Line #19 Creator/BenStiller


1	[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ben_stiller.jpg]]
2	->''"I don't devalue comedy as compared to drama. Not one bit."''
3
4	Benjamin Edward "Ben" Stiller (born Nov. 30, 1965 in New York City, New York) is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter and director. He is the son of comedians Creator/JerryStiller (best known to younger audiences as [[Series/{{Seinfeld}} Frank Costanza]] or [[Series/{{TheKingOfQueens}} Arthur Spooner]]) and Creator/AnneMeara.
5
6	After beginning his acting career with a play, Stiller wrote several mockumentaries, was a cast member on ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'' (for all but three or four episodes during the show's 14th season), and was offered two of his own shows, both entitled ''Series/TheBenStillerShow''. After acting in a few films, Stiller had his directorial debut with ''Film/RealityBites'', and has since written, starred in, directed, and/or produced over fifty films and television shows. His films have grossed more than $2.1 billion, with an average of $78 million per film. In 2008, he starred in the film ''Film/TropicThunder'', which he also co-wrote, co-produced, and directed.
7
8	Stiller is a member of [[ProductionPosse the comedic acting brotherhood]] colloquially known as the Creator/FratPack. He seems to have a thing for self-deprecation; his {{Jerkass}} AsHimself roles on ''Series/{{Extras}}'' and ''Series/CurbYourEnthusiasm'' paint him in a hilariously unflattering light and his characters in his most successful movies thrive on his characters being humiliated, whether he is protagonist or antagonist. A lot of his characters also tend to have a hilarious BerserkButton. He also appeared as the minor character Tony Wonder (did somebody say "''Wonder''?") a LargeHam magician, on ''Series/ArrestedDevelopment'' and notably created roles for his legendary parents in several of his films.
9
10	HeterosexualLifePartners with Creator/OwenWilson, whom he's collaborated with numerous times on-screen; Wilson once said that Stiller was more defensive about Wilson's signature crooked nose than he was. Also really good friends with Creator/TomCruise; Stiller helped revive the latter's career with a scene-stealing turn in ''Tropic Thunder'' and has done [[AffectionateParody affectionate parodies]] of Cruise multiple times, most notably on ''[[Series/SaturdayNightLive Celebrity Jeopardy!]]'' and while hosting the MTV Movie Awards.
11
12	He is married to Creator/ChristineTaylor and they have two children.
13	----
14	!!Selected Filmography
15
16	!!!Film:
17
18	* ''Film/{{Shoeshine\|1987}}'' (1987) - young stockbroker
19	* ''Film/RealityBites'' (1994) - director and actor (playing Michael Grates)
20	* ''Film/HeavyWeights'' (1995) - Tony Perkis
21	* ''Film/TheCableGuy'' (1996) - writer/director; dual-role cameo as Sam & Stan Sweet
22	* ''Film/TheresSomethingAboutMary'' (1998) - Ted
23	* ''Film/YourFriendsAndNeighbors'' (1998) - Jerry
24	* ''Film/MysteryMen'' (1999) - Mr. Furious
25	* ''Film/KeepingTheFaith'' (2000) - Rabbi Jacob Schram
26	* ''Film/MeetTheParents'' (2000) / ''Meet the Fockers'' (2004) / ''Little Fockers'' (2010) - Gaylord "Greg" Focker
27	* ''Film/TheRoyalTenenbaums'' (2001) - Chas Tenenbaum
28	* ''Film/{{Zoolander}}'' (2001) / ''Film/{{Zoolander 2}}'' (2016) - writer/director; Derek Zoolander
29	* ''Film/{{Duplex}}'' (2003)
30	* ''Film/AlongCamePolly'' (2004) - Reuben Feffer
31	* ''Film/DodgeballATrueUnderdogStory'' (2004) - White Goodman
32	* ''Film/{{Envy}}'' (2004) - Tim Dingman
33	* ''Film/StarskyAndHutch'' (2004) - David Starsky
34	* ''Franchise/{{Madagascar}}'' (2005-2012) - Alex the Lion
35	** ''WesternAnimation/Madagascar1'' (2005)
36	** ''WesternAnimation/MadagascarEscape2Africa'' (2008)
37	** ''WesternAnimation/Madagascar3EuropesMostWanted'' (2012)
38	* ''Night at the Museum'' (2006-2014) - Larry Daley
39	** ''Film/NightAtTheMuseum'' (2006)
40	** ''Film/NightAtTheMuseumBattleOfTheSmithsonian'' (2009)
41	** ''Film/NightAtTheMuseumSecretOfTheTomb'' (2014)
42	* ''Film/{{The Heartbreak Kid\|2007}}'' (2007) - Eddie
43	* ''Film/TropicThunder'' (2008) - writer/director; Tugg Speedman (and Tugg Speedman as Sgt. "Four-Leaf" Trayback)
44	* ''WesternAnimation/{{Megamind}}'' (2010) produced and [[TheCameo cameoed]] as Bernard [[ActorAllusion the night shift guy]] - built from a discarded early script intended for live-action.
45	* ''Film/TowerHeist'' (2011) - Josh Kovacs
46	* ''Film/TheWatch2012'' (2012) - Evan Trautwig
47	* ''Film/TheSecretLifeOfWalterMitty'' (2013) - director; Walter Mitty
48	* ''Film/TheMeyerowitzStories (New and Selected)'' (2017)
49
50	!!!Television:
51	* ''Series/HeatVisionAndJack'' (1999) - director (rejected pilot); DJ
52	* ''WesternAnimation/TakeTwoWithPhineasAndFerb'' (2011 episode): Himself
53	* ''Series/{{Severance\|2022}}'' (2022) - director

Context Creator / BenStiller