[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ben_stiller.jpg]]
->''"I don't devalue comedy as compared to drama. Not one bit."''

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.

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.

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.

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.

He is married to Creator/ChristineTaylor and they have two children.
----
!!Selected Filmography

!!!Film:

* ''Film/{{Shoeshine|1987}}'' (1987) - young stockbroker
* ''Film/RealityBites'' (1994) - director and actor (playing Michael Grates)
* ''Film/HeavyWeights'' (1995) - Tony Perkis
* ''Film/TheCableGuy'' (1996) - writer/director; dual-role cameo as Sam & Stan Sweet
* ''Film/TheresSomethingAboutMary'' (1998) - Ted
* ''Film/YourFriendsAndNeighbors'' (1998) - Jerry
* ''Film/MysteryMen'' (1999) - Mr. Furious
* ''Film/KeepingTheFaith'' (2000) - Rabbi Jacob Schram
* ''Film/MeetTheParents'' (2000) / ''Meet the Fockers'' (2004) / ''Little Fockers'' (2010) - Gaylord "Greg" Focker
* ''Film/TheRoyalTenenbaums'' (2001) - Chas Tenenbaum
* ''Film/{{Zoolander}}'' (2001) / ''Film/{{Zoolander 2}}'' (2016) - writer/director; Derek Zoolander
* ''Film/{{Duplex}}'' (2003)
* ''Film/AlongCamePolly'' (2004) - Reuben Feffer
* ''Film/DodgeballATrueUnderdogStory'' (2004) - White Goodman
* ''Film/{{Envy}}'' (2004) - Tim Dingman
* ''Film/StarskyAndHutch'' (2004) - David Starsky
* ''Franchise/{{Madagascar}}'' (2005-2012) - Alex the Lion
** ''WesternAnimation/Madagascar1'' (2005)
** ''WesternAnimation/MadagascarEscape2Africa'' (2008)
** ''WesternAnimation/Madagascar3EuropesMostWanted'' (2012)
* ''Night at the Museum'' (2006-2014) - Larry Daley
** ''Film/NightAtTheMuseum'' (2006)
** ''Film/NightAtTheMuseumBattleOfTheSmithsonian'' (2009)
** ''Film/NightAtTheMuseumSecretOfTheTomb'' (2014)
* ''Film/{{The Heartbreak Kid|2007}}'' (2007) - Eddie
* ''Film/TropicThunder'' (2008) - writer/director; Tugg Speedman (and Tugg Speedman as Sgt. "Four-Leaf" Trayback)
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Megamind}}'' (2010) produced and [[TheCameo cameoed]] as Bernard [[ActorAllusion the night shift guy]] - built from a discarded early script intended for live-action.
* ''Film/TowerHeist'' (2011) - Josh Kovacs
* ''Film/TheWatch2012'' (2012) - Evan Trautwig
* ''Film/TheSecretLifeOfWalterMitty'' (2013) - director; Walter Mitty
* ''Film/TheMeyerowitzStories (New and Selected)'' (2017)

!!!Television:
* ''Series/HeatVisionAndJack'' (1999) - director (rejected pilot); DJ
* ''WesternAnimation/TakeTwoWithPhineasAndFerb'' (2011 episode): Himself
* ''Series/{{Severance|2022}}'' (2022) - director
----