Will Ferrell
A master of committed, absurdist comedy whose man-child characters became a defining comic archetype of 2000s Hollywood.
Born 1967 (age 59)·American actor and comedian·Birthday: July 16·Generation X
Biography
Will Ferrell didn't just tell jokes; he built entire, hilariously fragile realities around his characters, playing them with a deadpan sincerity that made the absurdity sing. His breakout on 'Saturday Night Live' was built on such creations—the cheerfully clueless George W. Bush, the more-spirited-than-skilled Spartan cheerleader. This ethos powered his film career, where he became the avatar of a specific kind of lovable, id-driven man-child, whether a streaking professor in 'Old School', a clueless news anchor in 'Anchorman', or a figure skater in 'Blades of Glory'. Co-founding the website Funny or Die, he helped shift the comedy landscape online. Ferrell's genius lies in his total commitment, treating the most ridiculous premises with the gravitas of Shakespeare, making his characters not just funny, but strangely, endearingly human.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Will was born in 1967, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Will Was Born
The biggest hits of 1967
#1 Movie
The Jungle Book
Best Picture
In the Heat of the Night
#1 TV Show
The Andy Griffith Show
Will's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1967Born
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1972Started school
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1980Became a teenager
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1983Could drive
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1985Could vote
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1988Turned 21
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1997Turned 30
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2007Turned 40
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 50
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 59 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor in 2011, recognizing his impact on comedy.
- Co-founded the comedy website Funny or Die, which became a major platform for digital shorts.
- Received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2015.
- Earned multiple Emmy Awards for his work on 'Saturday Night Live' and producing 'Succession'.
Did You Know?
He was a sportscaster for his college television station at the University of Southern California.
Ferrell is a part-owner of the Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC) Major League Soccer team.
He turned down a $29 million offer to star in a 'Elf' sequel.
His first major film role was a small part in the 1997 comedy 'Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery'.
“Before you marry a person, you should first make them use a computer with slow Internet to see who they really are.”
