More Will Ferrell Bios & Profiles
The most recent Will Ferrell biography is published on the main page.
Biography #2 (for Semi-Pro)
Will Ferrell has come a long way since his days on Saturday Night Live, crossing over from television icon to motion picture star shortly after joining the SNL cast in 1995.Demonstrating that his dramatic gifts equal his comedic talents, Ferrell earned his second Golden Globe nomination (Best Actor in a Comedy or Musical) for his portrayal of IRS agent Harold Crick in last year's Stranger Than Fiction, starring opposite Emma Thompson, Dustin Hoffman, Queen Latifah and Maggie Gyllenhaal for director Marc Forster.
In the summer of 2006, Ferrell starred in the hit comedy Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby with co-stars John C. Reilly and Sacha Baron Cohen. Earning nearly $150 million at the U.S. box office, the film became the season's #1 comedy (non-animated) and continues to set records on DVD.
In the summer of 2004, Ferrell starred in the comedy Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy for DreamWorks Pictures, which grossed over $85 million domestically. Ferrell co-wrote the script with SNL writer Adam McKay. Judd Apatow (The 40 Year Old Virgin) produced, with David O. Russell (Three Kings) executive producing. Ferrell portrayed Ron Burgundy, a 1970s anchorman with an inflated ego threatened by the arrival of an ambitious female newscaster who, unlike him, has mastered journalism.
Ferrell completed his seventh and final season on the legendary NBC late-night hit Saturday Night Live in 2002, having taken the nation by storm during Indecision 2000 by impersonating President George W. Bush on the show. Some of his most memorable SNL characters include Craig the Spartan Cheerleader, musical middle school teacher Marty Culp, and Tom Wilkins, the hyperactive co-host of Morning Latte. Among his many cross-gender impressions are Janet Reno, Alex Trebek, Neil Diamond and the late, great Chicago Cubs sportscaster Harry Caray. His work on SNL earned two Emmy nominations in 2001 (Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program, and Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program).
Ferrell recently completed filming the comedy Step Brothers, co-starring John C. Reilly, which Sony will release in theaters on July 25th, 2008. Previous film credits include Zoolander, Elf, the Woody Allen feature Melinda and Melinda, the comedies Bewitched and Old School, and the screen adaptation of The Producers, which earned Ferrell his first Golden Globe nomination in 2006 for Best Supporting Actor.
Raised in Irvine, California, Ferrell attended USC and graduated with a degree in sports information. Upon graduation, he worked as a sportscaster on a weekly show broadcast over a local cable channel. Soon after, he enrolled in acting classes and stand-up comedy workshops at a nearby community college and was eventually asked to join the esteemed comedy/improv group The Groundlings after just one year of training. It was at The Groundlings that Ferrell was discovered for Saturday Night Live.
Bio courtesy New Line Cinema for "Semi-Pro" (01-Jun-2008)
Biography #3 (for Kicking & Screaming)
Will Ferrell has become one of the busiest actors working in movies today. Since starring in the back-to-back 2003 comedy hits Old School and Elf, Ferrell has gone on to star in several major films. In the last year alone, the actor was seen in the box-office hit Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy that he co-wrote with writing partner Adam McKay. He recently starred in Woody Allen's latest ensemble film Melinda and Melinda and will next be seen starring opposite Nicole Kidman in the big-screen version of the classic TV sitcom Bewitched.But it was Ferrell's seven seasons (1995-2002) on NBC's Saturday Night Live that first established him as a comedic force of nature. With such shamelessly funny and memorable characters as cheerleader Craig the Spartan, musical middle school teacher Marty Culp, hyperactive Morning Latte host Tom Wilkins, and goofy club-hopper Steve Butabi--along with his uproarious impressions of George W. Bush, Janet Reno, Alex Trebek and Neil Diamond--Ferrell emerged as one of that show's most versatile and beloved cast members. For his later work on Saturday Night Live, he received two 2001 Emmy Award nominations: Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program and Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program.
Ferrell's first major feature role was as Mustafa in the enormously popular Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery. He also reprised the character in the comedy's sequel, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me. Other earlier film performances include A Night at the Roxbury, the movie adventures of Ferrell's and Saturday Night Live co-star Chris Kattan's Butabi Brothers (co-written by the actors, with Steve Koren); The Thin Pink Line; The Suburbans; the Richard Nixon parody Dick, in which Ferrell played Washington Post reporter Bob Woodward; Superstar (opposite SNL cast mate Molly Shannon); Drowning Mona, with Bette Midler; The Ladies Man (which starred SNL's Tim Meadows); and outrageous fashion designer Jacobin Mugatu in Ben Stiller's male model parody Zoolander.
Ferrell's many upcoming film projects include the animated adventure Curious George, for which he'll voice The Man With the Yellow Hat; Mel Brooks' The Producers, in which he'll play the nutty Nazi, Franz Liebkind; Stranger Than Fiction, directed by Marc Forster; and Talladega Nights, an action-comedy co-written by Ferrell and McKay set in the high speed world of NASCAR.
Bio courtesy Universal Pictures for "Kicking & Screaming" (06-Jul-2005)
Biography #4 (for Elf)
Will Ferrell is perhaps best known for his work on the legendary NBC late night hit Saturday Night Live, having taken the nation by storm during INDECISION 2000 by impersonating President George W. Bush on the show. Some of his most memorable SNL characters include Craig the Spartan Cheerleader, the musical middle school teacher Marty Culp, and Tom Wilkins, the hyperactive co-host of Morning Latte. Among his many impressions were Janet Reno, Alex Trebek, Neil Diamond and the late great Chicago Cubs sportscaster, Harry Caray. His work on SNL garnered him two prestigious Emmy Award nominations in 2001 for Outstanding Individual Performance In A Variety Or Music Program and for Outstanding Writing for A Variety, Music or Comedy Program. In the feature film world, Ferrell helped bring in big numbers for Old School for DreamWorks Pictures and director Todd Phillips (Road Trip). The film follows three men who are dissatisfied with their lives. In an effort to recapture the youthful feelings of their college days, they move in together in a large house near their old college campus that quickly become the hub of the campus party activity. Ferrell stars opposite Vince Vaughn and Luke Wilson. Set for an early 2004 release is the comedy Anchorman for Regency Enterprises and 20th Century Fox. Ferrell co-wrote the script with SNL writer Adam McKay. Judd Appatow (Freaks and Geeks) will produce with David O. Russell (Three Kings) set to executive produce. Ferrell will portray Ron Burgundy, a 1970s anchorman with an inflated ego, who becomes threatened by the arrival of an ambitious female newscaster who, unlike Burgundy, has mastered journalism. Ferrell will also star in the next as-yet-untitled Woody Allen feature as part the ensemble cast including Josh Brolin, Brooke Smith, Amanda Peet, Zak Orth, Wallace Shawn, Chloe Sevigny, Johnny Lee Miller, Radha Mitchell, Gene Saks and Vanessa Shaw for Fox Searchlight. Shooting has just commenced in typical Woody fashion in New York City, where, immediately following, Ferrell will remain to shoot Winter Passing with Ed Harris, Zooey Seschanel, and Amelia Warner. In 2001, Ferrell co-starred in two ensemble comedies. In the fashion-world-themed Zoolander, he starred opposite Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson, playing Mugatu an over-the-top fashion designer. In the Kevin Smith film, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, he played an ambitious park ranger for Dimension Films. In 2000, Ferrell graced the big screen in the Paramount Pictures/ SNL feature The Ladies Man starring SNL castmate, Tim Meadows. Prior to The Ladies Man, he starred in Superstar for Paramount opposite another SNL castmate, Molly Shannon; in the Tristar/Phoenix Pictures Nixon parody Dick; and in the Paramount comedy, A Night At The Roxbury, which he co-wrote with castmate Chris Kattan and Steve Koran. Ferrell debuted as a feature film star in the Jay Roach hit, Austin Powers: International man of Mystery. Raised in Irvine, California, Ferrell attended the University of Southern California and graduated with a degree in sports information. Upon graduation, he worked as a sportscaster on a weekly show broadcast over a local cable channel. Soon after, he enrolled in acting classes and stand-up comedy workshops at a nearby community college. Ultimately, he was asked to join the esteemed comedy/improv group The Groundlings after just one year of training. It was at The Groundlings where Ferrell was discovered for Saturday Night Live.Bio courtesy New Line Cinema for "Elf" (26-Oct-2003)