Will Ferrell rose to fame as a cast member on Saturday Night Live. But it’s his movie career that really solidified the actor’s position as one of the funniest of this generation. He has a unique styling along with a certain presence thanks to his tall stature, signature curly hair, and ability to play characters with a childlike innocence.

It’s rare to find a comedy movie Ferrell has starred in that isn’t funny. In many cases, he has also produced and even co-written stories, making the actor a true triple threat in the business. But there are a few that stand out as being among his best work. While many of his best movies feature ensemble casts, Ferrell always manages to steal every scene he’s in.

10 'Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga' (2020)

Directed by David Dobkin

The movie Eurovision Song Contest is a musical romantic comedy that is centered around the popular Eurovision Song Contest, held annually since 1951 and attracting singers from all around the world. Ferrell stars alongside Rachel McAdams as two aspiring singers from a small town in Iceland who set out to qualify for the competition. When given the chance, it seems the odds continue to work against them, then for them in the most peculiar ways.

Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga has plenty of comedic moments throughout, fueled by both Ferrell and McAdams as well as the chemistry between them. While the movie was criticized for its long run (its run time is over two hours), there are enough comedy nuggets to keep fans excited and engaged, while Ferrell fully commits to his performance as a long-haired aspiring musician.

Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga can be streamed on Netflix in the U.S.

Watch on Netflix

9 'Step Brothers' (2008)

Directed by Adam McKay

Arguably one of Ferrell’s silliest concepts (he also co-wrote the screenplay along with director Adam McKay), he stars in Step Brothers as Brennan, who is pushing 40 and still lives at home with his divorced mother. He’s a slacker who hasn’t quite gotten his life together and still acts like a child. When his mother announces that she is marrying her boyfriend, Robert (Richard Jenkins), who has a 40-year-old son named Dale (John C. Reilly) living at home as well, this turns Brennan’s world upside down. Now he has an annoying stepbrother to deal with, and the competition and fights start like they were teenage siblings.

Immature humor is at the center of this movie, making it the perfect film to watch and re-watch again and again. Fans can’t help but laugh at the ridiculousness of the premise and the antics of the men every time. It’s crude and vulgar, but for fans of these types of movies, Step Brothers is a winner.

Step Brothers can be streamed on Netflix in the U.S.

Watch on Netflix

8 'Stranger Than Fiction' (2006)

Directed by Marc Foster

One of Ferrell’s more dramatic roles, Stranger Than Fiction, is a fantasy comedy drama with a talented cast that also includes Maggie Gyllenhaal, Dustin Hoffman, Queen Latifah, and Emma Thompson. He is Harold, an IRS agent who starts to hear a voice narrating his life as though he’s living in a novel. Terrifying him, it seems the end of the plot is his death. Frantic, Harold tries to find a way to prevent the seemingly inevitable end of his life. From seeing a psychiatrist to consulting with a literature professor, all while dealing with a tax delinquent's case, Harold realizes that moves he makes can adjust the narrative and tone of his story.

Dubbed fun and whimsical, Stranger Than Fiction is not the typical Ferrell movie, but it’s a role that seems like it was tailor-made for him. He’s not as animated and loud as he normally is, but he’s also comedically believable as a man who thinks he’s literally living out his own story.

Stranger Than Fiction can be streamed on Prime Video in the U.S.

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7 'Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby' (2006)

Directed by Adam McKay

Another movie that Ferrell also co-wrote with McKay, Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby sees the actor take a turn as a race car driver who lives by the motto of his father, “If you’re not first, you’re last.” He teams up with his best friend Cal (Reilly) and the pair become an unbeatable dynamic duo on the track. That is, until the flamboyant Jean Girard (Sacha Baron Cohen) is added to the team and quickly moves up the ranks. Now, it’s a real competition and Ricky is out for blood.

While Baron Cohen stole evert scene he was featured in this movie, Ferrell still shows off his comedic talents as a tantrum-throwing man-child who doesn’t know how to lose. The movie, one of Ferrell’s best overall, is part parody, part a look into the highly competitive world of race car driving, even if with a slightly satirical and embellished lens.

Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby can be streamed on Prime Video in the U.S.

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6 'The Lego Movie' (2014)

Directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller

There’s arguably no one who would have better played the dual role of both the real dad in the opening and ending sequence of The Lego Movie as well as the voice of the evil Lord Business. Ferrell is part of the ensemble voice cast of this movie, led by Chris Pratt as Emmet Brickowski, the evil businessman who is trying to rid the world of Master Builders. Shown in real form in the live action portions, he’s also “The Man Upstairs” who, it’s revealed, is the Lego collecting dad of the young boy playing with the toys that develop the story.

The over-the-top villain is a role Ferrell has played in many other movies, like Zoolander and Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery. And he tackles it beautifully in this movie in voice form as well. He presents the perfect combination of greedy businessman and uptight dad who comes to his senses once he sees that Legos are really just meant for fun.

The Lego Movie can be streamed on Max in the U.S.

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5 'Zoolander' (2001)

Directed by Ben Stiller

Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson are the stars of this comedy, but as usual, even though Ferrell is only an antagonist, he captures the essence of Jacobim Mugatu perfectly. He’s an embellished parody of every eccentric fashion designer, and he has a sinister plan to assassinate the Prime Minister of Malaysia before he passes laws that would harm business. He thinks he can use top model Zoolander (Stiller) to do his dirty work by brainwashing him.

Zoolander is an ingenious yet downright stupid comedy that is totally satirical but hilarious all the way through. Ferrell’s Mugatu and his obsession with the Frankie Goes to Hollywood song “Relax” have become the thing of memes thanks to this movie and his memorable performance in it.

Zoolander can be streamed on Paramount+ in the U.S.

Watch on Paramount+

4 'Barbie' (2023)

Directed by Greta Gerwig

Actors like Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, and America Ferrera received the most attention for this record-breaking movie that took the industry by storm in 2023. But Ferrell also has a supporting role in Barbie as the unnamed CEO of Mattel. He’s greedy, sometimes appears clueless, and is only out for the bottom line. In essence, he’s a parody of every greedy corporate CEO.

It’s one of Ferrell’s more subtle performances, but seeing him in a suit and tie heading up a boardroom still doesn’t hide his signature form of comedy. He’s only in a few scenes, but he’s the stand-out character each time he appears, even if the rest of the movie highlights the comedic talents of the others.

Barbie can be streamed on Max in the U.S.

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3 'Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy' (2004)

Directed by Adam McKay

Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy is yet another in Ferrell’s portfolio that he co-wrote. The ‘70s satirical comedy stars Ferrell as fictional news anchorman Ron Burgundy who is thrown for a loop when Veronica Corningstone (Christina Applegate), a woman he tries to pick up at a party, ends up getting hired at the station. When she fills in for him, she gets much higher ratings and Burgundy must re-evaluate his life, career, and massive ego.

Delivered as a tongue-in-cheek examination of the sexist culture of the 1970s, Anchorman won over audiences and led to a sequel, Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues. From the interactions between Ron and Veronica to the antics of his eccentric co-workers, played by Paul Rudd, Steve Carell, David Koechner, and Fred Willard, the movie has viewers in stitches. There were tons of great quotes in Anchorman, like the phrase “Stay Classy, San Diego!” and "I'm in a glass case of emotion!" These such statements, along with Ferrell’s wigged, wine-colored character, have become a mainstay on all types of merchandise thanks to the endearing and hilarious portrayal.

Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy can be streamed on Paramount+ in the U.S.

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2 'Elf' (2003)

Directed by Jon Favreau

Elf is widely considered to be one of the best Christmas movies of all time that families play again and again every year during the holiday season. Buddy the Elf is yet another role that fans can’t imagine anyone else playing. Ferrell is a 6’4’’ tall elf living in the North Pole who naturally, doesn’t fit in (figuratively and literally). When he discovers that he’s actually human and was adopted by an elf as a baby, he ventures to New York City to find his biological father. Walter (James Caan), a prickly businessman has no interest in Buddy, and thinks he’s a fraud until a DNA test proves otherwise.

Ferrell plays the role with such child-like innocence, like when he squeals with delight upon seeing Santa, telling everyone “I know him!”, running through revolving doors until he gets dizzy, and slurping up spaghetti with maple syrup. Ferrell fully invests in the role, such that viewers almost believe he thinks he’s an elf. The filming angles and clever techniques that made Ferrell appear larger than he is are a fascinating part of the movie, but they are equally matched by the larger-than-life personality Ferrell delivers on every screen.

Elf can be streamed on Prime Video in the U.S.

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1 'Old School' (2003)

Directed by Todd Philiips

“We’re going streaking!” is one of those lines people often repeat at parties, thanks to this movie, along with other quotable moments from Ferrell, like “You’re my boy, blue!” The hilarious cast also includes Luke Wilson and Vince Vaughn, and follows Mitch (Wilson), who has recently broken up with a girlfriend and trying to get over it. As if perfect timing, he goes to his friend Frank’s (Ferrell) wedding, and things get a little out of hand when the boys run into an old acquaintance. They capitalize on a loophole that allows them to turn a university house into a fraternity for anyone and everyone and decide it’s time to let loose. They’re reliving their youth in the worst (and best) possible ways. Given Frank’s old high school nickname of “Frank the Tank,” it’s easy to see where this goes.

Ferrell is central to some of the funniest scenes throughout Old School, with his usual antics, including a scene where he’s running through the streets naked screaming the aforementioned line, only to run into his new wife and her girlfriends driving by. Old School is a comedic classic that fans watch again and again, and the jokes never get old.

Old School can be streamed on AppleTV+ in the U.S.

Watch on Apple TV+

KEEP READING: The Best will Ferrell Movies, Ranked