Ben Stiller’s children have openly expressed feelings of his absence during their formative years, as the actor concentrated on his thriving Hollywood career.
The 59-year-old actor and producer delves into his experiences of fatherhood in his new AppleTV+ documentary, “Stiller & Meara: Nothing Is Lost.” The film explores the enduring 61-year marriage of his parents, Anne Meara and Jerry Stiller.
In a heartfelt revelation, the “Zoolander” star recalled a moment with his 23-year-old daughter, Ella, an actress who recently appeared in “And Just Like That.” She candidly told him, “I literally can’t ever remember you being around when I was growing up.”
His 20-year-old son, Quinlin, shared similar sentiments, admitting that he often felt like he was not a priority in his father’s busy schedule.
Reflecting on his childhood, Quinlin said, “After a tough day, or if something was going wrong, you can kind of get into your own head, and when you get into that place, it’s hard to get you out of it. So that would kind of put a damper on the fun part of being on vacation.”
He further explained, “You have all these hats that you’re trying to balance, you know? Being a director, an actor, a producer, a writer. But also just, like, a father. And sometimes, I felt that would come last to these other things.”
The Zoolander sensation shares his two kids with longtime wife Christine Taylor, 54.
Ben Stiller’s kids accused the star of being absent during their childhood in a candid new documentary; pictured September 14
Ben pictured with wife Christine Taylor and their kids Quinlin and Ella in 2016
Speaking with The Sunday Times about the documentary earlier this month, he shared, ‘Like any parent, I remember things that weren’t happy about my childhood and go, “I’ll do better.”
‘And then I realized it was impossible to avoid making the mistakes [my parents] made. I feel like I have a really great relationship with my kids, but it’s complicated and has at times been strained.’
He explained, ‘When they were young, I did not get it. I thought, “Oh, the kids are young, I can work away and be a good dad earning for the family.” But the bonds you form with your kids when they’re young are so important.’
Ben grew up alongside older sister Amy Stiller, 64, while their parents worked in showbiz.
He said their mom and dad’s careers ‘totally affected’ them.
The father-of-two recalled, ‘I just remember missing them terribly. And when they would come back, my sister and I would act out Jesus Christ Superstar or something in the lounge.’
He confessed, ‘But, then, I probably f***ed up more with my kids than my parents did with us.’
The 59-year-old actor and producer reflects on fatherhood in his new AppleTV+ documentary about his parents, Stiller & Meara: Nothing Is Lost, which examines his mother Anne Meara and father Jerry Stiller’s 61-year marriage – pictured 2008 with his parents and wife Christine Taylor
In one candid moment the Zoolander actor recalled his 23-year-old daughter Ella – an actress who recently starred in And Just Like That (pictured) – telling him: ‘I literally can’t ever remember you being around when I was growing up’
Stiller – seen in 2008’s Tropic Thunder -previously said: ‘When they were young, I did not get it. I thought, “Oh, the kids are young, I can work away and be a good dad earning for the family.” But the bonds you form with your kids when they’re young are so important’
Ben’s daughter Ella shared a photo taken ‘circa 2005’ of her, her dad, and her late grandparents Jerry and Anne via Instagram in September 2024
Ben grew up alongside older sister Amy Stiller, 64, while their parents worked in showbiz
The actor shines a light on his upbringing as the son of comedy duo Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara in his documentary (pictured: Stiller practices the violin for his parents in 1972)
Elsewhere in his documentary, Ben spoke to Ella about his regret in cutting her from one of his films.
She was due to make her feature film debut in the 2013 movie Secret Life of Walter Mitty, which was directed and co-produced by her A-lister father, who also played the titular role.
However, in post-production, he decided he no longer wanted to include the scene in which his daughter appeared.
She had starred as the much younger sister of her dad’s character, Odessa Mitty.
‘I cut you out of Secret Life of Walter Mitty. It’s probably the worst decision I ever made in my life,’ Ben laments in the doc.
Ella, however, argued that the scene ‘didn’t make sense in the movie.’
‘For me it kind of goes deeper,’ Ben told his daughter. ‘What it relates to is my own issues with my own obsession with my work, or “perfectionism.”‘
