Key Insights

• Stiller’s Reflection: Ben Stiller reconsidered his approach to directing after the experience of Zoolander 2.
• Focus Shift: He prefers focusing on projects that bring him joy rather than directing himself.
• Future Plans: Stiller is set to direct a World War II survival film instead of continuing with Severance.
• Appreciation for Acting: He values the craft of acting and prefers to support actors from behind the camera.

Ben Stiller directed himself in a few films throughout his career, but he’s unlikely to do so ever again, and you can thank the failure of Zoolander 2 for that.

While speaking on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, Stiller says his perspective shifted after directing and starring in the 2016 sequel to his cult favourite comedy. “It was just a point where I stepped back and thought, ‘Okay, why am I doing this? What’s important to me?’ Going through a failure doesn’t feel great, but it made me ask those questions,” Stiller said. “That gave me clarity. It wasn’t a fun time — there was a lot else going on in my life — but what I came out with was the realization that I only want to do things that matter to me, things that make me happy and that I’d actually want to watch. That’s really how I started making decisions after that, and for me it became a lot clearer.“

Stiller realized that he didn’t like directing himself (or watching footage of himself in the editing room) and doesn’t plan to do it again. “I stopped doing it, and I haven’t done it since,” he said. “And I’ve been very happy about that, because I like just being able to focus on one thing at a time. It’s so much more enjoyable that way for me.“

Although Stiller doesn’t want to direct himself, he does love stepping behind the camera on other projects, particularly Apple TV+’s Severance. “I’m constantly impressed by the craft of acting, especially watching the actors on Severance. Seeing what they do makes me grateful I don’t have to be in front of the camera. It’s hard,” Stiller said. “I’m grateful to be an audience, to watch, encourage, maybe nudge them in one direction or another — and sometimes not do anything at all.“

Speaking of Severance, it was recently reported that Stiller will be less involved in the upcoming third season. Instead, he’ll be shooting a World War II survival movie which “tells the true story of a downed airman in occupied France and how he got involved with the French Resistance.“