Ben Stiller Biography
One would not be mistaken for thinking that showbiz and humour run through Benjamin Edward Stiller’s blood. In fact it would be near correct because he is a good example of a son taking on after his parents’ line of work. Known by the professional name Ben Stiller, he has held a 36 year career that has seen him take up multiple roles in acting, film directing, film producing, screen writing, and comedy.
Stiller was born to celebrity parents Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara on November 30 1965 in New York City, New york, USA. He spent his academic life at the Calhoun School in New York, the Cathedral School, and later on he had a brief stint at the University of California, Los Angeles for a film major. As a child Stiller enjoyed the spoils of being a celebrity child and his circle of friends was made up of other children who worked in showbiz with his parents. He spent a lot of time at his parents’ workplaces and there he got to have a backstage pass to all the action.
Even before he turned five, Stiller had become a regular at his parents’ filming and there he got to meet and interact first hand with other Hollywood celebrities. After watching his parents for a while Stiller developed a passion for acting and he asked to be featured in one of the shows. At age nine he was cast for a child’s role in one of his mother’s films and this was the beginning of what would be a star studded time in Hollywood.
Aside from developing an interest for the stage Stiller had a passion for comedy and his favourite pastime was coming up with comical lines for make believe shows. After taking up roles in minor and less publicised films, Stiller ventured into the big league in 1987. He was featured in the film Empire of the Sun and from then on he had more roles. Some of the films that have featured Stiller include Hot Pursuit, Shoeshine, Fresh Horses, Next of Kin, Elvis Stories, That's Adequate, Heavyweights, The Cable Guy, Highway to Hell, and The Nutt House.
Stiller has also acted on the films Happy Gilmore, Permanent Midnight, Your Friends & Neighbors, There's Something About Mary, Zero Effect, Black and White, Mystery Men, The Suburbans, Meet the Parents, Keeping the Faith, The Independent, The Royal Tenenbaums, and Zoolander.
From 2008 Stiller took on an even more active role as actor, producer, and director for many of his films. These include Tropic Thunder, Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian, The Marc Pease Experience, Greenberg, Megamind, Little Fockers, Tower Heist, Bunnicula, and he is currently working for the production of Madagascar 3 which will be in box offices in 2012.
On his personal life, Stiller suffers from bipolar disorder which is linked to his genetic line. Stiller is a great fan of Barack Obama and during the current Us President’s campaign the actor donated extensively. Stiller also gives donations to charities that work to help AIDS victims around the world.
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