Ben Stiller Reflects on His Parents in ‘Stiller and Meara’

Ben Stiller recently shared insights into his deeply personal documentary, “Stiller and Meara: Nothing is Lost.” Initially, he didn’t consider how his family might react to the film until it was completed.

“It was really kind of after the fact, once we got to the place where the movie was what it was, that I started to think about how it might feel to have it out in the world,” Stiller explained to Reuters. He also reflected on how his parents would feel with such a portrayal.

Stiller’s documentary focuses on the legacy of his parents, the beloved comedic duo Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara, who gained fame after appearing on “The Ed Sullivan Show” in 1963.

The couple’s impact extended beyond their iconic performances; they also starred in popular television series such as “Rhoda” and “The King of Queens.” Sadly, Anne Meara passed away in 2015 at the age of 85, after a remarkable 61-year marriage.

The film is set to hit theaters on Friday and will be available for streaming on Apple TV starting October 24.

Reflections on Parenting

Despite being raised by famous Hollywood parents, Stiller admits that it didn’t fully prepare him for his own parenting journey. He shared, “At the beginning, I wanted to try to be like the parent that doesn’t make mistakes that their parents made. Of course, you end up making all these other mistakes. So, that’s the reality of life.”

He reminisced about his childhood, recalling how fans would stop his parents on the street, making it a common occurrence. “That was a constant thing, always sort of being at the mercy of who your parents would run into as a kid. It can be a little disorienting,” he noted, adding that his children face similar experiences with him.