Ben Stiller_parade mag_christine taylor_zoolander 2_new york gossip galThat’s hugely talented Ben Stiller talking about his wife of 16-years, actress Christine Taylor, also in the new movie, and probably the one he laughs with the most.

Dad of two Stiller sat down with Parade‘s Dotson Rader to discuss his new film Zoolander 2, the inspiration of his late mom Anne Meara, his recent move from Los Angeles back to the Manhattan neighborhood where he grew up, and why he prefers directing to acting.

Fifteen years ago Stiller directed and starred in the first Zoolander movie, and here we are with Zoolander 2, about the further misadventures of dim-witted supermodels Derek Zoolander (Stiller) and his buddy, Hansel (Owen Wilson).

Excerpts:

On what he misses most about his late mom, actress-comedian Anne Meara, who died in May, 2015:
“Honestly, it happened so recently that I’m still processing it. It affects me constantly. You know, you’re going through your life, everything is great and then like, Pow! She’s not here. It’s hard for me. Obviously, my dad [actor-comedian Jerry Stiller] is a huge person in my life. I love him. But my mom was the person that I most looked up to for her point of view, her humor.”

On Zoolander 2:

“The cult status it has is what I’m happiest about. I wanted it to appeal to the fans of the first one with a new story. These guys are male models. Suddenly, 15 years later, they’re old news.”

On what his choice would be between acting and directing:
“Directing. Because it’s the complete process of creating something from the beginning to the end. As an actor, it’s a piecemeal process. And you’re relying on your trust in the director.”

On the high level of self-destructiveness among show people, like his Night at the Museum co-star Robin Williams, who committed suicide:
“People like Robin, who had such sensitivity, who are so gifted, have such a facility to tap into that. Laughter relieves the pain of life. When something happens that sends them off balance, whether it’s chemical or psychological, or just life itself, it [makes them] vulnerable. Most brilliant actors are a little bit kooky. They don’t play by the rules of life. They’re open to things, and that’s why we love to watch them.”

On why he recently moved his family back to his old neighborhood, the Upper West Side of Manhattan:
“Because it is home. My childhood was very much here, in this neighborhood. I had to get away from New York to figure out who I was on my own.”

On why his marriage to actress Christine Taylor works:
“Because we both want it to work. We both love each other, and we also laugh a lot. She’s one of the funniest people I know. Growing up, I watched my parents. I never saw anybody more devoted than my father was to my mother. That set the bar very high for me.”

On the one thing he loves the most:
“To laugh, to have a sense of humor, even in the worst situations. That’s something I got from my folks. To the end, my mother never lost her sense of humor. It’s amazing to be able to laugh.”For more from Ben Stiller, check out Sunday’s Parade, or go to Parade.com: http://bit.ly/240gOb1