John William Ferrell (; born July 16, 1967)
is an American actor, comedian, writer, and producer. He is known for his
leading man roles in comedy films and for his work as a television producer. Ferrell received
various accolades, including six
Primetime Emmy Awards
The Primetime Emmy Awards, or Primetime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Owned and operated by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS), the P ...
and a
British Academy Television Award
The BAFTA TV Awards, or British Academy Television Awards, are presented in an annual award show hosted by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts. They have been awarded annually since 1955.
Background
The first-ever Awards, given in 1 ...
, in addition to nomination for two
Golden Globe Awards
The Golden Globe Awards are awards presented for excellence in both international film and television. It is an annual Awards ceremony, award ceremony held since 1944 to honor artists and professionals and their work. The ceremony is normally ...
and a
Tony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ce ...
. In 2011, Farrell was honored with the
Mark Twain Prize for American Humor
The Mark Twain Prize for American Humor is an American award presented by the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. annually since 1998 (except 2020-2021). Named after the 19th-century humorist Mark Twain, it is prese ...
. In 2015, he received a star on the
Hollywood Walk of Fame
The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a landmark which consists of 2,813 five-pointed terrazzo-and-brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in the Hollywood, Los Angeles, Hollywood dist ...
and was named the best comedian in British ''
GQ''.
Ferrell first established himself in the mid-1990s as a cast member on the sketch comedy series ''
Saturday Night Live
''Saturday Night Live'' (''SNL'') is an American Late night television in the United States, late-night live television, live sketch comedy variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Michaels and Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC. The ...
'', where he performed from 1995 to 2002, and has subsequently starred in a string of comedy films. After starring in the 2003 comedy film ''
Old School,'' Ferrell became considered a member of the "
Frat Pack", a generation of leading Hollywood comic actors who emerged in the late 1990s and the 2000s, including
Jack Black
Thomas Jacob "Jack" Black (born August 28, 1969) is an American actor, comedian, and musician. He is known for roles in family and comedy films, in addition to his voice work in animated films. His awards include a Children's and Family Emmy ...
,
Ben Stiller
Benjamin Edward Meara Stiller (born November 30, 1965) is an American actor, comedian, and filmmaker. Known for his blend of slapstick humor and sharp wit, Stiller rose to fame through comedies such as ''There's Something About Mary'' (1998), ' ...
,
Steve Carell,
Vince Vaughn,
Paul Rudd, and brothers
Owen and
Luke Wilson. He founded the comedy website
Funny or Die in 2007 with his former writing partner
Adam McKay.
Ferrell starred in comedy films such as ''
A Night at the Roxbury
''A Night at the Roxbury'' is a 1998 American comedy film based on a recurring sketch on television's long-running ''Saturday Night Live'' called " The Roxbury Guys". ''Saturday Night Live'' regulars Will Ferrell, Chris Kattan, Molly Shannon, ...
'' (1998), ''
Elf
An elf (: elves) is a type of humanoid supernatural being in Germanic peoples, Germanic folklore. Elves appear especially in Norse mythology, North Germanic mythology, being mentioned in the Icelandic ''Poetic Edda'' and the ''Prose Edda'' ...
'' (2003), ''
Anchorman'' (2004), ''
Kicking & Screaming'' (2005), ''
Talladega Nights'' (2006), ''
Blades of Glory'' (2007), ''
Step Brothers'' (2008), ''
The Other Guys
''The Other Guys'' is a 2010 American buddy cop action comedy film directed by Adam McKay, who co-wrote it with Chris Henchy. It stars Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg with Eva Mendes, Michael Keaton, Steve Coogan, Ray Stevenson, Samu ...
'' (2010), ''
Get Hard'' (2015), and ''
Barbie
Barbie is a fashion doll created by American businesswoman Ruth Handler, manufactured by American toy and entertainment company Mattel and introduced on March 9, 1959. The toy was based on the German Bild Lilli doll, Bild Lilli doll which Hand ...
'' (2023). He has also taken dramatic roles in ''
Stranger than Fiction'' (2006), ''
Everything Must Go'' (2010), and ''
Downhill'' (2020). He has voiced roles in ''
Curious George
Curious George is a fictional monkey who is the title character of a series of popular children's picture books written and illustrated by Margret and H. A. Rey. Various media, including films and TV shows, have been based upon the original ...
'' (2006), ''
Megamind'' (2010),
''The Lego Movie'' film franchise (2014–2019), and ''
Despicable Me 4
''Despicable Me 4'' is a 2024 American animated comedy film produced by Universal Pictures and Illumination, and distributed by Universal. The sequel to '' Despicable Me 3'' (2017), it is the fourth main installment and sixth overall entry in t ...
'' (2024). He also starred in and produced the documentary ''
Will & Harper'' (2024) with writer
Harper Steele.
Ferrell has received four
Primetime Emmy Awards
The Primetime Emmy Awards, or Primetime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Owned and operated by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS), the P ...
for his work as a producer on the drama series ''
Succession
Succession is the act or process of following in order or sequence.
Governance and politics
*Order of succession, in politics, the ascension to power by one ruler, official, or monarch after the death, resignation, or removal from office of ...
'' (2018–2023) and for the specials ''
Live in Front of a Studio Audience'' (2019–2022). He also produced the series ''
I'm Sorry'' (2017–2019), the series ''
Dead to Me'' (2019–2022), and the series ''
Drunk History'' (2013–2019). For his work on
Broadway he received a
Tony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ce ...
nomination for
Best Special Theatrical Event for his satirical portrayal as
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician and businessman who was the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Bush family and the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he i ...
in ''
You're Welcome America'' (2009).
Early life and education
John William Ferrell was born on July 16, 1967, in
Irvine, California
Irvine () is a Planned community, planned city in central Orange County, California, United States, in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. It was named in 1888 for the landowner James Irvine. The Irvine Company started developing the area in the ...
,
to Betty Kay (
née
The birth name is the name of the person given upon their birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name or to the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto a births registe ...
Overman; born 1940), a teacher who taught at Old Mill School elementary school and
Santa Ana College, and Roy Lee Ferrell Jr. (born 1941), who played saxophone and keyboards for
the Righteous Brothers
The Righteous Brothers are an American musical duo originally formed by Bill Medley and Bobby Hatfield but now comprising Medley and Bucky Heard. Medley formed the group with Hatfield in 1963. They had first performed together in 1962 in the L ...
. His parents were both natives of
Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina. They moved to California in 1964.
Ferrell's ancestry includes English, German, and Irish. As an infant Ferrell suffered from
pyloric stenosis and had a pyloromyotomy to correct the condition. He has a younger brother, Patrick.
When he was eight years old, his parents divorced. Ferrell said of the divorce: "I was the type of kid who would say, 'Hey, look at the bright side! We'll have two Christmases'." The divorce was amicable, and both parents were committed to their children. The biggest problem was his father's line of work. As a person in show business, his paychecks were never steady, and he traveled from home for months at a time. Growing up in this environment made Ferrell not want to go into show business and instead have a steady job.
Ferrell first attended school at Culverdale Elementary and later attended
Rancho San Joaquin Middle School, both in Irvine. He attended
University High School in Irvine, and was a
kicker for the school's varsity
football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...
team.
[Dave Albe]
Carroll Chronicles: Celebrities love to practice with Pete
, ''Marin Independent Journal'', , 2007. He was also on the soccer team and captain of the basketball team, as well as serving on the student council. Ferrell called third grade "a pivotal year." He realized he could make his classmates laugh if he pretended to smash his head against the wall, or if he tripped and fell on purpose, and said it was a great way to make friends. He said the dullness of Irvine contributed to the growth of his humor:
In his senior year of high school, Ferrell and a friend would perform comedy skits over the school's intercom system, with cooperation from the principal; the two had to write their own material. Ferrell also performed comedic skits in the school's talent shows. He was voted "Best Personality" by his classmates. He enrolled at the
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California (USC, SC, or Southern Cal) is a Private university, private research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Founded in 1880 by Robert M. Widney, it is the oldest private research university in ...
, where he studied sports broadcasting and joined the
Delta Tau Delta fraternity. In college, he was known for a few pranks. On occasion, he would dress in a janitor's outfit and stroll into his friends' classes. He was also known for
streaking
Streaking is the act of running naked through a public area for publicity, for fun, as a prank, a dare, a form of protest, or to participate in a fad. Streaking is often associated with sporting events, but can occur in more secluded areas. Str ...
around campus with a few other people from the Delta Tau Delta fraternity. Ferrell earned an internship at a local television station in the sports department, but he did not enjoy the work.
After graduating with a
B.A. degree in sports information in 1990, he knew he did not want to do broadcasting. He took up a job as a hotel valet where, on his second day, he tore a baggage rack off the top of a van by trying to drive it under a low beam. He also worked as a teller at
Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo & Company is an American multinational financial services company with a significant global presence. The company operates in 35 countries and serves over 70 million customers worldwide. It is a systemically important fi ...
, but came up short $300 the first day and $280 the second; he was not stealing the money, but was just careless and error-prone. In 1991, encouraged by his mother to pursue something he liked, Ferrell moved to Los Angeles. He successfully auditioned for the comedy group
The Groundlings where he spent time developing his
improvisation skills.
Career
1994–2001: ''Saturday Night Live''
Before joining The Groundlings, Ferrell's attempts at standup comedy had little success. He started in the advanced classes and grew to love improvisation. He realized he also liked to impersonate people, and one of his favorites was
Harry Caray
Harry Christopher Caray (; March 1, 1914 – February 18, 1998) was an American radio and television Sports commentator, sportscaster. During his career he called the play-by-play for five Major League Baseball teams, beginning with 25 years of ...
, the
Hall of Fame
A hall, wall, or walk of fame is a list of individuals, achievements, or other entities, usually chosen by a group of electors, to mark their excellence or Wiktionary:fame, fame in their field. In some cases, these halls of fame consist of actu ...
baseball announcer. Soon he began to create original characters, and by 1994 he had joined The Groundlings. With fellow Groundlings member
Chris Kattan, he created the Butabi Brothers, who go out to dance clubs to try to pick up women but are constantly rejected. While taking classes, Ferrell got a job at an auction house via his friend Viveca Paulin. The job was ideal as it was flexible enough for him to audition and go to rehearsals while also being employed. By 1995 he was receiving small roles, including appearances in TV series ''
Grace Under Fire'' and ''
Living Single
''Living Single'' is an American television sitcom created by Yvette Denise Lee that aired for five seasons on the Fox network, from August 22, 1993, to January 1, 1998. The show centers on the lives of six New York City friends who share perso ...
'', low-budget films such as ''
A Bucket of Blood'', as well as commercials. One winter, he served as a mall Santa Claus.
After SNL's decline in popularity in
1994–1995, and in need of new cast members for the next season, a producer saw ''The Groundlings'' and asked Ferrell, Kattan, and
Cheri Oteri to audition for SNL's main producer,
Lorne Michaels
Lorne Michaels (born Lorne David Lipowitz; November 17, 1944) is a Canadian and American television writer and film producer. He created and produced ''Saturday Night Live'' (1975–1980, 1985–present) and produced the ''Late Night (franchise) ...
. Ferrell joined ''
Saturday Night Live
''Saturday Night Live'' (''SNL'') is an American Late night television in the United States, late-night live television, live sketch comedy variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Michaels and Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC. The ...
'' in 1995 and left in 2002 after a seven-year tenure. He has hosted the show five times, thereby becoming a member of the show's
Five Timers Club.
During his time on ''SNL'', Ferrell made a name for himself with his impersonations, which included US President
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician and businessman who was the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Bush family and the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he i ...
,
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central Division. Th ...
announcer
Harry Caray
Harry Christopher Caray (; March 1, 1914 – February 18, 1998) was an American radio and television Sports commentator, sportscaster. During his career he called the play-by-play for five Major League Baseball teams, beginning with 25 years of ...
, singer
Robert Goulet (
crooning a cappella
Music performed a cappella ( , , ; ), less commonly spelled acapella in English, is music performed by a singer or a singing group without instrumental accompaniment. The term ''a cappella'' was originally intended to differentiate between Rena ...
pieces of music by
Sisqó
Mark Althavan Andrews (born November 9, 1978), known professionally as Sisqó (stylized as SisQó), is an American Contemporary R&B, R&B singer. Following his tenure as lead performer of the R&B group Dru Hill, he quickly reached success as a sol ...
,
Baha Men, and
The Notorious B.I.G.), singer
Neil Diamond
Neil Leslie Diamond (born January 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. He has sold more than 130 million records worldwide, making him one of the List of best-selling music artists, best-selling musicians of all time.
He has written and ...
, ''
Inside the Actors Studio'' host
James Lipton (who favored Ferrell's impersonation), Massachusetts Senator
Ted Kennedy
Edward Moore Kennedy (February 22, 1932 – August 25, 2009) was an American lawyer and politician from Massachusetts who served as a member of the United States Senate from 1962 to his death in 2009. A member of the Democratic Party and ...
, United States Attorney General
Janet Reno
Janet Wood Reno (July 21, 1938 – November 7, 2016) was an American lawyer and public official who served as the 78th United States Attorney General, United States attorney general from 1993 to 2001 under President Bill Clinton. A member of ...
, convicted Unabomber
Ted Kaczynski, game show host
Alex Trebek, fictitious private detective
John Shaft, professional wrestler
Jesse Ventura
Jesse Ventura (born James George Janos; July 15, 1951) is an American politician, political commentator, actor, media personality, and retired professional wrestler. After achieving fame in the WWE, World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE), he ...
, US Vice President
Al Gore
Albert Arnold Gore Jr. (born March 31, 1948) is an American former politician, businessman, and environmentalist who served as the 45th vice president of the United States from 1993 to 2001 under President Bill Clinton. He previously served as ...
, Iraqi President
Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein (28 April 1937 – 30 December 2006) was an Iraqi politician and revolutionary who served as the fifth president of Iraq from 1979 until Saddam Hussein statue destruction, his overthrow in 2003 during the 2003 invasion of Ira ...
, and Cuban President
Fidel Castro
Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz (13 August 1926 – 25 November 2016) was a Cuban politician and revolutionary who was the leader of Cuba from 1959 to 2008, serving as the prime minister of Cuba from 1959 to 1976 and President of Cuba, president ...
.
His original characters included ''Morning Latte'' co-host Tom Wilkins,
Mister Ed the Horse's twin brother Ned, fictional
Blue Öyster Cult member Gene Frenkle (physically modeled after the band's vocalist
Eric Bloom), music teacher Marty Culp, cheerleader Craig Buchanan, Dale Sturtevant from ''Dissing Your Dog'', Hank of the
Bill Brasky Buddies, David Leary from ''Dog Show'', angry and inattentive Dr. Beaman and
night clubber Steve Butabi in sketches that were turned into a feature film in 1998's ''
A Night at the Roxbury
''A Night at the Roxbury'' is a 1998 American comedy film based on a recurring sketch on television's long-running ''Saturday Night Live'' called " The Roxbury Guys". ''Saturday Night Live'' regulars Will Ferrell, Chris Kattan, Molly Shannon, ...
''. Although a one-shot character, one of Ferrell's most memorable ''SNL'' characters is Dale McGrew, a "highly patriotic" office worker who comes to work wearing a half t-shirt and
short shorts that Ferrell improvised into a
thong
The thong is a Clothing, garment generally used as either underwear or in some countries, as a swimsuit. It may also be worn for traditional Ceremony, ceremonies or Sport, competitions.
Viewed from the front, the thong typically resembles a b ...
just before the skit aired live, leading to genuine laughter from the cast and guest host
Seann William Scott. Ferrell became the highest paid cast member of ''Saturday Night Live'' in 2001 with a season salary of $350,000. Ferrell returned to ''Saturday Night Live'' as a guest host on May 14, 2005; May 16, 2009; May 12, 2012; January 27, 2018, and November 23, 2019. For the first two hosting appearances, he reprised his role as Alex Trebek in the "
Celebrity Jeopardy" sketches. On the May 14 appearance, Ferrell reprised his role as Robert Goulet in a fake commercial advertising a series of
ringtone
A ringtone is the sound made by a telephone to indicate an incoming telephone call. Originally referring to the sound of electromechanical striking of bells or gongs, the term refers to any sound by any device alerting of an incoming call.
On p ...
s and, during the performance of the song "
Little Sister" by musical guests
Queens of the Stone Age
Queens of the Stone Age (commonly abbreviated as QOTSA or QotSA) is an American rock band formed in Seattle in 1996. The band was founded by vocalist and guitarist Josh Homme shortly before he returned to his native Palm Desert, California. ...
, Ferrell came on stage playing the
cowbell.
2002–2010: Film stardom

During his time on ''Saturday Night Live'', Ferrell appeared in several movies: ''
Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery'' (1997), ''
A Night at the Roxbury
''A Night at the Roxbury'' is a 1998 American comedy film based on a recurring sketch on television's long-running ''Saturday Night Live'' called " The Roxbury Guys". ''Saturday Night Live'' regulars Will Ferrell, Chris Kattan, Molly Shannon, ...
'' (1998), ''
Superstar
A superstar is someone who has great popular appeal and is widely known, prominent, or successful in their field. Celebrities referred to as "superstars" may include individuals who work as actors, musicians, athletes, and other media-based profe ...
'' (1999), ''
The Ladies Man'' (2000), ''
Dick'' (1999), ''
Drowning Mona'' (2000), ''
Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me'' (1999), ''
Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back'' (2001), and ''
Zoolander'' (2001). His first starring role after his departure from ''Saturday Night Live'' was as Frank "The Tank" Richard in ''
Old School'' (2003). The film "belongs to Mr. Ferrell," declared ''The New York Times'', which described how he "uses his hilarious, anxious zealotry to sell the part." ''Old School'' was a success and Ferrell received an
MTV Movie Awards
The MTV Movie & TV Awards is a film and television awards show previously presented annually on MTV. It began as the MTV Movie Awards in 1992, when its 1992 MTV Movie Awards, first edition was held, and adopted its current name in 2017, beginnin ...
nomination for Best Comedic Performance.
The title role in ''
Elf
An elf (: elves) is a type of humanoid supernatural being in Germanic peoples, Germanic folklore. Elves appear especially in Norse mythology, North Germanic mythology, being mentioned in the Icelandic ''Poetic Edda'' and the ''Prose Edda'' ...
'' (2003) followed, as did another MTV Movie Awards nomination. Ferrell continued to land comedy roles in 2004 and 2005 in films such as ''
Melinda and Melinda'', ''
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy'', and ''
Starsky & Hutch
''Starsky & Hutch'' is an American action television series, which consisted of a 72-minute pilot movie (originally aired as a '' Movie of the Week'' entry) and 92 episodes of 50 minutes each. The show was created by William Blinn (inspired ...
'' earning himself a place among Hollywood's
Frat Pack. In 2005, Ferrell earned . In 2006, Ferrell starred in ''
Stranger Than Fiction,
Curious George
Curious George is a fictional monkey who is the title character of a series of popular children's picture books written and illustrated by Margret and H. A. Rey. Various media, including films and TV shows, have been based upon the original ...
,'' and ''
Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby''.
Both ''Stranger Than Fiction'' and ''Talladega Nights'' received critical and box office success, while ''Curious George'' received critical success but not box office success. Ferrell's performance in ''Stranger Than Fiction'' introduced audiences to the dramatic potential of Ferrell's acting talents, while ''Talladega Nights'' was his highest grossing live-action opening as of 2010 at $47 million. On , 2006, ''The Magazine'' named Ferrell as one of its three actors of the year in their 2006 year in review issue. A sequel to Anchorman, ''
Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues'', was released in 2013.
In 2008, Ferrell starred in the movie ''
Step Brothers'' with John C. Reilly. The movie also starred
Adam Scott,
Kathryn Hahn,
Mary Steenburgen, and
Richard Jenkins
Richard Dale Jenkins (born May 4, 1947) is an American actor. He is well known for his portrayal of deceased patriarch Nathaniel Fisher on the HBO funeral drama series ''Six Feet Under (TV series), Six Feet Under'' (2001–2005). He began his c ...
. It was directed by frequent Ferrell collaborator
Adam McKay, who was also a co-writer of the movie. The movie earned $128 million worldwide. The film received mixed reviews but has since become a
cult classic
A cult following is a group of Fan (person), fans who are highly dedicated to a person, idea, object, movement, or work, often an artist, in particular a performing artist, or an artwork in some List of art media, medium. The latter is often cal ...
. Chris Hewitt of ''
Empire
An empire is a political unit made up of several territories, military outpost (military), outposts, and peoples, "usually created by conquest, and divided between a hegemony, dominant center and subordinate peripheries". The center of the ...
'' praised the chemistry of two leads writing, "Ferrell and Reilly are a superb double-act, Reilly's cockiness meshing well with Ferrell's puppy dog innocence. They're fine separately, but when the two are together, be it during an extended fight scene with a bunch of kids, or a demented sleepwalking sequence, the movie is a blast."

Ferrell is also known for his promotional appearances including acting as part of a pre-game video package for the Rose Bowl along with
University of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin, UT, or Texas) is a public university, public research university in Austin, Texas, United States. Founded in 1883, it is the flagship institution of the University of Texas System. With 53,082 stud ...
alum
Matthew McConaughey
Matthew David McConaughey ( ; born November 4, 1969) is an American actor. He achieved his breakthrough with a supporting performance in the coming-of-age comedy '' Dazed and Confused'' (1993). After a number of supporting roles, his first su ...
. Ferrell sang a song at the
ESPY Awards in 2006 about
Lance Armstrong
Lance Edward Armstrong (''né'' Gunderson; born September 18, 1971) is an American former professional road bicycle racing, road racing cyclist. He achieved international fame for winning the Tour de France a record seven consecutive times fro ...
and
Neil Armstrong
Neil Alden Armstrong (August 5, 1930 – August 25, 2012) was an American astronaut and aerospace engineering, aeronautical engineer who, in 1969, became the Apollo 11#Lunar surface operations, first person to walk on the Moon. He was al ...
. He and John C. Reilly performed a spot during the 2008 ESPY Awards within which they made demands in order for them to appear at the ESPYs, such as asking
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers (colloquially known as the Blazers) are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. The Trail Blazers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Northwest Division (N ...
' center
Greg Oden to tuck them in at night and tell them stories of the old times or to bring back the Cold War so the Olympics can be interesting again. Ferrell has worked as a voice actor in several animated television programs and films, including his portrayal of Bob Oblong, a 1950s-style father with no arms or legs, in the short-lived animated television series ''
The Oblongs'' which ran on
The WB
The WB Television Network (shortened to The WB, stylized as "THE WB", and nicknamed the "Frog Network" and/or "The Frog" for its former mascot Michigan J. Frog) was an American television network that ran from 1995 to 2006. It launched on ter ...
and
Adult Swim
Adult Swim (stylized as dult swimand s is an American adult-oriented television programming block that airs on Cartoon Network which broadcasts during the evening, prime time, and Late-night television, late-night Dayparting, dayparts. T ...
.
He has had several guest appearances on ''
Family Guy
''Family Guy'' is an American animated sitcom created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series premiered on January 31, 1999, following Super Bowl XXXIII, with the rest of the first season airing from April 11, 1999. Th ...
'' where he played the Black Knight in "
Mr. Saturday Knight", as well as Fat Greek Guy and Miles "Chatterbox" Musket in ''
Fifteen Minutes of Shame''.
He had a recurring cameo role as Bitch Hunter in the
sitcom
A sitcom (short for situation comedy or situational comedy) is a genre of comedy produced for radio and television, that centers on a recurring cast of character (arts), characters as they navigate humorous situations within a consistent settin ...
''
30 Rock
''30 Rock'' is an American satire, satirical sitcom television series created by Tina Fey that originally aired on NBC from October 11, 2006, to January 31, 2013. The series, based on Fey's experiences as head writer for ''Saturday Night Live' ...
''. Ferrell also starred as Ted (a.k.a.
The Man in the Yellow Hat) in the film ''
Curious George
Curious George is a fictional monkey who is the title character of a series of popular children's picture books written and illustrated by Margret and H. A. Rey. Various media, including films and TV shows, have been based upon the original ...
'' and guest voiced on an episode of the FOX sitcom ''
King of the Hill
''King of the Hill'' is an American animated sitcom created by Mike Judge and Greg Daniels that initially aired on Fox Broadcasting Company, Fox from January 12, 1997, to September 13, 2009, with four more episodes airing in First-run syndicati ...
'' as a
politically correct
"Political correctness" (adjectivally "politically correct"; commonly abbreviated to P.C.) is a term used to describe language, policies, or measures that are intended to avoid offense or disadvantage to members of particular groups in society. ...
soccer coach. He voiced the title character in the 2010
DreamWorks Animation
DreamWorks Animation LLC (DWA, also known as DreamWorks Animation Studios or simply DreamWorks) is an American animation studio, owned by Comcast's NBCUniversal as part of Universal Pictures, a division of Universal Studios, Inc, Universal Stud ...
feature film ''
Megamind'' (replacing both
Robert Downey Jr., who dropped out due to scheduling conflicts, and
Ben Stiller
Benjamin Edward Meara Stiller (born November 30, 1965) is an American actor, comedian, and filmmaker. Known for his blend of slapstick humor and sharp wit, Stiller rose to fame through comedies such as ''There's Something About Mary'' (1998), ' ...
, who also turned down the role and was instead cast in a minor role as Bernard the curator) as well as President Business in ''
The Lego Movie'', released in 2014. He reprised the latter role in ''
The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part'', released in 2019.
Ferrell has presented numerous times at the
Academy Awards
The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence in ...
. He sang a humorous song "Get Off the Stage" with
Jack Black
Thomas Jacob "Jack" Black (born August 28, 1969) is an American actor, comedian, and musician. He is known for roles in family and comedy films, in addition to his voice work in animated films. His awards include a Children's and Family Emmy ...
in
2004
2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and Its Abolition (by UNESCO).
Events January
* January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight 60 ...
and sang a song about comedies being snubbed by the voters in favor of dramas John C. Reilly and Jack Black in
2007
2007 was designated as the International Heliophysical Year and the International Polar Year.
Events
January
* January 1
**Bulgaria and Romania 2007 enlargement of the European Union, join the European Union, while Slovenia joins the Eur ...
. Ferrell made his
Broadway debut taking on departing U.S. President
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician and businessman who was the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Bush family and the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he i ...
in a one-man show called ''
You're Welcome America. A Final Night with George W. Bush.'' The show started performances on , 2009, in previews—Bush's final day in office—at the
Cort Theatre
The James Earl Jones Theatre, originally the Cort Theatre, is a Broadway theater at 138 48th Street (Manhattan), West 48th Street, between Seventh Avenue (Manhattan), Seventh Avenue and Sixth Avenue, in the Theater District, Manhattan, Theater ...
and opened officially on . The limited engagement played through , 2009.
In May 2009, it was announced that Ferrell was in talks to star in a feature film, ''Neighborhood Watch'' (later ''
The Watch''), a comedy about an urbanite who moves to the suburbs and uncovers a conspiracy. In negotiations to direct was
David Dobkin, who gave Ferrell a cameo in ''
Wedding Crashers''. In August 2009, Ferrell decided not to do the film.
Ferrell starred in the feature film ''
Land of the Lost'' (2009). It was a commercial and critical flop, earning on opening weekend—about two-thirds of what the studio expected.
In 2010, he was the executive producer and star of ''
The Other Guys
''The Other Guys'' is a 2010 American buddy cop action comedy film directed by Adam McKay, who co-wrote it with Chris Henchy. It stars Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg with Eva Mendes, Michael Keaton, Steve Coogan, Ray Stevenson, Samu ...
'', a
buddy cop film which also has an
ensemble cast
In a dramatic production, an ensemble cast is one that comprises many principal actors and performers who are typically assigned roughly equal amounts of screen time.Random House: ensemble acting Linked 2013-07-17
Structure
In contrast to the po ...
including
Mark Wahlberg
Mark Robert Michael Wahlberg (born June 5, 1971), formerly known by his stage name Marky Mark, is an American actor, producer, and former rapper. Mark Wahlberg filmography, His work as a leading actor, leading man spans the Comedy film, come ...
,
Eva Mendes,
Michael Keaton,
Steve Coogan
Stephen John Coogan (; born 14 October 1965) is an English-Irish actor, comedian, screenwriter and producer. His accolades include four BAFTA Awards and three British Comedy Awards, and nominations for two Academy Awards and a Golden Globe Aw ...
,
Ray Stevenson,
Samuel L. Jackson, and
Dwayne Johnson
Dwayne Douglas Johnson (born May 2, 1972), also known by his ring name The Rock, is an American actor and professional wrestler. He is signed to WWE, where he performs on a part-time basis. Widely regarded as one of the greatest professional w ...
. The film was a commercial success earning over $140 million and was positively reviewed by critics.
2011–2019: Career expansion

Ferrell appeared in the 2011 music video for "
Make Some Noise" by the
Beastie Boys
The Beastie Boys were an American Hip-hop, hip hop and Rap rock, rap rock group formed in New York City in 1979. They were composed of Ad-Rock, Adam "Ad-Rock" Horovitz (vocals, guitar), Adam Yauch, Adam "MCA" Yauch (vocals, bass), and Mike D, ...
, in the front of a limo playing a
cowbell. He stars in ''
Casa de Mi Padre'', a
telenovela
A telenovela is a type of a television serial drama or soap opera produced primarily in Latin America. The word combines ''tele'' (for "television") and ''novela'' (meaning "novel"). Similar Drama (film and television), drama genres around the w ...
spoof comedy set in a ranch with Mexican stars
Diego Luna
Diego Dionisio Luna Alexander (; born 29 December 1979) is a Mexican actor, director, and producer, best known for his portrayal of Cassian Andor in ''Rogue One, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story'' (2016) and the Disney+ series ''Andor (TV series), ...
and
Gael García Bernal
Gael García Bernal (; born 30 November 1978) is a Mexican actor and filmmaker. He is known for his performances in the films ''Amores perros'' (2000), ''Y tu mamá también'' (2001), ''Bad Education (2004 film), Bad Education'' (2004), ''The Mot ...
. The movie is told in melodramatic telenovela form and features
English-language
English is a West Germanic language that developed in early medieval England and has since become a English as a lingua franca, global lingua franca. The namesake of the language is the Angles (tribe), Angles, one of the Germanic peoples th ...
subtitles. He starred alongside Zach Galifianakis in the 2012 political comedy ''The Campaign (film), The Campaign'', which garnered mediocre reviews and grossed $104 million against a budget of $95 million. Also in 2012, he appeared in the comedy ''Tim and Eric's Billion Dollar Movie'' and starred as Armando Álvarez in the Spanish-language comedy ''
Casa de Mi Padre'' which was directed by frequent collaborator Matt Piedmont.
In a 2014 poll taken as part of a commemorative ''SNL'' feature on ''Grantland'', Ferrell was voted the best ''Saturday Night Live'' cast member of all time. On December 12, 2015, Ferrell appeared in the cold open of the show in character as George W. Bush. He reprised this role when he returned as host in 2018.
Ferrell and Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith, who have had a long-running joke feud over their similar appearance appeared on the May 22, 2014 episode of ''The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon'' for a charity drum-off battle. Despite Smith clearly giving the better performance, Ferrell was named the winner and awarded a giant gold cowbell. Both were joined by Smith's Red Hot Chili Peppers bandmates for a performance of "Don't Fear the Reaper", with Ferrell playing cowbell. On June 10, 2014, Ferrell and Smith challenged Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich to a drum-off with Ferrell, saying Ulrich looks "eerily similar" to the two of them. Ulrich accepted the challenge two days later.
In 2015, he starred in the buddy comedy ''
Get Hard'' and the comedy ''Daddy's Home (film), Daddy's Home'', with the latter reuniting him and ''The Other Guys'' co-star Mark Wahlberg. He reprised his role, Jacobim Mugatu, in the ''Zoolander'' sequel, ''Zoolander 2'' (2016). He then reprised his role from ''Daddy's Home'' in the sequel, ''Daddy's Home 2'' (2017).
In 2014, Ferrell filmed a role for the comedy-drama ''Zeroville (film), Zeroville'', based on the Zeroville, novel of the same name.
The film's release was delayed until 2019. Also in 2014, Ferrell signed on to portray director Russ Meyer in ''Russ and Roger Go Beyond'', a comedic biopic documenting the making of ''Beyond the Valley of the Dolls'', alongside Josh Gad as Roger Ebert.
In 2018, prior to filming, the project was cancelled due to the recent MeToo movement, #MeToo movement and Meyer's association with sexploitation filmmaking.
In February 2019, Ferrell launched ''The Ron Burgundy Podcast'' in collaboration with the IHeartRadio, iHeart Radio Podcast Network. The show was originally slated for two seasons of twelve episodes each. In 2022, the podcast was renewed for a fifth live season.
In October 2019, Ferrell partnered with iHeart Radio to launch his own podcast network, the Big Money Players Network.
The partnership deal included 10 scripted and unscripted comedy podcasts set to be released over a two-year period.
2020–present
In 2020 Ferrell starred alongside Julia Louis-Dreyfus in the remake of the 2014 Swedish film ''Force Majeure (film), Force Majeure'', entitled ''
Downhill'' which was directed by Nat Faxon and Jim Rash. That same year he starred in the musical comedy film ''Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga'' with Rachel McAdams. In 2022 he starred in the Apple TV+ musical comedy film ''Spirited (film), Spirited'' with Ryan Reynolds. He also served as the film's producer. The next year he played the CEO of Mattel in Greta Gerwig's comedy film ''
Barbie
Barbie is a fashion doll created by American businesswoman Ruth Handler, manufactured by American toy and entertainment company Mattel and introduced on March 9, 1959. The toy was based on the German Bild Lilli doll, Bild Lilli doll which Hand ...
'' (2023) starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling; the same year he produced and starred in the film ''Quiz Lady''. In 2024, Ferrell co-starred in a Netflix documentary ''
Will & Harper'', where Ferrell joins his best friend Harper Steele, who had recently come out to him a trans woman. The two take a road trip to rediscover each other.
Other ventures
In April 2007, Ferrell and
Adam McKay launched "
Funny or Die",
a streaming video website where short comedy films are uploaded and voted on by users. One of the featured shorts, ''The Landlord (2007 film), The Landlord'', stars Ferrell as a man harassed for the rent by his landlady, a swearing, beer-loving, two-year-old girl, played by McKay's own daughter, Pearl. Child psychologists have criticized Ferrell and the McKay family for child exploitation, to which McKay responded, "Fortunately she is in this great stage now where she repeats anything you say to her and then forgets it right away, which is key. She has not said the 'B-word' since we shot the thing."
They followed with the release of a video entitled "Good Cop, Baby Cop" which also starred baby Pearl; the end of the video stated that this would be her final appearance and wished her a happy "baby retirement".
In September 2008, Ferrell released another video entitled "Will Ferrell Answers Internet Questions" where he takes some pressing questions and comments from his fans. Another Ferrell appearance on "Funny or Die"
is in the video called "Green Team", featuring also McKay and John C. Reilly. It shows militant ecologic activists terrorizing the crew on a filming set.
Ferrell co-produced (with
Adam McKay) an HBO show starring Danny McBride called ''Eastbound & Down''. He also had a recurring role as car dealer Ashley Schaeffer.
Ferrell was one of the executive producers of ''The Chris Gethard Show'', which aired on Fusion TV, Fusion from 2015 to 2016 and on truTV from 2017 to 2018.
Ferrell is one of the executive producers of ''
Dead to Me'' (2019–2022), which stars Christina Applegate and Linda Cardellini.
In 2019, Ferrell ended his personal and professional relationship with McKay and closed their production company, Gary Sanchez Productions. It was later revealed the reason for the split was due to the fact that McKay cast John C. Reilly as Jerry Buss on the show ''Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty'', a role that Ferrell wanted, without letting Ferrell know.
Personal life
In August 2000, Ferrell married Swedish actress Viveca Paulin, whom he met in 1995 at an acting class. They live in New York City and Orange County, California, and have three sons, born in 2004, 2006, and 2010.

At USC, Ferrell was a member of
Delta Tau Delta fraternity and is now an active alumnus. Ferrell has worked with former head coach Pete Carroll to do motivational stunts for the players during the season.
Ferrell has run multiple marathons, including the Boston Marathon, Boston, New York Marathon, New York, and Stockholm Marathon, Stockholm marathons.
[Keith Phipps]
Interview: Will Ferrell
''The A.V. Club'' (''The Onion''), , 2003. He also raises money for charity, including his Scholarships for Cancer Survivors campaign, through a micro-donations fundraising platform.
In 2007, ''Autograph'' magazine named Ferrell the worst celebrity autographer. Its editor stated: "What's so frustrating about Will Ferrell being the worst autograph signer this past year is that he used to be so nice to fans and collectors and a great signer. What makes him so bad is that he'll taunt people asking for his autograph." In response, Ferrell stated: "I don't know how I got on the list. I sign a lot of autographs." He has, however, admitted to taunting autograph-seekers: "I do. I really do. I'm like, 'How badly do you want this autograph?' 'Are you sure?' 'You say you're my biggest fan, really, prove it.' I'll do things like that. They have to earn it."
[Rabin, Natha]
Interview: Will Ferrell
''The A.V. Club'' (''The Onion''), , 2008.
Ferrell appeared on an episode of ''Man vs. Wild'' in which he traveled throughout the tundras of Sweden with the show's host, Bear Grylls. In the episode, Ferrell came across various unique situations, such as eating the eye of a reindeer.
On January 7, 2016, it was announced that Ferrell would become a part-owner of Los Angeles FC, a Major League Soccer team set to begin playing in 2018, as one of several celebrity co-owners of the team (including Mia Hamm and Magic Johnson).
On May 12, 2017, Ferrell was awarded an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters, D.H.L. degree by the
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California (USC, SC, or Southern Cal) is a Private university, private research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Founded in 1880 by Robert M. Widney, it is the oldest private research university in ...
.
On April 13, 2018, Ferrell was involved in a serious two-car collision in California. The SUV he was a passenger in flipped over during the crash. Ferrell was one of three passengers in the car. He was seen talking on his cellphone while being loaded into an ambulance.
Ferrell, along with another passenger, was unhurt in the accident; two others were injured.
He was released from the hospital shortly after said to be "doing fine."
Political views
Ferrell is a supporter of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party and in 2018, Canvassing, canvassed on behalf of the party in the state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia.
Ferrell had noted that, though he was well known for his ''SNL'' impersonation of President
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician and businessman who was the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Bush family and the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he i ...
, he chose, for both professional and political reasons, not to meet the president on several occasions. Unlike his ''SNL'' predecessor Dana Carvey's famous relationship with George H. W. Bush, Ferrell has said: "I declined, partly out of comedic purposes, because when I was on the show ''Saturday Night Live'' at the time, it didn't make sense to really meet the people that you play, for fear of them influencing you. And then the other side of it is, from a political standpoint, I don't want to meet that guy."
In August 2012, while in Australia promoting ''The Campaign'', Ferrell made a guest appearance on the Network 10 live panel news/comedy show The Project (Australian TV program), ''The Project''. He found himself speaking via video link to Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard, during which they had a light-hearted conversation about hairdressing.
Ferrell supported Barack Obama in the 2012 presidential election and met him (along with his wife, Michelle Obama, Michelle) in 2011.
In February 2013, Ferrell endorsed Eric Garcetti for mayor of Los Angeles.
Sports
Baseball
On May 6, 2010, at a Minor League Baseball game at Dell Diamond in Round Rock, Texas, Ferrell was introduced between innings as a Venezuelan pitcher for the Round Rock Express named "Billy Ray 'RoJo' Johnson". Wearing a false mustache and carrying a bag of beer cans to the mound, Ferrell threw one pitch and was Ejection (sports), ejected after a staged fight and chase with an opposing batter. He revealed himself to the fans when his moustache fell off during the chase. A video of the skit went Viral video, viral. The appearance was cooked up by Ferrell and the Express, who sent out a press release announcing Johnson's "signing" to promote a charity golf outing the following day at a nearby country club.
Ferrell played in five games of Major League Baseball spring training on March 12, 2015, for ten different Cactus League teams as a promotion for a
Funny or Die charity special. He played for the Arizona Diamondbacks, Los Angeles Angels, Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres, Cincinnati Reds, Oakland Athletics, Seattle Mariners,
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central Division. Th ...
, Chicago White Sox, and the San Francisco Giants, playing all ten positions (including designated hitter). According to Baseball-Reference, Ferrell faced and retired one batter – pitching on behalf of the Dodgers and ending with a 0.00 earned run average. The memorabilia from his one-day professional baseball career was sold and the proceeds donated to two cancer charities. Ferrell went 0–2 with two strikeouts that day but managed to foul off a fastball from the Giants' Jean Machi.
Ice hockey
Ferrell is an avid fan of the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League (NHL) and frequently partners with the club and attends games while seated in the front row. Ferrell has produced several video messages which the Kings have aired on the jumbotron during games throughout the years.
Ferrell has taken an active role in the Kings' fandom. During the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs, 2023 playoffs matchups between the Kings and Edmonton Oilers, Ferrell appeared in his usual front row seats donning checkered faceprint in the Kings' colors, which circulated and drew parodies around the NHL.
In a March 21, 2019 game between the Kings and San Jose Sharks, Ferrell commentated the entire second period of the match on the local television broadcast in-character as Ron Burgundy. For the 2023–24 NHL season, Kings goaltender Cam Talbot, although himself not a member of the team at the time of the broadcast, bore a depiction of Burgundy in reference to the event.
Soccer
Ferrell took part in Soccer Aid#Soccer Aid 2012, Soccer Aid 2012. In 2016, he became a part-owner of Los Angeles FC, which competes in Major League Soccer. When asked about why he became a co-owner Ferrell said "I don't really have a side per se until LAFC get started and that will definitely be, obviously, my team. But I just enough watching the fact that it's played all over the world. So many amazing players and so many top flight leagues. And hopefully MLS can be on par, eventually, with the European leagues."
Filmography
Awards and honors
Over his career Ferrell has received various awards nominations including sixteen Primetime Emmy Award nominations winning three awards, one for ''
Succession
Succession is the act or process of following in order or sequence.
Governance and politics
*Order of succession, in politics, the ascension to power by one ruler, official, or monarch after the death, resignation, or removal from office of ...
'' (2020), and twice for ''
Live in Front of a Studio Audience'' (2019, 2020).
Ferrell received two Golden Globe Award nominations for his comedian performances in ''The Producers (2005 film), The Producers'' (2005), and ''
Stranger than Fiction'' (2006). He also received a
Tony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ce ...
nomination for
Best Special Theatrical Event for ''You're Welcome America, You're Welcome America. A Final Night with George W Bush'' (2009).
Ferrell also has received various honors including the James Joyce Award from the University College Dublin's Literary and Historical Society (University College Dublin), Literary and Historical Society in recognition for "excelling in his field" in 2008. In 2011 he was awarded the
Mark Twain Prize for American Humor
The Mark Twain Prize for American Humor is an American award presented by the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. annually since 1998 (except 2020-2021). Named after the 19th-century humorist Mark Twain, it is prese ...
. Ferrell received the prize at a ceremony at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts where he was honored by fellow comedians and collaborators Conan O'Brien, John C. Reilly,
Ben Stiller
Benjamin Edward Meara Stiller (born November 30, 1965) is an American actor, comedian, and filmmaker. Known for his blend of slapstick humor and sharp wit, Stiller rose to fame through comedies such as ''There's Something About Mary'' (1998), ' ...
,
Jack Black
Thomas Jacob "Jack" Black (born August 28, 1969) is an American actor, comedian, and musician. He is known for roles in family and comedy films, in addition to his voice work in animated films. His awards include a Children's and Family Emmy ...
,
Paul Rudd,
Adam McKay, Tim Meadows, Matthew Broderick, and Ed Asner. In 2015, Ferrell received a Star on the
Hollywood Walk of Fame
The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a landmark which consists of 2,813 five-pointed terrazzo-and-brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in the Hollywood, Los Angeles, Hollywood dist ...
for his work in motion pictures.
In 2022, Los Angeles F.C. of Major League Soccer (MLS) – of which Ferrell is part owner – won the 2022 MLS Cup, MLS Cup, thus giving him an MLS championship to his credit.
LAFC captures first MLS Cup title with electric win over Union, Will Ferrell drinks from trophy – Fox News.com
/ref>
References
Sources
*
External links
*
Will Ferrell page on Funny Or Die
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ferrell, Will
Will Ferrell,
1967 births
Living people
20th-century American comedians
20th-century American male actors
20th-century American male writers
20th-century American screenwriters
21st-century American businesspeople
21st-century American comedians
21st-century American male actors
21st-century American screenwriters
American people of English descent
American people of German descent
American comedy writers
American film production company founders
American impressionists (entertainers)
American Internet company founders
American male comedians
American male film actors
American male voice actors
American sketch comedians
American television writers
American writers of Irish descent
Businesspeople from Orange County, California
Comedians from California
Film producers from California
Frat Pack
Funny or Die
Los Angeles FC non-playing staff
Major League Soccer owners
Male actors from Orange County, California
Mark Twain Prize recipients
USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism alumni
University High School (Irvine, California) alumni
Writers from Orange County, California