Ben Stiller reflects on parenting regrets and family reconnection in new documentary

Ben Stiller recalls cutting his daughter from Walter Mitty as his biggest regret in 'Stiller & Meara: Nothing is Lost'

Actor and filmmaker Ben Stiller has opened up about one of his biggest parenting regrets in his new documentary, Stiller & Meara: Nothing Is Lost, which explores the lives and legacy of his late parents, Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara. In a candid moment captured in the film, Stiller told his daughter, Ella, that he still regrets cutting her out of a scene in his 2013 movie The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, which he directed and starred in.

“I cut you out of Walter Mitty. It’s probably the worst decision I ever made in my life,” the 59-year-old said, according to People magazine. Ella, now 23, acknowledged the creative decision, noting that her scene “didn't really make sense in the movie.” However, Stiller admitted the decision reflected deeper personal struggles, including his perfectionism and work-related obsessions.

The documentary, which premiered in select theaters on October 17 and will debut globally on Apple TV+ on October 24, also features Stiller reflecting on his upbringing and how his parents’ demanding careers impacted their family life. In an interview with Time, he said delving into their personal and professional lives gave him “more empathy” and a new perspective on his own journey as a parent.

In a separate interview with The Sunday Times, Stiller expressed that he likely made more parenting mistakes than his own parents did. He shares two children—Ella and son Quinn, 20—with actress Christine Taylor. He admitted that early in fatherhood, he focused more on work than building close relationships with his children. “I thought, ‘The kids are young, I can work away and be a good dad earning for the family.’ But the bonds you form when they’re young are so important,” he said.

Stiller and Taylor, who separated in 2017, rekindled their relationship during the pandemic while quarantining together. Stiller noted the experience changed their marriage, saying, “We don’t take it for granted anymore… It’s not perfect — at all. But that’s just life.”