Hollywood friends ... with benefits
INSEPARABLE DUOS: Showbiz buds make beautiful movies together — unless it involves Adam Sandler
It is an enduring cliche for actors to describe their movie castmates as “one big family.” Typically, they never work with this family again. But as the saying goes, you don’t choose your family. You do choose your friends.
So as Zoolander 2 strikes a pose in an omniplex near you, consider the friendship of stars Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson, who have appeared in 12 movies together. Among them — three Focker movies, two Zoolanders, three Night at the Museums and Starsky and Hutch.
And consider these other Hollywood friends, whose simpatico has resulted in many marquee entries.
Tina Fey and Amy Poehler
The Saturday Night Live alumni — most recently seen playing sisters in Sisters — are best known for their repeat Golden Globes co-hosting stints and previously co-starred in Baby Mama. But they’ll take any work together, including a cameo as Entertainment Tonight reporters in Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues.
Seth Rogen and James Franco
It’s the friendship that sparked a cyber-war! The bong buddies, whose The Interview drew the wrath of North Korean hackers and paralyzed Sony Pictures, previously costarred in Pineapple Express and engineered the screen deaths of other pals in the stoner-apocalypse comedy This Is the End.
Christopher Guest, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer
Some friend ships just can’ t be divided by two. This Is Spinal Tap was a combined writing effort (with director Rob Reiner), songs and all, and the trio continued to keep Tap alive/milk it through various incarnations. When Guest went on to direct his trademark repertory comedies, he tapped McKean and Shearer for A Mighty Wind and For Your Consideration (and McKean for Best In Show).
Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence
J-Law has been in four movies with Cooper — American Hustle, Serena, Joy and Silver Linings Playbook. And only Serena failed to earn them an invite to the Oscars. How seriously does Cooper value their friendship? He has publicly vowed he will never sleep with her.
Will Ferrell and Adam McKay
Ferrell’s three biggest comedies — Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, Talladega Nights: The Ballad Of Ricky Bobby and Step Brothers — all were directed by and co-written with Chicago Second City alumnus McKay. He also directed Ferrell in The Other Guys and Anchorman 2. The two also co-created the influential comedy portal Funny Or Die. The big test of the friendship: McKay’s new status as a director of“important” films, courtesy of The Big Short.
Matt Damon and Ben Affleck
They’ve been in films together since School Ties in 1992. They won an Oscar together (for co-writing Good Will Hunting). They started Project Greenlight, the celebrated HBO doc series that gave newbie filmmakers their big breaks. If Damon really were stranded on Mars, you bet Affleck would lead the rescue operation.
Drew Barrymore and Cameron Diaz
Often photographed together, their film oeuvre together consists of only two Charlie’s Angels films. But they’ve been maids of honour at each other’s weddings. And Diaz walked out of an Australian radio interview a while back when one of the hosts brought up Barrymore’s teen drug years.
Brad Pitt and George Clooney
Between them, they’ve won People’s Sexiest Man Alive title four times and are heavily involved in politics and charities. What more do you need upon which to base a friendship? They’ve co-starred in three movies with the word Ocean’s in front of them and in the Coen brothers’ Burn After Reading. Pitt also had a cameo in Clooney’s directorial debut, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind.
Johnny Depp and Paul Bettany
It’s hard to argue the esthetic dividends of this friendship. They met when Depp cast Bettany opposite him in The Tourist with Angelina Jolie and they became fast friends. Depp subsequently had Bettany cast as his best friend in the artificial-intelligence fiasco Transcendence and as his faithful butler in Mortdecai.
Adam Sandler and Rob Schneider/David Spade/ Kevin James/Chris Rock
What do they call it when you’re a friend of the Sandman? Winning the Cash for Life lottery.
Judd Apatow and everyone in the cast of Freaks and Geeks, except Linda Cardellini
Seriously, what’s up with that? Seth Rogen, James Franco, Jason Segel, sure, here’s a role for you. Meanwhile, Linda had to pay the bills playing Velma in the Scooby Doo movies.