Will Ferrell is an American actor and comedian, first known for his appearances as cast member of Saturday Night Live, and later in films such as Elf, Anchorman, Blades of Glory and Semi-Pro.
Ferrell was born on July 16, 1967 in Irvine, California. After graduating from University of Southern California, he joined the comedy group The Groundlings, developing his improvisational skills there. In 1995, he joined the NBC late night sketch show Saturday Night Live, where he slowly rose to popularity. He became known for his impressions, which include those of signer Neil Diamond, Inside the Actors Studio host James Lipton, Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek, and President George W. Bush. He also played original characters, most notably Steve Butabi, which he later played in the film A Night at the Roxbury.
During Ferrell’s tenure at Saturday Night Live, he appeared in several films, such as the first two Austin Powers films, in 1997 and 1999; A Night at the Roxbury, in 1998; The Ladies Man, in 2000; and Zoolander, in 2001. He left Saturday Night Live in 2002, already the highest paid cast member of the show. His first post-SNL film was Old School, released in 2003, followed by Elf, released that same year. His other films included Melinda and Melinda, Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy and Starsky & Hutch, in 2004; The Producers, Wedding Crashers and Bewitched, in 2005; Blades of Glory in 2007; and Semi-Pro in 2008. In 2006, Ferrell’s performances in Stranger Than Fiction and Talladega Nights were applauded by critics.
Will Ferrell has also done voice work for television and films, such as the animated series The Oblongs and guest appearances for Cow and Chicken and Family Guy, as well as the role of The Man in the Yellow Hat in the animated film Curious George.