Stiller honored at the Annual American Cinematheque Event

At the Annual American Cinematheque event in Beverly Hills on Thursday gave Ben Stiller high honor for his contribution to film. Along Came Polly co-star, Jennifer Aniston, paid tribute to the comedy star.

Stiller joins award recipients Tom Cruise, George Clooney and Steven Speilberg who received the same honor in recent years. “It is probably going to be painful for me to go through,” he joked, adding that the tribute would be “more roast like.”

Stiller’s memorable films include Zoolander where he played supermodel Dereck Zoolander, and There’s Something About Mary. He has also directed and produced several films with credits including Submarine and Megamind in 2010, Tropic Thunder in 2008, and Starsky and Hutch in 2004. Stiller has been a part of the industry for nearly three decades getting his big break on the sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live in 1987.

Stiller has also won and Emmy Award for his programme The Ben Stiller Show that aired on Fox and MTV in 1992. “He is a filmmaker in every sense of the word, not just when he is directing. When he is producing, when he is an actor on a film, he is thinking about the whole vision of the film, even if it is for another directoer. And I know that from working with him,” said Little Fockers costar Laura Dern.

The Award Progam was held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. Stiller was awarded by American Pie star Eugene Levy and comedic actor Martin Short, who worked with Stiller on animated film Madagascar 3. “I think Ben is constantly pushing his personal envelope trying to see what else he can accomplish tha the has not before,” explained Short,” And that’s the sign of a great artist.

Stiller has recently filmed a remake of The Secret Life of Walter Mitty and is set to appear in the sequel to Zoolander that is in pre-production.

Shanika Simmons