Among the most popular comedy actors of recent times, it is definitely worth mentioning Will Ferrell, one of the biggest stars of the genre. After working for several years in a number of different jobs that he didn't like, the artist and filmmaker decided to pursue his one true passion: comedy. Thus, in 1991, he joined the improv group, The Groundlings, which paved the way for his first opportunities on TV, and particularly, the chance to host Saturday Night Live. As Farrell became a familiar face on television, he also did so in film, appearing in hit movies such as Zoolander, Old School and Elf, among many, many others.
In spite of being a successful actor, Ferrell has not restricted himself only to starring roles: he has also dabbled in theater, podcasting, and producing, which is, for sure, one thing he's very good at. Throughout his career, Ferrell has produced several major film hits that garnered widespread critical and audience acclaim. Among them, it is worth mentioning Booksmart, Hustlers and The Menu, to name just a few. He has also served as executive producer of shows such as Succession and Dead to Me, which aired until late 2022.
Ferrell successfully assumed several positions over the years, but he unquestionably stands out for all the characters he has portrayed in film productions. Here are his top 10 movies, according to Rotten Tomatoes.
10 Stranger Than Fiction — 73%
Stranger Than Fiction is a 2006 film in which Ferrell stood out for his first dramatic character. He stars in this production as Harold Crick, an IRS agent who suddenly starts hearing a woman's voice narrating everything he does on a day-to-day basis. His tightly structured life is disrupted by this narration, and when the voice declares that Harold is going to die soon, he sets out on a mission to find out who is narrating his story and convince her to change the ending. The film, which also stars Maggie Gyllenhaal, Dustin Hoffman, Queen Latifah, and Emma Thompson, earned Ferrell a Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Actor in a Motion Picture.
9 Everything Must Go — 73%
In Everything Must Go, Nick Porter is a salesman whose drinking problems have led to him losing his 16-year job. As a result, his wife walks out on him as well, changes the house locks, and drops all of his belongings in the front yard. With not much to do and his life turned upside down, Nick decides to put his things up for sale and start living in the front yard, as if nothing had happened. However, thanks to the help of his loved ones, he finally realizes that he must move on from his past and embark on a new journey. Ferrell stars in this 2010 comedy-drama inspired by Raymond Carver's short story. Joining Ferrell in the cast are Rebecca Hall, Michael Peña, Christopher Wallace, Glenn Howerton, Stephen Root and Laura Dern.
8 Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery — 73%
Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery is the 1997 film that kicked off the Austin Powers franchise. Starring, written and co-produced by Mike Myers, this film follows secret agent Austin and his arch-nemesis Dr. Evil, who, after undergoing cryostasis, wake up 30 years later to a totally different world from the one they once were part of. This parody of the James Bond film series features Elizabeth Hurley, Robert Wagner, Seth Green, and Michael York, among many other actors. In it, Ferrell plays Mustafa, one of Dr. Evil's henchmen, who is practically impossible to kill. Ferrell reprised his role in the 1999 sequel Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me.
7 Between Two Ferns: The Movie — 74%
Between Two Ferns with Zach Galifianakis was a web series hosted by Galifianakis in which he interviewed different celebrities and artists in a very bizarre way, purposely making mistakes and asking exceedingly uncomfortable questions. In 2019, a spin-off movie of that show, Between Two Ferns: The Movie, was released, directed by Scott Aukerman and starring Zach himself.
In its fictional world, Galifianakis became a viral meme after Ferrell uploaded his show to Funny or Die. However, due to the high ratings attracted by an interview accident with Matthew McConaughey, Ferrell gives Galifianakis the chance to have his own talk show in exchange for an additional 10 episodes of his web series featuring stars from all over the country. Thus, Galifianakis hits the road with his crew, attempting to fulfill his dream and, at the same time, restore his reputation.
6 Wedding Crashers — 75%
Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn star in this 2005 comedy as John and Jeremy, two friends and divorce mediators whose hobby is crashing strangers' weddings to seduce women. Neither of these men are looking for a serious relationship, but everything changes when they crash the wedding of the eldest daughter of the U.S. Secretary of the Treasury and one of them falls in love.
In Wedding Crashers, Ferrell has a small cameo as Chazz Reinhold, Jeremy's former wedding crashing mentor, who is now into crashing funerals to get women. However, Ferrell was originally offered Wilson's role and turned it down, which he still regrets greatly.
5 Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues — 75%
Not many sequels do better than their original film, but Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues managed to do just that. This 2013 comedy has a 75% score on Rotten Tomatoes, and hit theaters nine years after the series' first installment. In it, Ferrell reprises his role as the famous anchorman Ron Burgundy, but this time, his life is at its worst: his wife Veronica Corningstone was promoted to nightly news anchor, and he got fired due to his poor performance, which leads him to get depressed and separate. Eventually, Ron moves back to San Diego and is forced to start his career from scratch, with the help of his eccentric team. Joining Ferrell in this production are Steve Carell, Paul Rudd, David Koechner, and Christina Applegate, among many other industry stars.
4 The Other Guys — 78%
The New York City Police Department employs Chris Danson and P. K. Highsmith, the best cops in the city. And then you have the other guys: Allan and Terry, two officers that nobody in the precinct respects living in the shadow of their colleagues. However, after the tragic deaths of Danson and Highsmith, Allan and Terry are handed a seemingly innocent case that could turn out to be the biggest crime in the history of New York City, so they must do their best to live up to the expectations and prove to the world that they have what it takes to be great cops. Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg star in The Other Guys alongside Eva Mendes, Michael Keaton, Steve Coogan, Ray Stevenson, Samuel L. Jackson, and Dwayne Johnson.
3 The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part — 84%
The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part serves as a sequel to the 2014 film and, simultaneously, the fourth installment of The Lego Movie franchise. In it, we follow Emmet and the rest of the characters in Bricksburg, which is now called Apocalypseburg. While dealing with the ongoing attacks of Duplo Aliens, Emmet's friends get kidnapped by General Sweet Mayhem, so he must embark on a mission to the Systar System to save them and prevent what he calls "Armamageddon." This Mike Mitchell film features the original cast reprising their roles and introduces new actors such as Tiffany Haddish, Stephanie Beatriz and Maya Rudolph. In it, Ferrell reprises his role as Lord Business.
2 Elf — 85%
Ferrell's performance as Buddy in Elf remains one of the most acclaimed and popular ones of his career. This Jon Favreau-directed film was released in 2003, and quickly became a hit with critics and audiences. Elf follows Buddy, an orphan boy who accidentally travels to the North Pole in Santa's gift bag and grows up with elves. As an adult, Buddy discovers the truth of his human background, and decides to travel to New York City to meet his father in order to find out his true identity, but this trip will not be quite what he expects. Joining Ferrell in this Christmas movie are James Caan, Zooey Deschanel, Mary Steenburgen, Edward Asner, and Bob Newhart.
1 The Lego Movie — 96%
To date, Ferrell's highest-rated film on Rotten Tomatoes is the animated comedy The Lego Movie, the 2014 film that kicked off the franchise of the same name. Written and directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, the production follows Emmet, a construction worker who must stop an evil villain after being mistaken as the savior of an old prophecy made by wizard Vitruvius. This film stars Chris Pratt, Will Ferrell, Elizabeth Banks, Will Arnett, Liam Neeson, and Morgan Freeman, among other celebrities. Ferrell lent his voice to the film's antagonist, evil billionaire Lord Business, and he is also seen in the live-action part of the film as The Man Upstairs.