This year, Ben Stiller (New York, 1965) will turn 60, 51 of which will be spent in the world of acting (he made his debut at just 9 years old in the series Kate McShane). Stiller has also had great success behind the camera, having under his belt more than twenty films as director since his debut in the iconic Young, cute and unemployed (1994), the cinematic portrait par excellence of Generation Winona Ryder And Ethan Hawke. And now it comes the first episode of the highly anticipated second season of Splitwhich he directed and executive produced and which has become one of the most acclaimed series in the Apple TV+ catalogue.
Ben Stiller as a child, in 1976, with his parents and sister Amy
Tim Boxer/Getty ImagesUndoubtedly, Stiller seemed destined for the world of show business since the cradle, since his parents, Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara, were a comedy duo (Stiller and Meara) very successful in the 60s and 70s (those who grew up in the 90s remember Jerry above all for the role of George Costanza’s father in Seinfeld). Both appeared atEd Sullivan Show (the most important variety show in the United States and which was fundamental to the careers of Elvis Presley and the Beatles) for a total of 36 times, as his son recalled a few days ago at Late Show with Stephen Colbertwhich is now recorded in the same historic studio.

Ben Stiller with his parents in an archive photo
New York Daily News Archive/Getty ImagesAlthough his debut as an actor precedes the widespread use of the term by many decades, Ben Stiller does not deny his condition at all nepo baby. Every time he is asked to talk about it, he admits that he is privileged and that having spent his childhood on the sets of the productions where his parents worked (both now deceased; Stiller is currently preparing a documentary about them) did it for him a big difference.
«I loved being behind the scenes with them. I realized very early that I liked directing and making filmsI was fascinated by it and wanted to learn as much as possible,” he told a Hey Dude… The 90s Called!a podcast hosted by his wife, fellow actress Christine Taylor (born in Allentown, Pennsylvania, 1971).
Like her husband, Taylor also began acting as a childappearing in the Nickelodeon children’s series and in the film The Brady familyand then moved on to some more adult roles in legendary 90s series like Friends And Seinfeldwhere he starred alongside his future father-in-law.
Taylor is an actress with a great gift for comedy and Stiller himself exploited his talents in some of his most famous films, such as Zoolander And Tropic Thunder. In fact, he met her in 1999, when he directed her in the pilot episode of a series that never took off, Heat Vision and Jackwith Jack Black as the protagonist (the curious can easily find it on YouTube the episode, which over the years has earned cult fame).

Ben Stiller and Christine Taylor in 2000, the year they married
Steve Azzara/Getty ImagesA year later, Stiller and Taylor married in an oceanside ceremony in Hawaii, while they were born in 2002 and 2005 their two children, Ella and Quinlin. The eldest daughter seems very determined to follow in the footsteps of her parents and grandparents given that, after attending the same New York school as her father, studied acting at Juilliardthe most prestigious art school in the United States. Ben already directed her in a small role in the miniseries Escape at Dannemoraand was the first to proudly publicly reveal that Ella wanted to pursue acting.

Ella Stiller with her father at the 2022 Emmys
Christopher Polk/NBC/Getty Images«She really likes it and is really passionate about it, she knows what she wants to do», he told the now deceased in 2019 The Ellen DeGeneres Show. «I too already knew at the age of 10 or 11 that I wanted to direct films and act. This job is crazy, but I want to support her in every way I can.”
The younger son, who uses the stage name of Quinn Dempsey Stilleris 19 years old and still attending college, but has already made his first forays into cinema, dubbing animated characters in Megamind And Madagascar 2 and appearing briefly in Locked Downa 2021 film starring Anne Hathaway.

Ben Stiller, Christine Taylor and son Quinlin in 2023
Jamie McCarthy/Getty ImagesTaylor and Stiller are about to celebrate a quarter century of marriage, but the Their union was bumpy, so much so that they separated for three yearsfrom 2017 to 2020. However, they reconciled during the pandemic, when they decided to return to live under the same roof during the lockdown, for the sake of their children and for logistical reasons.
«Everything happened in a harmonious and natural way», the actress revealed to Drew Barrymore Show in 2023. “It was a very special time for us and for the whole family.”
Stiller is involved in several humanitarian causes and is a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), which led him to travel to Ukraine in 2022 to witness the consequences of the Russian invasion on the ground and meet the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, who he called his hero.
“It’s one thing to see destruction on television or on social media, but when you see it with your own eyes it’s a completely different thing,” the actor told Zelensky.
In addition to basketball (he is a big Kicks fan), one of Ben Stiller’s great passions is tennis, so much so that he is often seen in the stands at the most important tournaments, especially the US Open, where, however, he will no longer be able to see his Favorite player of all time, the Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadalwith whom he also became a good friend.

Ben Stiller and Rafael Nadal in 2013
Mike Stobe/Getty Images«I am a big fan of Rafa Nadalwho called me almost 10 years ago to play a friendly match with Juan Martín del Potro. I didn’t come out of the match very well, but I learned a lot of things for the next match, even if I don’t think it will happen,” he told El Hormiguero in 2022 telling how the friendship with the Spanish tennis player was born.
When Nadal was active, Stiller was always one of the first to send him messages of support on social media when he was injured or when he had important matches, even if the rival was one of his compatriots, like the American Taylor Fritz (he did it in the last quarter-finals of Wimbledon played by Nadal and was criticized for it). And when the Spaniard announced his retirement last year, Ben was full of praise: «The best, I can’t even express how much I will miss seeing the greatest play. I feel respect, love and gratitude for having had the opportunity to experience it in person,” he wrote in a post.
Source: Vanity Fair

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