Story perspectives

Ben Stiller Confronts Grief and Parenting Legacy in Documentary

10/24/2025

Summary

Story summary

Ben Stiller's documentary 'Stiller & Meara: Nothing Is Lost' shows him processing grief and seeking to understand his family's dynamics.
In interviews, he says his children felt his absence during their childhood, echoing his upbringing with famous parents.
Stiller recalls cutting his daughter Ella from The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, which strained their relationship.
He notes a generational cycle of parenting, with his kids facing his own childhood challenges.

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Story summary

Ben Stiller's documentary 'Stiller & Meara: Nothing Is Lost' shows him processing grief and seeking to understand his family's dynamics.
In interviews, he says his children felt his absence during their childhood, echoing his upbringing with famous parents.
Stiller recalls cutting his daughter Ella from The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, which strained their relationship.
He notes a generational cycle of parenting, with his kids facing his own childhood challenges.