Ben Stiller is a celebrated actor and filmmaker who has earned himself a separate fanbase in the film industry. Best known for his comedic roles in movie series such as Zoolander, Night at the Museum, and Meet the Parents, Stiller has won an Emmy for his sketch comedy show, The Ben Stiller Show. Later in his career, the Tower Heist actor took a different path, both as an actor and director.
Stiller was also part of independent films, collaborating with esteemed directors, including David O. Russell in Flirting with Disaster. Stiller appeared alongside Russell and four other directors in a Roundtable discussion with The Hollywood Reporter, where they discussed the art of filmmaking.
Ben Stiller Realized It Was Time To Move From Comedy
Ben Stiller’s evolution as an actor and filmmaker is impressive. Stiller in his Roundtable appearance revealed that he was more into direction than acting. The Starsky & Hutch actor was considered one of the biggest names in comedy movies in the 2000s. Stiller also had a number of directional ventures during this time, including Zoolander.
In 2008, The Royal Tenenbaums actor directed and starred in the satirical action comedy film, Tropic Thunder. The film’s absurd comedies took a dig at the movie industry and the film was a critical and commercial success grossing $195 million worldwide. However, Stiller felt that he was limiting himself to a specific genre of movies. The Heartbreak Kid actor shared:
“I’ve had this parallel career as an actor, and I’ve always personally felt more like a director. That’s what I’ve enjoyed the most and what I’ve always wanted to do since I was a kid. Over the years, I felt I started to make a certain kind of movie — comedies — which I love, but I’ve always loved drama, I’ve always loved all different genres.”
While fans still loved the comedic roles that Stiller brought to the screen, the Duplex actor ventured into more dramatic films, the most notable being The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, where he both directed and starred.
Ben Stiller’s Newfound Role Brings Him Immense Satisfaction
Ben Stiller has almost vanished from acting in recent years, but the Along Came Polly actor has become a prominent director. For those unaware, Stiller serves as the director and executive producer for the critically acclaimed series, Severance. Earlier, he also directed the limited series Escape at Dannemora. The Envy actor received Emmy nominations for both projects.
Stiller is busy gearing up for the second season of Severance, as fans are left in awe of his transition from mindless comedies to mind-bending sci-fi psychological thrillers. Amidst all his directorial pursuits, The Meyerowitz Stories actor admitted that he does miss acting in films. Stiller shared that his stepping away from acting wasn’t intentional but now that he’s directing, he’s relishing his new role.
While movie lovers have accepted The Watch actor as a brilliant director, Stiller’s fans are eager to see him return in another acting role, probably a comedy flick.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
