
(2004)
Starsky & Hutch
as David Starsky
(2004)
Along Came Polly
as Reuben Feffer
(2004)
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy
as Arturo Mendes
(2004)
Envy
as Tim Dingman
(2004)
Nobody Knows Anything!
as Peach Expert (uncredited)
(2004)
Sesame Street: What's the Name of That Song?
as Self (archive footage)
(2003)
Duplex
as Alex Rose
(2003)
Pauly Shore Is Dead
as Ben Stiller (uncredited)
(2003)
(2002)
Orange County
as Firefighter (uncredited)
(2002)
Run Ronnie Run
as Self
(2001)
The Royal Tenenbaums
as Chas Tenenbaum
(2001)
Zoolander
as Derek Zoolander
(2001)
Mission: Improbable
as Tom Crooze
(2001)
(2001)
(2000)
Meet the Parents
as Greg Focker
(2000)
Keeping the Faith
as Rabbi Jake Schram
(2000)
The Independent
as Cop
(1999)
Mystery Men
as Mr. Furious / Roy
(1999)
Black and White
as Mark Clear
(1999)
Heat Vision and Jack
as Self / Strip Club DJ (uncredited)
(1999)
The Suburbans
as Jay Rose
(1999)
(1998)
There's Something About Mary
as Ted Stroehmann
(1998)
Zero Effect
as Steve Arlo
(1998)
Permanent Midnight
as Jerry Stahl
(1998)
Your Friends & Neighbors
as Jerry
(1997)
Derek Zoolander University
as Derek Zoolander
(1996)
Happy Gilmore
as Hal L. (uncredited)
(1996)
Flirting with Disaster
as Mel Coplin
(1996)
The Cable Guy
as Sam Sweet
(1996)
If Lucy Fell
as Bwick Elias
(1996)
(1996)
Derek Zoolander: Male Model
as Derek Zoolander
(1995)
Heavyweights
as Tony Perkis / Tony Perkis Sr.
(1994)
Reality Bites
as Michael Grates
(1992)
The Nutt House
as Pie Thrower (uncredited)
(1991)
Highway to Hell
as Pluto's Cook / Attila the Hun
(1990)
Stella
as Jim Uptegrove
(1990)
Working Tra$h
as Freddy Novak
(1989)
Next of Kin
as Lawrence Isabella
(1989)
Elvis Stories
as Bruce
(1989)
That's Adequate
as Chip Lane
(1988)
Fresh Horses
as Tipton
(1987)
Empire of the Sun
as Dainty
(1987)
Shoeshine
as Son
(1987)
Hot Pursuit
as Chris Honeywell
(1987)
The House of Blue Leaves
as Ronnie Shaughnessy
(1987)
The Hustler of Money
as Wince
Crew
Dodgeball 2
Producer
The Champions
Director, Producer
This, But Again
Director, Producer
The Hardy Men
Producer
London
Director, Producer
Rat
Director
Bag Man
Director
The Dink
Producer
Airman
Director, Producer
(2026)
Focker-In-Law
Producer
(2025)
Stiller & Meara: Nothing Is Lost
Director, Producer
(2023)
Bleecker
Executive Producer
(2021)
Queenpins
Producer
(2021)
Welcome To Lumon
Director
(2020)
Friendsgiving
Producer
(2020)
Dinner in America
Producer
(2020)
Celebrity Escape Room
Executive Producer
(2020)
(2019)
Plus One
Executive Producer
(2018)
The Package
Producer
(2018)
Alex Strangelove
Producer
(2016)
Zoolander 2
Characters, Writer, Director, Producer
(2016)
Why Him?
Producer
(2015)
(2015)
Bridget Everett: Gynecological Wonder
Executive Producer
(2013)
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
Director, Producer
(2011)
Submarine
Executive Producer
(2011)
30 Minutes or Less
Producer
(2011)
The Big Year
Executive Producer
(2010)
Megamind
Executive Producer
(2010)
I'm Still Here
Thanks
(2008)
Tropic Thunder
Director, Screenplay, Producer, Story
(2008)
The Ruins
Executive Producer
(2007)
Blades of Glory
Producer
(2007)
(2006)
Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny
Executive Producer
(2004)
Starsky & Hutch
Executive Producer
(2004)
DodgeBall: A True Underdog Story
Producer
(2003)
Duplex
Producer
(2003)
Crooked Lines
Presenter
(2001)
Zoolander
Director, Characters, Screenplay, Producer
(1999)
Heat Vision and Jack
Director
(1997)
(1996)
The Cable Guy
Director
(1996)
(1994)
Reality Bites
Director
(1989)
Elvis Stories
Director
(1987)
The Hustler of Money
Director, Writer