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Top 10 Will Ferrell

The world’s favourite funnyman? Quite possibly. With a huge fan base and cult following, Will Ferrell’s the lynchpin of the Frat Pack, and from satirical beginnings in Saturday Night Live, now turns in iconic performances like Elf, Ron Burgundy, and George W. Bush. He’s a comedic powerhouse, and here are our ten favourites…

His Top 10 Films

A Night at the Roxbury (1998)

Success didn't come overnight for Ferrell, in fact he graduated with a degree in Sports Information before he found his comedy wings, joining Saturday Night Live in 1995 for a successful seven year run. One of his recurring skits on the show was The Roxbury Guys, and along with SNL co-star Chris Kattan, Ferrell brought the characters to the big screen in A Night at the Roxbury. Although panned by critics, it garnered a cult following.

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Zoolander (2001)

Directed by and starring Ben Stiller, Zoolander has become one of the most celebrated comedies of the last decade. As fashion mogul Jacobim Mugatu, Ferrell uses dimwitted model Derek Elijah Zoolander (Stiller) in his plan to assassinate the Prime Minister of Malaysia, who is planning to abolish child labour. Zoolander’s box office suffered due to a release date soon after the 9/11 terrorist attack, but the film and its iconic characters have developed a huge fan base.

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Old School (2003)

After leaving SNL, Ferrell’s first starring role was alongside Vince Vaughn and Luke Wilson in this outrageous comedy about three grown men who start a fraternity to recapture their college days. Directed by Todd Phillips, the man responsible for Starsky & Hutch and The Hangover, it lets Ferrell unleash his comedic skills to the full in the role of Frank "The Tank" Ricard. A 2006 sequel was written, but both Ferrell and Vaughn turned it down, saying that although it was funny, it was just telling the same story again.

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Elf (2003)

Easily one of the greatest modern-day Christmas films, this original, quirky comedy stars Ferrell as Buddy, who’s taken back to the North Pole after crawling into Santa's sleigh as a baby. When Buddy grows up, Santa tells him that he is adopted and Buddy goes in search of his real family. Elf was a critical and financial success, and also the directorial breakthrough hit for actor Jon Favreau, who would go on to kick-off the Iron Man franchise in such memorable style.

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Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)

Ron Burgundy is one of the most iconic, quoted comedy characters of all time, and a role now almost synonymous with Ferrell himself. Featuring the likes of Vince Vaughn, Steve Carrell, Ben Stiller and Paul Rudd, Anchorman brought the high-grossing comedy stars of the Frat Pack out in full force, and focuses on a 1970s San Diego newsroom where Ferrell is the lead newscaster. It marked Ferrell's first feature film collaboration with writer-director and SNL alumni Adam McKay.

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Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006)

Re-teaming with Adam McKay, Ferrell co-wrote this tale of top NASCAR racing driver Ricky Bobby, whose reign is threatened by the arrival of French Formula One driver, Jean Girard (Sacha Baron Cohen). When producers pitched the idea to studios, they just said, “Six words: Will Ferrell as a NASCAR driver.” The result was the biggest opening of any Ferrell film to date, and critically popular too. John C. Reilly co-stars as Ricky Bobby’s best friend and fellow race car driver.

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Stranger Than Fiction (2006)

Ferrell is Harold Crick, a dull, regimented man who one day hears a woman’s voice narrating his every move, from brushing his teeth to crossing the road. This refreshing and intelligent comedy-drama wooed the critics and earned Ferrell a Golden Globe nomination, showing his more sensitive side in an unlikely romance with Maggie Gyllenhaal’s mysterious and tattooed bakery owner. Emma Thompson and Dustin Hoffman also star.

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Blades of Glory (2007)

Never one to shy away from elaborate costumes, Ferrell accessed an eye-watering (and often skintight) wardrobe in Blades of Glory, tying with rival ice-skater Jon Heder (Napoleon Dynamite) at the World Winter Sport Games. An awards ceremony bust-up sees the men stripped of their medals and banned from the men's singles competition, but then joining forces to compete in the doubles. Production was delayed for a short while when Heder broke his ankle during filming.

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Step Brothers (2008)

Ferrell, McKay and John C. Reilly combined forces once again for a bromance that definitely isn’t love at first sight. Ferrell and Reilly are suddenly thrust together as step brothers when their parents marry, and neither of them likes the change from being an over-indulged only child. The pair’s great comedy chemistry packs in the LOLs, and there are superb supporting performances from Mary Steenburgen and Richard Jenkins as the poor, tortured parents.

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Will Ferrell - You're Welcome America - A Final Night With George W. Bushh (2009)

Another character made famous by SNL, Ferrell took his George Bush impersonation to Broadway as a comedic play that was broadcast live on American television. Taking $846,507.05 in one week, it broke the theatre’s then record and earned Ferrell rave reviews. The show was nominated for Best Special Theatrical Event at the prestigious Tony Awards.

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Tegan Kniveton