Robert De Niro, Ben Stiller Reunite for ‘Meet the Parents’ 25th Anniversary, Tease Fourth Film With Ariana Grande: ‘The Script Is Really Good’

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It’s a Focker-Byrnes reunion!

A group consisting of Ben Stiller, Robert De Niro, Teri Polo, and director Jay Roach convened to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the film “Meet the Parents,” a comedy that follows male nurse Greg Focker (Stiller) as he navigates through some embarrassingly awkward situations while meeting his girlfriend’s family for the first time. De Niro portrays Greg Byrnes, Teri Polo’s father character and a former CIA agent who is fond of cats and maintains a strict rule with a seemingly benevolent (but perhaps not) grip. They came together at New York City’s Tribeca Performing Arts Center as part of this year’s Tribeca Festival, an event co-founded by De Niro and Jane Rosenthal in 2002.

Stiller found it incredibly enjoyable to listen to laughter echoing through a theater, even though the humor was 25 years old. He remarked during the discussion following the showing that it remains just as effective.

Even though it’s been a quarter-century since “Meet the Parents,” Stiller acknowledges that fans often connect him with his character, Greg Focker. He confesses he doesn’t always appreciate it when strangers in public call him by his character’s name.

When someone shouts ‘Focker!’ on the street, it’s not usually a friendly shout,” Stiller chuckled. “However, when I’m cared for by a male nurse, I somehow find a sense of camaraderie.

On the set, Roach subtly reminded Stiller that he rarely appeared in the movie’s final cut. Initially, Steven Spielberg was slated to direct with Jim Carrey as the main character. However, when this team decided to leave the project, Roach took over as the director and Stiller stepped into the leading role.

“[Jim Carrey] was going to be me?” Stiller said. “Shit. I totally forgot that part.”

In the final stages of casting, Polo stepped onto the scene as Stiller’s soon-to-be bride’s counterpart. As Roach reminisced, “It was very close to the start of filming, just a few days before we began, when she was suddenly part of it all. She found herself amidst these seasoned professionals.

She playfully remarked that throughout the filming, she primarily sat back, absorbed, and responded to the cast members surrounding her. Interestingly, she recalls Robert De Niro stating that he doesn’t treat comedy any less seriously than he does drama.

Polo explained, “‘It’s all about sincerity when delivering that statement. You aren’t aiming for humor; you’re expressing what you genuinely feel.’

The original “Meet the Parents” film proved to be a massive success, earning over $330 million globally on a budget of just $55 million. This was followed by the 2004 sequel, “Meet the Fockers,” which saw the introduction of Greg’s parents, portrayed by Barbra Streisand and Dustin Hoffman. Notably, they shared the family’s unique bathroom etiquette: “If it’s yellow, let it mellow; if it’s brown, flush it down.” The third installment, “Little Fockers,” released in 2010, received negative reviews but still managed to pull in $310 million at the box office.

Once more, the world of “Meet the Parents” is growing, and a fourth film is being created. Notably, Ariana Grande has joined the cast for this upcoming project. Ben Stiller hinted at the sequel, stating they were seeking an authentic motivation to revisit these characters.

The inspiration struck me because I’ve reached the same age as Bob was during our initial filming. It seemed reminiscent of the original movie, as one of my children was considering bringing a new member into our family’s circle.

Despite not discussing specific storylines, De Niro mentioned that he has gone through the script. He described it as “very entertaining” and expressed his excitement for it.

Indeed, De Niro has long been advocating for another sequel, stating, “When we filmed the last one, I was with Ben and screenwriter John Hamburg. I said, ‘Let’s start writing the next one now.’ At the time, they were just humor me. Now, we are finally moving forward with the next installment.

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2025-06-08 01:16