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.
Movies (127)
Focker-In-Law
2026
The Dink
2026
The Hanging of Stuart Cornfeld
2025
Stiller & Meara: Nothing Is Lost
2025
Downey Wrote That
2025
Happy Gilmore 2
2025
Dear Santa
2024
Nutcrackers
2024
Albert Brooks: Defending My Life
2023
Bleecker
2023
Bros
2022
Locked Down
2021
Sarah Cooper: Everything's Fine
2020
Hubie Halloween
2020
Celebrity Escape Room
2020
Have a Good Trip: Adventures in Psychedelics
2020
Beastie Boys Story
2020
Greed
2019
Night of Too Many Stars: America Unites for Autism Programs
2017
The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected)
2017
Brad's Status
2017
Everybody Has an Andy Dick Story
2017
The Truth Is in the Stars
2017
Zoolander: Super Model
2016
Don't Think Twice
2016
Drake Sather: The Man Who Created Zoolander
2016
Zoolander 2
2016
Being Canadian
2015
Bridget Everett: Gynecological Wonder
2015
While We're Young
2015
Sweet Micky for President
2015
Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb
2014
Harmontown
2014
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
2013
Here Comes the Night Time
2013
He's Way More Famous Than You
2013
Madly Madagascar
2013
Le Débarquement
2013
12-12-12 | The Concert for Sandy Relief
2012
Dreamworks: Holiday Classics
2012
The Watch
2012
Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted
2012
The Secret Policeman's Ball
2012
Tower Heist
2011
The Trip
2011
Submarine
2011
Little Fockers
2010
Megamind
2010
I'm Still Here
2010
Greenberg
2010
Monkey Mischief
2009
Merry Madagascar
2009
The Marc Pease Experience
2009
Funny People
2009
Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian
2009
The Boys: The Sherman Brothers' Story
2009
Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa
2008
Tropic Thunder: Rain of Madness
2008
Tropic Thunder
2008
The Farrelly Bros.: In the French Tradition
2007
Elmo's Christmas Countdown
2007
The Heartbreak Kid
2007
AFI: 100 Years... 100 Movies... 10th Anniversary Edition
2007
The Making of 'The Pick of Destiny'
2007
Night at the Museum
2006
Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny
2006
School for Scoundrels
2006
Comedy Central Roast of William Shatner
2006
Danny Roane: First Time Director
2006
Awesome; I Fuckin' Shot That!
2006
Earth to America
2005
Romanekian
2005
All Aboard the Crazy Train
2005
Madagascar
2005
Confessions of an Action Star
2005
Meet the Fockers
2004
Nobody Knows Anything!
2004
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy
2004
DodgeBall: A True Underdog Story
2004
Envy
2004
Sesame Street: What's the Name of That Song?
2004
Starsky & Hutch
2004
Along Came Polly
2004
Duplex
2003
Late Night with Conan O'Brien: 10th Anniversary Special
2003
Pauly Shore Is Dead
2003
Run Ronnie Run
2002
Orange County
2002
The Royal Tenenbaums
2001
Zoolander
2001
America | A Tribute to Heroes
2001
Mission: Improbable
2001
The Independent
2000
Meet the Parents
2000
Keeping the Faith
2000
The Suburbans
1999
The N.Y. Friars Club Roast of Jerry Stiller
1999
Black and White
1999
Mystery Men
1999
Heat Vision and Jack
1999
Permanent Midnight
1998
Your Friends & Neighbors
1998
There's Something About Mary
1998
Zero Effect
1998
Derek Zoolander University
1997
Derek Zoolander: Male Model
1996
Star Trek: 30 Years and Beyond
1996
The Cable Guy
1996
Flirting with Disaster
1996
If Lucy Fell
1996
Happy Gilmore
1996
Heavyweights
1995
Reality Bites
1994
The Nutt House
1992
Highway to Hell
1991
Working Tra$h
1990
Stella
1990
Next of Kin
1989
That's Adequate
1989
Elvis Stories
1989
Fresh Horses
1988
Empire of the Sun
1987
The House of Blue Leaves
1987
Hot Pursuit
1987
The Hustler of Money
1987
Shoeshine
1987
The Semplica Girl Diaries
TV Shows (97)
Mel Brooks: The 99 Year Old Man!
2026
Everybody's Live with John Mulaney
2025
Bianca by Night
2025
Krapopolis
2023
The Playboy Murders
2023
Severance
2022
Gone Mental with Lior
2020
Desus & Mero
2019
Haters Back Off
2016
Quotidien
2016
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
2015
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
2015
Close Up with The Hollywood Reporter
2015
Another Period
2015
StarTalk with Neil deGrasse Tyson
2015
Big Time in Hollywood, Fl
2015
Hot Ones
2015
Chicken Shop Date
2014
Chicken Shop Date
2014
Running Wild with Bear Grylls
2014
Late Night with Seth Meyers
2014
Late Night with Seth Meyers
2014
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
2014
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
2014
The Birthday Boys
2013
Circus Halligalli
2013
Le Débarquement
2013
Ted's Notebook
2012
Inside Comedy
2012
The Jonathan Ross Show
2011
Workaholics
2011
Eagleheart
2011
The Trip
2010
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
2009
Between Two Ferns with Zach Galifianakis
2008
Phineas and Ferb
2007
The Graham Norton Show
2007
Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!
2007
The One Show
2006
The Henry Rollins Show
2006
Extras
2005
On Air with Ryan Seacrest
2004
Arrested Development
2003
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
2003
Comedy Central Roasts
2003
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
2003
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
2003
Prehistoric Planet
2002
American Idol
2002
Undeclared
2001
Primetime Glick
2001
The Andy Dick Show
2001
Curb Your Enthusiasm
2000
The Early Show
1999
Freaks and Geeks
1999
Rove
1999
Teen Choice Awards
1999
TV total
1999
Family Guy
1999
The King of Queens
1998
The View
1997
King of the Hill
1997
E! True Hollywood Story
1996
The Daily Show
1996
Mr. Show with Bob and David
1995
Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist
1995
NewsRadio
1995
Friends
1994
Inside the Actors Studio
1994
Space Ghost Coast to Coast
1994
Duckman
1994
Frasier
1993
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
1993
Raw
1993
The Ben Stiller Show
1992
The Larry Sanders Show
1992
MTV Movie & TV Awards
1992
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
1992
The Simpsons
1989
LIVE with Kelly and Mark
1988
Kids' Choice Awards
1987
Miami Vice
1984
MTV Video Music Awards
1984
Kate & Allie
1984
Late Night with David Letterman
1982
Entertainment Tonight
1981
Saturday Night Live
1975
Saturday Night Live
1975
Saturday Night Live
1975
Saturday Night Live
1975
Saturday Night Live
1975
Kate McShane
1975
The Mike Douglas Show
1961
The Oscars
1953
The Oscars
1953
Today
1952
The Emmy Awards
1949