Ben Stiller’s 5 Best Performances

His accolades include an Emmy Award, 3 MTV Movie Awards and a Saturn Award nomination

Ben Stiller has been giving us laughs and some of the best comedies around since the late 90s. He has gone on to be part of some of the biggest comedy franchises whilst also finding time to build a career behind the camera. Who isn’t familiar with something the man hasn’t done?

We at ScreenHeads have compiled our 5 favourites of Ben Stiller’s starring roles.

5. Ted Stroehmann in There’s Something About Mary (1998)

This off-the-wall comedy from The Farrelly Bros. has Stiller in probably his most outlandish film to date. The comedic actor stars as a man hung up on his high school crush and decides to pursue her. Though, he is unaware of the trail of other potential suiters he is indirectly sending her way. The love sick, needy character is a funny one for Stiller to play.

Though he doesn’t exactly steal the show (we can give that to British actor/comedian Lee Evans surely), he does have some hysterical moments and elevates the script.

The studio were actually reluctant to cast Stiller, who was in fact The Farrelly Bros.’top choice. When the directing duo then went on choose Owen Wilson (a future frequent collaborator of Stiller’s), the studio backtracked and the rest is history.

4. Reuben Feffer in Along Came Polly (2004)

Along Came Polly continues Stiller’s run of the awkward/sometimes erratic male lead. This flick follows a man who is cheated on on his own honeymoon, then going on a up and down love affair with an old school friend called Polly who helps him step out of his comfort zone with hilarious results. Oh, and did we mention an unknown called Jennifer Aniston plays Polly?

The actor may be in his groove as an awkward main character, but watching him transition the stereotype into a man trying to find his footing in a new type of world is really entertaining.

One main plot device is the character of Polly owning a ferret – something that didn’t prove useful for our male lead. Stiller revealed during an interview promoting the film that the ferret had a habit of biting him. At one point even latching onto his chin. Ouch.

Related Article: Robin Williams’ 5 Best Performances

3. Tugg Speedman in Tropic Thunder (2008)

A film starring Ben Stiller…also directed by Ben Stiller. He works alongside the likes of Robert Downey Jr. and Jack Black as a group of actors who are thrusted into a jungle war…when they think they’re filming a movie.

His role is that of a Tom Cruise-type star who is most known for featuring in a long film series. After a terrible fall from grace in trying to take on a more dramatic, serious role, he sees this new outing as his last chance to save his career. And he won’t let anyone it.

Bouncing off his co-stars as well as ever, with his passive aggressive relationship with Downey Jr.’s Kirk Lazarus being a standout sector of the story. This makes for some of the best moments in the film.

Stiller was originally set to play Matthew McConaughey’s role of Rick Peck, with Keanu Reeves playing Tugg Speedman. However, somewhere along the way it looks like not everything went to plan and our director pulled double duty as one of the leads also.

2. Derek Zoolander in Zoolander (2001)

Another actor/director combo for Stiller. Here he stars as fashion model Derek Zoolander who…*sigh*…is brainwashed to assassinate the prime minister of Malaysia. As ridiculous as the plot sounds, Stiller’s Zoolander is easily one of his funniest performances. With air headed dialogue and amazing physical comedy, there is no surprise that this film was crying out for a sequel, and it got one. Though the second outing isn’t as great, the best part is definite the title character.

Stiller features his real-life father, Jerry Stiller, as his hysterical fashion head Maury Ballstein.

1. Greg Focker in Meet The Parents (2000)

Nicking the top spot is his mega roll as Greg “Gaylord” Focker, going head to head with Robert De Niro. Stiller stars as a young man meeting his girlfriend’s family for the first time. With Focker having a tendency to tell little white lies, he is in for a treat when he discovers his potential father-in-law is an ex-CIA agent.

The unlikely paring of Stiller and De Niro is amazing to watch. For Stiller, when he gets his freak out moments, he is at his best. Not only as a comedic actor, but as an actor in general, he is at the top level in this character. There’s no surprise that two sequels were spawned.

Jim Carrey was in fact set to star as the lead, even adding some jokes to the screenplay such as the surname of Focker. Thankfully, Stiller found his way to the project and made it his best (in our opinion).

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Agree with our rankings? Believe other roles deserved the top spot? Let us know in the comment section below!