Ben Stiller Recalls Seeing Open Letter Urging Hollywood to “Stop Putting” Him in Comedies

by

Even today, Ben Stiller finds it hard to comprehend why he became such a popular comedy film star during the late 1990s and 2000s.

The well-known actor, producer, and director, whose comedic performances in movies like “There’s Something About Mary,” “Meet the Parents,” “Tropic Thunder,” and “Zoolander” (as well as others) led to a new level of success, recently reflected on that period of his career during an interview on the podcast “The Interview,” which is part of The New York Times. While he celebrated his achievements, he also remembered not always being universally liked.

I clearly recall picking up the L.A. Times, and there was an author who had penned a letter: ‘Dear God, cease casting Ben Stiller in comedies,’ he reminisced. I found myself thinking, I’m not sure, but here I am, enjoying what I do.

Reflecting on the experience, Stiller is grateful for his role in that iconic film era, stating, “In hindsight, it becomes clear that something significant was unfolding, and I feel lucky to have been involved. However, I’m unsure what exactly defined that period. If you examine comedies from the 2000s, they possessed a unique style, a specific tone, and many elements that we don’t see as much nowadays. I wonder if we could ever replicate that atmosphere again.

Following his exit from Saturday Night Live after only four episodes in 1989, as he felt he wasn’t proficient at live performances, Stiller eventually captivated audiences with his MTV series, The Ben Stiller Show. He carried this success into a series of successful comedy films.

When The Times later questioned whether the director of Severance had deliberately planned his career moves, the actor replied, “I doubt it, as I don’t consider myself very intelligent.

He stated, “I’d be the one making decisions. I distinctly recall: ‘Night at the Museum’ was a choice because I lived close to a natural history museum while growing up, and I thought, ‘If I were a child, I’d adore this, and it would be fun to create.’

Initially, the 2006 film “Night at the Museum” brought Ben Stiller immense success. Yet, as time went on, his reasons for reprising the role in two sequels in 2009 and 2014 shifted. Nevertheless, he continued to relish the experience of filming these movies.

Once I had my team assembled, it was enjoyable working with them, and I wouldn’t have wanted to miss collaborating with Robin Williams or Shawn Levy. However, during that phase, I didn’t possess the foresight to dwell on it. Many actors and directors can do this, but at the time, a part of me was bothered because I had a desire to explore other types of films as a director, and I hadn’t taken the time to pursue them.

Read More

2025-01-15 05:24