Ben Stiller 'Never Thought' He'd 'Take This Much Time Away from Acting': Why He Returned for a New Role

“It wasn’t intentional; it was just how things evolved," said Ben Stiller, who next stars in 'Nutcrackers'

Ben Stiller is ready to get in front of the camera again.

Following a seven-year hiatus from lead movie roles, the actor-director, 58, is set to star in Nutcrackers, a dramedy directed by David Gordon Green set to premiere as the opening film of the 49th Toronto Film Festival on Thursday, Sept. 5.

Stiller spoke with Variety about his return to acting after having focused more on directing, telling the outlet, “I never thought I’d take this much time away from acting."

“It wasn’t intentional; it was just how things evolved," said the Severance director and executive producer, who also directed the 2019 limited series Escape at Dannemora. (His last major screen role was in 2017's Brad's Status.)

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According to a synopsis from TIFF, Stiller stars in Nutcrackers as a "hotshot Chicago real estate developer" named Michael who "never had time for family," adding, "His sister once said he was incapable of love."

"But when Michael’s sister and her husband have a terrible accident, their house, farm and four boys become Michael’s responsibility," the synopsis continues.

"He drives out to his sister’s small Ohio town thinking all he needs to do is sign some papers and get back to the city, but it’s not nearly that simple. With the parents gone, the boys are practically feral. Until the family services worker (Linda Cardellini) can find them a home, their only guardian is Uncle Mike."

The synopsis adds. "Desperate to free himself from inherited fatherhood, he's both surprised and thrilled to learn his sister trained her boys in ballet. Can that make them cute enough to foster?"

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In his conversation with Variety, Stiller said the stars aligned for him to do Nutcrackers, in that the movie "happened in a zone where it was literally the only time I could have made it."

“A few months later, and I couldn’t have done it," the Zoolander actor said.

Of how his real-life relationship with the kids who play his nephews on set compared to their onscreen dynamic, Stilled told the outlet, "I wanted to have a good relationship with them, because sometimes I have to be a jerk in the movie."

"Especially with a kid who hasn’t acted before, you watch them react to something you say and look hurt. First you think, ‘That’s great for the movie!’ And then you’re like, ‘Gee, I hope that’s not damaging,' " he added.

The Toronto Film Festival runs from Sept. 5 through Sept. 15.

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