Ben Stiller has carved out a niche for himself in the film industry. The actor has captivated the audience since he stepped into showbiz to become a star. In his storied career, the 57-year-old star has worked in dozens of blockbuster, mind-bending, and thought-provoking projects, which have helped him cement his position in the industry.
In 1999, the actor gained the attention of Hollywood heavyweights for his excellent performance in the superhero comedy film Mystery Men, in which he played the role of Mr. Furious, an amateur superhero. While Stiller has admitted on several occasions that he had fun working in this classic movie, his co-star Hank Azaria doesn’t feel the same. Azaria once revealed that making this movie was challenging for several reasons.
Ben Stiller’s Co-star Claims Filming Their Underrated Movie Mystery Men Was Challenging
Ben Stiller has starred in several iconic films like Mystery Men. The actor made his character debut as Mr. Furious in this underrated 1999 superhero film. While the actor and his co-stars received praise for their power-packed performances, this project was a box-office disaster.
In an interview with The A.V. Club, his co-star Hank Azaria, who depicted the role of Blue Raja, revealed that he reportedly had a hard time working on this project. Speaking with the outlet, the actor shared the challenges he endured while filming this classic movie, saying,
“That movie… I look at it now very, very fondly. I actually just saw a little bit of it a couple of weeks ago and enjoyed it. It was one of those that was very, very difficult to make and should’ve been much more fun than it was. It was logistically a very hard movie to shoot, with all the effects, and it was kind of the early days of CGI things, and people didn’t know so well how to marry that kind of technical filmmaking with comedy. It was tough.”
He continued,
“It was really like trying to be funny in the middle of a math equation or something, and as a result, it made things… very long hours, very stressful and tough on the set. I think we all felt—“we” being the actors: me and Ben, Bill [Macy], Janeane [Garofalo], and others—very out there, if you will. It was kind of a big swing or a high-wire act, and it would’ve been hard enough just to do a little comedy with that subject matter, but given that it was a big, expensive CGI festival, it was highly pressurized.”
Hank Azaria claimed that while he now fondly remembers the titular movie, he had a difficult time on the set since he and his co-stars endured several creative challenges while working on this multi-million dollar project.
Ben Stiller on Whether He Would Reprise His Role For a Potential Mystery Men Sequel
Ben Stiller is known for his impeccable acting genius and charismatic on-screen presence. The actor demonstrates each of his movie characters with nuance and perfection, leaving fans starstruck by his inescapable performances. Stiller has played many intriguing roles on the silver screen, many of which have become fan favorites.
In a previous interview with ComicBook.com, the actor shared his views on whether he would consider reprising his role as Mr. Furious in a potential sequel to his 1999 superhero film Mystery Men. The award-winning star told ComicBook.com that he would be up for a possible sequel, saying,
“That’s the first I’m hearing of it, but sure. I’m all for it. I had fun doing it. Yeah, it would be a blast. It was a really, really fun cast. And there’s still some rage and fury inside me somewhere, I think.”
Kinka Usher-directed superhero movie has had a star-studded cast ensemble featuring Hank Azaria, Claire Forlani, Janeane Garofalo, Eddie Izzard, Greg Kinnear, William H. Macy, Kel Mitchell, Lena Olin, Paul Reubens, Geoffrey Rush, Ben Stiller, Wes Studi, and Tom Waits. The film received critical acclaim and positive reviews but was a commercially flopped project, grossing only $33 million at the global box office against a budget of $68 million.
Source: The A.V. Club, ComicBook.com
