As an actor, writer, and producer Will Ferrell has created some of film’s most iconic characters ANCHORMAN: THE LEGEND OF RON BURGUNDY, ELF, STEP BROTHERS, and STRANGER THAN FICTION, among many others. Along with producing partner Jessica Elbaum, Ferrell is a co-founder of Gloria Sanchez Productions. In 2020, the company announced a multi-year first-look deal with Netflix on the heels of the incredible overnight success of the Emmy-nominated “Dead to Me.” The production shingle set a multi-year first-look deal with 20th Century Studios in 2021. The three-year pact focuses on developing feature-length films for both theaters and streaming platforms. The production company is also credited with HUSTLERS, BOOKSMART and BARB & STAR GO TO VISTA DEL MAR, all of which garnered critical acclaim and award nominations.

Currently, Ferrell, via Gloria Sanchez Productions, produced and stars in Amazon Studios’ comedy YOU’RE CORDIALLY INVITED alongside Reese Witherspoon. Directed by Nick Stoller, the movie follows a father (Ferrell) of a young bride-to-be and a woman (Witherspoon) planning her sister’s perfect wedding finding out that they are double booked for their destination wedding at a remote resort on an island off the Georgia coast. The movie released on January 30 on Amazon Prime at the top of the company’s charts. Next, Ferrell will reunite with Nick Stoller on an upcoming comedy JUDGEMENT DAY, which he is set to produce as well as star in opposite Zac Efron.

Last summer, Ferrell voiced Gru’s new nemesis Maxime Le Mal in DESPICABLE ME 4, the latest installment of the DESPICABLE ME and MINIONS animated franchise, which released on July 3, 2024. The movie went on to make $122M at the domestic box office over the fourth of July weekend, and helped the franchise surpass $5 billion globally by mid-July. Through Gloria Sanchez Productions, Ferrell produced and stars in a road trip documentary called WILL & HARPER alongside his friend Harper Steele, who transitioned at age 61. The critically acclaimed documentary premiered at Sundance in 2024 to two standing ovations, and released on Netflix on September 27 following a theatrical release on September 13 of last year. The documentary won the 2024 Critics Choice Award for “Best Documentary Feature” and is currently nominated for a 2025 BAFTA Award in the same category.

In 2023, Ferrell, via Gloria Sanchez, produced the Golden Globe and Academy Award-nominated film MAY DECEMBER, directed by Todd Haynes and starring Natalie Portman, Julianne Moore & Charles Melton. The introspective romantic drama premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2023 and opened the New York Film Festival in September 2023 prior to earning a 2024 Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay. Gloria Sanchez Productions also produced the 2023 Sundance Film Festival selection and 2024 Independent Spirit Award-nominated movie THEATRE CAMP, directed by Molly Gordon and Nick Lieberman, as well as QUIZ LADY, the 20th Century Studios comedy and 2024 Critics Choice Award Winner for “Best Movie Made for Television,” starring Ferrell alongside Sandra Oh
and Awkwafina.

That same year, Ferrell starred as Mattel’s CEO in the Warner Bros. summer blockbuster, BARBIE, directed by Greta Gerwig. The film released on July 21, 2023, launching with $356.3M at the global box office in its opening weekend and became the highest-grossing film in Warner Bros. 100-year history. BARBIE earned the Academy Award for “Best Original Song” and was nominated for a total of eight Academy Awards, including “Best Picture”. Ferrell also portrayed an abandoned dog who seeks revenge on his owner in Universal’s comedy STRAYS, which was released on August 18, 2023. The live-action adult comedy features Jamie Foxx and Will Forte with BARB & STAR GO TO VISTA DEL MAR’s Josh Greenbaum as director.

In 2022, Ferrell was seen starring alongside Ryan Reynolds and Octavia Spencer in the Gloria Sanchez produced Christmas-themed musical film SPIRITED, written, and directed by Sean Anders and John Morris. Ferrell was also seen in the 2021 Apple TV+ and Gloria Sanchez TV series “The Shrink Next Door,” directed by Michael Showalter and written by Georgia Pritchett. The eight-episode limited series aired in November 2021 and starred Ferrell, Paul Rudd, and Kathryn Hahn. 2020 saw Ferrell starring alongside Rachel McAdams in the Gloria Sanchez produced EUROVISION SONG CONTEST: THE STORY OF FIRE SAGA, which was nominated this year for an Academy Award for “Husavik” within the “Best Original Song” Category. The film was directed by David Dobkin and written by Will Ferrell and Harper Steele.

In 2019, Gloria Sanchez produced the critically acclaimed female coming of age movie BOOKSMART, directed by Olivia Wilde, which went on to win the “Independent Spirit Award for Best First Feature” and “GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Film”. That same year, Will produced the true-crime drama HUSTLERS, under the Gloria Snachez umbrella. The film, directed by Lorene Scafaria and starring Jennifer Lopez, Constance Wu, Keke Palmer, Lili Reinhart, Julia Stiles, Cardi B and Lizzo, went on to have its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival and was nominated for the Golden Globes, Screen Actors Guild, Critics Choice and Film Independent Spirit Awards.

Ferrell is a graduate of the University of Southern California who became interested in performing while a student at University High School in Irvine, where he made his school's daily morning announcements over the public address system in disguised voices. He started as a member of the Los Angeles comedy/improvisation group The Groundlings, where fellow cast members Ana Gasteyer, Maya Rudolph and former “Saturday Night Live” repertory players Laraine Newman, Jon Lovitz and Phil Hartman began their careers. Prior to his time on “Saturday Night Live,” he appeared on several television programs, including “Strangers with Candy,” “Grace Under Fire,” and “Living Single” while still a member of The Groundlings. It was there he met Chris Kattan and the two became good friends before joining “Saturday Night Live” in 1995.

During his first season, Ferrell was declared quite possibly the worst cast member ever. However, his talented impersonations and wide range of characters soon made him arguably the greatest “Saturday Night Live” cast member ever. Over his seven-year run, Ferrell played George W. Bush and became one of the few cast members to be nominated for an Emmy for a “Saturday Night Live” performance. In 2002, he left “Saturday Night Live” and was the only cast member to ever receive a farewell from all the current cast members at the end of a season finale show.

Ferrell is widely considered a comedic genius with enormous box office power. His many hits as a star include OLD SCHOOL, WEDDING CRASHERS, ZOOLANDER, TALLADEGA NIGHTS, and DADDY’S HOME