Stiller Pulls Triple Duty On Set of 'Walter Mitty'
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty follows Ben Stiller as the titular character who works for Life magazine. He spends his days fantasizing about living in magical worlds and epic adventures until one day is he forced to go out on a real global adventure.
The film not only stars Ben Stiller, but it was directed and produced by him as well. With a script by Steve Conrad, writer of The Pursuit of Happyness and The Weather Man, Stiller set off on an arduous adventure of his own, working three different, important jobs in the making of this film.
AFI Fest screened The Secret Life of Walter Mitty on November 13 at the TCL Chinese Theater in Hollywood, and Entertainment Tonight was there to talk to the stars of the film. Director and actor Ben Stiller opened up about the hardest part of taking on both roles.
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"The whole process is sort of challenging, but fun because you're doing something you love doing," Stiller said. "Sometimes it's frustrating when you're directing and acting because... as a director you're stuck with yourself as an actor. And as an actor you're always wishing that you had somebody else directing you."
"He had the triple task of making the movie, directing the movie, producing the movie, then he had to come home and still be dad," said actress Christine Taylor, Stiller's wife. "[He was] able to do all that and then come home and be 100 percent present with his family too."
Parks and Rec star Adam Scott, who plays Walter Mitty's boss at Life magazine and his antagonist, was blown away by how much Stiller did during the production of the film.
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"It really was inspiring watching Ben, and his absolute focus," said Scott. "Between acting and directing this movie, and producing it, he was doing everything. And it was amazing to watch. There was not a moment that he was not completely occupied doing some gargantuan task."
Kristen Wiig, the film's main love interest, was also at the screening. She is also starring in the upcoming Anchorman 2, but was unable to divulge any secrets.
"I can tell you Will Ferrell is in the movie," Wiig joked, then added, "It's less than seven hours, and more than twenty minutes."
Check out the video for more from the stars of The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, which is scheduled to hit theaters December 25.
