Ben Stiller has recently shared insights into a decision he regrets that affected his relationship with his daughter for years.
The accomplished actor and comedian, known for his roles in films like “There’s Something About Mary” and “Meet the Parents,” boasts a successful Hollywood career, earning accolades such as three MTV Movie Awards and a Directors Guild of America Award.
However, Stiller has also been candid about the challenges in his personal life, particularly regarding his strained relationship with his 23-year-old daughter, Ella.
In his new Apple TV documentary, “Stiller & Meara: Nothing Is Lost,” Stiller disclosed that he removed his daughter from a role in his 2013 film, “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.” The film, which he directed and starred in, was an adaptation of the 1939 James Thurber story. Ella was initially cast to portray a younger version of Odessa Mitty, the sister of Stiller’s character, Walter Mitty.
Stiller admitted that he ‘cut’ her from the film, which adversely affected their relationship for many years.
Speaking about the decision on SiriusXM’s The Howard Stern Show, Stiller expressed his regret: “What a huge mistake. She was eight, Howard. She was eight.”
“It just damaged our relationship for so many years. It was a good lesson for me. First of all, if you’re going to put your kid in something … put them in a scene you’re never going to cut no matter what.”
In the documentary, Stiller further elaborated on his regret: “I cut you out of The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. It’s probably the worst decision I ever made in my life.”
Today, Ella has moved past the incident, recalling that she felt ‘really scared’ during the filming. She also mentioned that the scene ‘didn’t make sense in the movie.’
Despite her forgiving outlook, Stiller continues to reflect on the choice he made over a decade ago.
He commented: “For me, it kind of goes deeper. What it relates to is my own issues with my own obsession with my work, or ‘perfectionism.'”
Reflecting on his upbringing with renowned comedy duo Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara as parents, he added: “The irony is, I thought I was doing so much better than my parents. I thought I was pulling it off.”
“I was flying home on the weekends and having special places for the kids to play when they come visit the set, but in reality – and just hearing them talk about it – for them, it was the same thing I was going through as a kid, and I just couldn’t see that at all at the time.”