This Christmas, Ben Stiller and Kristen Wiig bring audiences a heart-warming life-affirming film with "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty", for which Stiller not only stars as the lead; Walter Mitty, but also helms the director seat, making it one of the most career defining role the 48-year-old actor has ever done to date. What many may not know, is that Stiller in fact, prefers to be the man behind the camera rather than in front of it, a passion that arose ever since his directorial debut with the 1994 indie rom-com "Reality Bites". But his string of popular comedies (grossing over USD2.6 billion) has certainly made him the leading man of comedy today and anyone who questions his diversity, has to only look at his past roles. The man who has dabbled with acting, writing, directing and producing has made a full circle in the industry for which not everyone gets the opportunity to do, let alone being one who comes from the comedy niche. Showing the extent and variations of his comedic skills with his original characters like Gaylord Focker, Simple Jack, Tugg Speedman, Chas Tenenbaum, Derek Zoolander, David Starsky and Alex the Lion to name a few, Stiller this time around delivers a more sombre type of comedic role via Walter Mitty, which will again, show Stiller's ability to show audiences a different side of him that's just as memorable, and also as an icon to inspire the everyday man that craves for more to life.
Kristen Wiig who plays Mitty's lady love in the film, too comes from a comedic background, having started her career in showbiz with the sketch comedy series, "Saturday Night Live", who like Stiller, has the ability to diversify her roles through her famous celebrity impressions of Bjork, Madonna and Kris Jenner to name a few. Although Wiig's career has long secured its place in the television world and had just only recently broke into Hollywood with "Bridesmaids" - the 'female Hangover' film which she co-wrote and starred as the lead - Wiig through "Mitty", also shows that she can play more grounded roles and put the funnies on the backseat if needed to. Inspired by Stiller's direction in the movie, Wiig reveals that she aims to direct someday and it may not be too long too, but like Stiller, don't expect her to act in it as she will take on only one role at a time.
In our interview with Ben Stiller and Kristen Wiig, find out more in the video below about the stars and "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" as we talk about how the inspiring movie in-turn inspired the stars, Wiig's directing dream, the fate of the "Tropic Thunder" and Zoolander" sequels as well as Stiller's reaction to "Zoolander" being banned in Malaysia.