In a candid discussion featured in the AppleTV documentary “Stiller & Meara: Nothing is Lost,” Amy Stiller, Ben Stiller’s older sister, revealed the challenges she faced as her brother ascended to stardom. The documentary, which premiered on October 17, showcases their family dynamics growing up and highlights the pressures of having famous parents.
Amy, 64, reminisced about her aspirations to act and the difficulties she encountered while waitressing during Ben’s rise to fame in the late ’90s, with hits like “There’s Something About Mary” and “Meet the Parents.” She expressed her frustration, saying, “That’s why all those years when I was waitressing and you were getting famous, do you know how f***ing hard that was for me?” She admitted that while some of her experiences contributed to her personal growth, they were also deeply challenging.
Both siblings grew up in the shadow of their renowned parents, Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara, iconic figures in comedy. Amy noted that this background instilled a sense of pressure, as she felt stifled by her father’s overprotectiveness. “Dad had an overprotectiveness that would stifle me, and I felt, like, paralyzed,” she explained, highlighting the intense expectations placed upon her as the eldest daughter.
Ben acknowledged the difficult childhood they shared, stating that neither of them had the luxury to “fail anonymously” due to their parents’ public careers. Reflecting on the impact this had on their identity, Amy shared, “I had a lot of opportunities, and I just didn’t know what to do with them. I look back on it and it was so painful.”
The documentary also presents personal home footage, revealing Amy’s frustrations growing up. One clip captures her exclaiming, “I’m just sick of it. I’m sick of Dad. I’m sick of everything,” illustrating her struggles with the family’s fame.
Despite her challenges, Amy eventually pursued acting, appearing in several of Ben’s films, including “Zoolander,” “Dodgeball,” and “Tropic Thunder,” as well as in series like “The King of Queens” and “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.” The documentary provides insight into how their parents’ demanding careers influenced both siblings. Ben shared, “It totally affected us. I just remember missing them terribly,” reflecting on their childhood moments of creativity and connection when their parents returned home.
This glimpse into the Stiller family’s life reveals the complexities of navigating fame while holding onto personal dreams, ultimately providing a message of resilience and the importance of familial bonds.