Ben Stiller

This was a great meeting. And then like a day later, yeah, they're passing. More than ever, honestly, these days, because, you know, it's a very tough environment now to get things made. I think just with post the strike, post COVID, it's more expensive to make things.

This was a great meeting. And then like a day later, yeah, they're passing. More than ever, honestly, these days, because, you know, it's a very tough environment now to get things made. I think just with post the strike, post COVID, it's more expensive to make things.

And I think the decision makers are, you know, trying to keep their jobs and trying to figure out how to make things work for them, which means constriction and choices that are safer.

And I think the decision makers are, you know, trying to keep their jobs and trying to figure out how to make things work for them, which means constriction and choices that are safer.

Honestly, yeah, I never, I had no, I mean, it's funny because at the time, I remember like a moment in time when like people started having that reaction. Like I would like open up a newspaper and be like, why is Ben Stiller in every movie? Like I remember opening up the LA Times and a guy like wrote, it was actually a funny inside joke with Ricky Gervais for a long time.

Honestly, yeah, I never, I had no, I mean, it's funny because at the time, I remember like a moment in time when like people started having that reaction. Like I would like open up a newspaper and be like, why is Ben Stiller in every movie? Like I remember opening up the LA Times and a guy like wrote, it was actually a funny inside joke with Ricky Gervais for a long time.

Because there was this writer who wrote like a letter to God, dear God, stop putting Ben Stiller in comedies. And it was like, yeah, but I wasn't thinking, I was just like, I don't know. I'm, you know, I'm here. I'm doing it. I love doing what I do. But, you know, it's only in retrospect more to look back and go, oh, yeah, that was like, wow, there was like, you know, a thing happening there that.

Because there was this writer who wrote like a letter to God, dear God, stop putting Ben Stiller in comedies. And it was like, yeah, but I wasn't thinking, I was just like, I don't know. I'm, you know, I'm here. I'm doing it. I love doing what I do. But, you know, it's only in retrospect more to look back and go, oh, yeah, that was like, wow, there was like, you know, a thing happening there that.

I was very fortunate to be a part of, but I don't know what the zeitgeist was. And you can look at 2000s comedies now and go, okay, they were a specific kind of thing, a tone. And there were a lot of great things in those comedies, too, that we don't have now. But I don't know if you can recreate that now. But at the time, I really wasn't analyzing it too much.

I was very fortunate to be a part of, but I don't know what the zeitgeist was. And you can look at 2000s comedies now and go, okay, they were a specific kind of thing, a tone. And there were a lot of great things in those comedies, too, that we don't have now. But I don't know if you can recreate that now. But at the time, I really wasn't analyzing it too much.

I was kind of just trying to figure out how to navigate it.

I was kind of just trying to figure out how to navigate it.

It's not something when you're in it that you... are really able to analyze because it's happening.

It's not something when you're in it that you... are really able to analyze because it's happening.

I don't think so, because I don't think I'm that smart, really. I think I would make decisions based, like, I remember very clearly Night at the Museum was a decision because I grew up near the Natural History Museum. And I thought, oh, I love this. Like, if I was a kid, I'd love this. And it'd be fun to do. But then the Night at the Museum 3 decision is a little different, right?

I don't think so, because I don't think I'm that smart, really. I think I would make decisions based, like, I remember very clearly Night at the Museum was a decision because I grew up near the Natural History Museum. And I thought, oh, I love this. Like, if I was a kid, I'd love this. And it'd be fun to do. But then the Night at the Museum 3 decision is a little different, right?

Yeah, but it's also, you know, at that point, you know, you've got a team together, and those were all fun to do. I'm like, you know, I'm not going to not want to work with Robin Williams or, you know, Sean Levy getting this group together, but...

Yeah, but it's also, you know, at that point, you know, you've got a team together, and those were all fun to do. I'm like, you know, I'm not going to not want to work with Robin Williams or, you know, Sean Levy getting this group together, but...

You know, when I was in that period, I don't think I had the ability to kind of like hover over and go like, how am I looking at... And a lot of actors and filmmakers do have that ability. I just wasn't at that place. So, you know, the only part of it that... was sort of like nagging at me. He was like, I like to do other kinds of movies as a filmmaker.

You know, when I was in that period, I don't think I had the ability to kind of like hover over and go like, how am I looking at... And a lot of actors and filmmakers do have that ability. I just wasn't at that place. So, you know, the only part of it that... was sort of like nagging at me. He was like, I like to do other kinds of movies as a filmmaker.