Will Ferrell's Best Movie Roles

The most famous Saturday Night Live alumni since the days of Adam Sandler, Will Ferrell is a brilliant comedic actor who has a knack for inhabiting his often bizarre characters. His best roles show off his unbridled energy and talent for physical comedy, as well as showcasing a certain kind of sensitivity that makes the audience care about his characters. Here is a list of his best roles so far, and it was difficult to narrow it down.

7.) Old School (2003)

As "Frank the Tank" Ricard, Ferrell portrays a man who gives up his previous life as a party-loving frat boy to try to become a good husband, but after a revealing therapy session and a streaking incident, it's obvious Frank's inner fratboy isn't ready to quit. Crazy antics follow, including forcing an elderly man to do push ups as part of an adult fraternity, shooting himself with a tranquilizer dart at a children's party, and debating political pundit James Carville and then momentarily blacking out makes "Frank the Tank" the guy you want at your party.

6.) The Producers (2005)

Ferrell's portrayal of Hitler-obsessed Franz Liebkind (complete with Nazi pigeons) helps to make this remake of a Mel Brooks classic a success. Ferrell's performance earned him a Golden Globe nomination, and the "Der Guten Tag Hop Clop" scene, along with "ze Zacred Siegfried Oas" gives "The Producers" its best dose of black humor.

5.) Zoolander (2001)

Ben Stiller's cult classic about male modelling has many things going for it (a ridiculously stupid lead character, Owen Wilson's dense hippie hipster, a fun soundtrack, quotable lines, David Bowie) and only one bad thing about it (Paris Hilton makes an appearance, though only for a moment). One of the best things about this movie is Mugatu, the deranged designer with a bleached blond afro. Will Ferrell inhabits this role completely (it's really his hair), snapping at underlings, dancing around in a brain-washing movie, snapping at the end about his invention of piano-key neckties. Mugatu is the enjoyable kind of villain, the kind that makes the audience laugh while believing he's truly crazy (who else would think up "Derelicte"?)

4.) Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)

Ron Burgundy is kind of a big deal. No woman can resist his charms, even if she's determined to become the first anchorwoman. Ron's lack of self-awareness brings about his career's demise, but he doesn't stay down for long...he's Ron Burgundy, after all. Ferrell oozes on the screen as a man obsessed with delivering the news and instructing San Diego to "stay classy", and makes the character as unforgettable and quotable as Austin Powers and Borat.

3.) Blades of Glory (2007)

While Jon Heder certainly has his moments as Jimmy MacElroy, Ferrell consistently steals the show as Chazz Michael Michaels, a sleazy, booze-loving figure skater who has to team up with his former rival for another shot at Olympic gold. Ferrell utters some of the best lines in recent film history, including announcing something as "mind-bottling", and confessing that night time is "a very dark time" for him. Chazz does mature as the movie progresses, but he remains "Sex on Ice", with a fondness for his hair brush, women, drinking, and Black Eyed Peas songs.

2.) Stranger Than Fiction (2006)

One of Ferrell's best roles is his most surprising one as Harold Crick. In the offbeat comedy "Stranger Than Fiction", Crick is a man who discovers that he's a fictional character created by a famous author (Emma Thompson) who is plotting his demise. Ferrell's subdued but powerful performance in this quirky movie gives it its heart. Crick is vulnerable, lonely, methodical, and basically the antithesis of Ferrell's other notable characters. Ferrell allows himself to slip back so that supporting actors can steal the scene, allowing the story to progress as we try to find out what Crick's future holds. Will Ferrell as an IRS auditor sounds like the premise of a Saturday Night Live skit, but Ferrell performs professionally and effectively.

1.) Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006)
Will Ferrell's portrayal of Ricky Bobby, the dense but proud race car driver is definitive Ferrell. Ricky Bobby's obsession with winning (his motto is "If you ain't first, you're last") makes him neglect his best friend Cal Naughton, Jr.'s constant sacrifices and his wife's obsession with money and fame. A bad crash breaks Ricky Bobby down into stripping down to his underwear and shrieking for help from everybody from God, Oprah, and Tom Cruise, and soon he has to find his way back to the top. Talladega Nights is nothing short of hilarious, and Ferrell's balance of Ricky Bobby's self-obsession and need for his father's approval works perfectly in a performance that shows off Will Ferrell's comedic brilliance and dramatic sensitivity. Also, it takes a brave man to be willing to show off his underwear while running around, battling "invisible fire".