Ben Stiller: Family Legacy, Workaholism, & Saving his Marriage
Sep 26, 2023
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Ben Stiller, famous actor and filmmaker, joins Mayim Bialik to discuss his parents' influence, his mental health journey as a child, saving his marriage during the pandemic, workaholism, making a documentary about his parents, and his mother's struggles with alcoholism. They also talk about therapy, growing up in an industry family, favorite Yiddish words, and the challenges of being parents.
Self-expression and personal growth are essential for personal fulfillment.
Having prominent actor parents comes with challenges and complexities that impact one's upbringing.
Balancing personal and professional lives in a creative partnership requires open communication and respect for each other's perspectives.
Deep dives
Growing up in a creative family and navigating personal expression
Ben Stiller discusses his journey of self-discovery and the importance of personal expression. He reflects on his late start in figuring out what he truly wants to do and emphasizes the significance of self-expression and personal growth. Stiller shares his love for directing and the challenges of balancing personal fulfillment with pushing oneself out of the comfort zone. He also highlights the vulnerability of acting and the admiration he developed for actors while observing the acting process.
The influence of his parents' careers and mental health
Ben Stiller explores the impact of having parents who were prominent actors and comedians. He reflects on the dynamic of growing up with comedian parents, the challenges they faced, and the merging of personal and creative lives. Stiller discusses his mother's journey with alcoholism and her commitment to self-exploration and sobriety. He also acknowledges the influence of his parents' mental health on his own upbringing, as well as the mixed messages and complexities that were present within their family.
Working with a partner and navigating creative collaboration
Ben Stiller shares his experiences of working with his wife Christine Taylor and discusses the challenges and rewards of creative collaboration in a romantic relationship. He reflects on the interplay between their personal and professional lives and the need to respect each other's perspectives and creative contributions. Stiller acknowledges the importance of open communication and shares his own reflections on the influence of his parents' working dynamic on his understanding of creative partnerships.
Exploring different therapy experiences and self-growth
Ben Stiller discusses his experiences with therapy and self-exploration. He shares his exposure to various therapy methods, including cognitive behavioral therapy and psychoanalysis, and acknowledges the valuable tools he gained from his sessions. Stiller reflects on the significance of exploring mental health and acknowledges the importance of therapy in his personal growth and understanding of himself and his relationships.
Challenges and introspection during COVID
The podcast episode explores how the COVID-19 pandemic brought about introspection and challenges in relationships. The host discusses with the guest how the lockdown coincided with a critical stage in their relationship. They decided to stay together despite being separated for a couple of years. The pandemic provided an opportunity for them to reevaluate their relationship and appreciate each other more.
Creativity, workaholism, and self-discovery
The conversation between the host and guest delves into their creative processes and the challenge of finding a balance between work and personal life. The guest expresses a love for directing and the enjoyment of the creative process but also the struggle of questioning if there is more to explore and finding the balance between doing what is comfortable versus pushing oneself. The guest reflects on the importance of self-awareness and the need for occasional breaks to gain clarity and perspective.
Ben Stiller joins us in the studio to discuss his parents’ influence, his mental health journey as a child, how the pandemic brought him and his wife Christine Taylor back together again, his workaholic tendencies, and what’s next for his career. He and Mayim share the nightmares they had the night prior, Ben shares his favorite Yiddish words and Mayim teaches him a new one during an impromptu Yiddish Word of the Day segment! Ben opens up about what it’s been like to make a documentary about his parents, how his marriage echoes his parents’ relationship, and his mother’s struggles with alcoholism. He recounts his feelings of separation anxiety as a child, the interesting forms of therapies his family tried, and his experience with transcendental meditation. Mayim details her digital detox and inspires Ben to consider giving it a try, and they discuss how creativity can add something incredible to or get in the way of a romantic relationship.
