Ben Stiller Acknowledges His Parenting “Mistakes” with His Two Children

Ben Stiller is reflecting on the challenges he has faced as a father of two.

“Like any parent, I think back on the unhappy moments from my childhood and tell myself, ‘I’ll do better,’” Stiller, 59, shared in an interview with The Sunday Times on Saturday, October 11, discussing what he hopes to avoid that his late parents, Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara, went through.

“Then I realized it’s inevitable that I would make the same mistakes they did,” he continued. “While I feel I have a good relationship with my kids, it can be complex and sometimes strained. When they were younger, I failed to grasp the significance of those early bonds, thinking that as long as I provided financially, I was being a good father.”

Ben is the father of daughter Ella, 23, and son Quinn, 20, with his wife and fellow actress, Christine Taylor. He admitted to having a complicated relationship with his late parents, who passed away in 2015 and 2020. Their Hollywood careers made them less available during his upbringing, which was not always easy financially.

“Our parents’ careers had a significant impact on us,” Stiller explained, recalling the late nights in New York or long spells in Los Angeles. “I remember missing them a lot. And whenever they returned, my sister and I would perform Jesus Christ Superstar in the living room,” he added.

He noted, “But I probably made more mistakes with my children than my parents did with us.”

The Dodgeball star recalled giving his daughter Ella a role in The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, which he directed, before deciding to cut her from the final version.

“My son has pointed out that being a good dad didn’t seem to be a priority for me,” Stiller reflected, shaking his head in regret.

Ben also talked about his separation from Christine from 2017 to 2020, noting that the experience was tough on their children.

“That period took a toll on my relationship with the kids,” Stiller shared. “I thought, ‘My parents never went through this.’ However, maintaining a long-term relationship is challenging. I regret how our breakup affected the kids, yet for Christine and me, it might have been the best outcome.”

Ben reflected on his time apart from Christine in his new documentary Stiller & Meara: Nothing Is Lost, which premiered at the New York Film Festival on October 5.

“While my career had been progressing, I was struggling in my personal life,” he states in the film, according to People. “I felt unbalanced, unhappy, and somewhat disconnected from my family, especially my kids, and just felt a bit lost.”