Ben Stiller

Cast · Director · Writer

Born

November 30, 1965 · New York City, New York, USA

Birth name

Benjamin Edward Meara Stiller

“I'm always willing to endure humiliation on behalf of my characters.” American actor, comedian and film director. Son of Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara, he grew up among television sets and rehearsal rooms, which led him to take a Super 8 camera to make films with his sister and friends from an early age. At the age of ten he made his acting debut alongside his mother in the series Kate McShane and, at eighteen, he entered the University of California to study film. However, he only stayed there for nine months before returning to his native New York to immerse himself in show business. His first prominent role was in the revival of The House of Blue Leaves on Broadway, a play that won four Tony Awards. From there, he had major appearances in television and short films, including a small appearance in Steven Spielberg's Empire of the Sun. In 1994, he decided to try his luck behind the camera and directed, as well as co-starred in, Reality Bites, a film that has become a touchstone for the generation of the time. Subsequently, he focused on his career as an actor and starred in There's Something About Mary, a film that launched him to fame and allowed him to achieve successes such as Zoolander, The Royal Tenenbaums, Meet the Fockers and The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, both the first and the last mentioned were directed by him.