He initially didn't think doing the version was a good idea.
In an intriguing twist of Hollywood’s often winding road, comedy icon Jim Carrey and legendary director Steven Spielberg nearly collaborated on the hit comedy “Meet the Parents.” The reins of this popular project would eventually fall into the hands of Ben Stiller and director Jay Roach, renowned for his work on the Austin Powers franchise.
“Meet the Parents,” a funny rollercoaster ride chronicling the tumultuous journey of a man attempting to propose to his girlfriend amidst a visit to her parents, features Stiller as the unfortunate protagonist who continuously lands in hot water with his prospective father-in-law. The prospect of directing the film caught the eye of Roach, who was captivated by the script’s humor.
Despite Roach’s enthusiasm for the project, the film’s then-backing studio, Universal, had other plans in mind. “I told Universal, ‘This is the funniest thing I’ve read. I don’t want to change any of it,’” Roach shared in an interview with Entertainment Weekly. “They said, ‘We think it can be better.’ I think what they were politely saying was, ‘We think it can be better directed by somebody else.’”
The renowned director took the reins from there, teetering on the brink of directing the movie with the celebrated comedian in the lead. But the tides turned once again when another studio seized the rights to “Meet the Parents,” prompting Spielberg to withdraw from the project, with Carrey following suit. Spotting an opportunity, Roach seized the moment to reassert his desire to direct the film, pleading, “‘Please, let me have it back.’”
Stiller shed light on how the original version penned for Carrey and Spielberg would have vastly differed from the film we now know. Carrey’s signature physical humor and characteristic quirks heavily influenced the original script. Stiller felt that what was written with Carrey in mind wouldn’t necessarily translate well to his comedic style.
He recalled, “The first draft I read must have been from when they were thinking Jim because it was much more physically oriented. Like, the toilet’s overflowing, and my character sits on it to stop it. He uses himself as a human, uh, y’know, plug. I read that and said, ‘No way I’m gonna be funny doing that.’”
Despite parting ways with the project, Carrey bore no regret. Upon watching the final film, he agreed with Stiller’s instincts, stating to Larry King via Irish Examiner, “Meet the Parents was something that I was developing with Steven Spielberg. I actually created the Fockers in a creative meeting. But it was perfect that Ben Stiller did it. When I saw it, I went, ‘That’s the way it’s supposed to be done.’”
Over the years, Spielberg has dipped his toes into lighter fare with films like “The Terminal” and “Catch Me If You Can.” But when it came to “Meet the Parents,” his comedic abilities were scrutinized, even by his wife, Kate Capshaw.
In a 2004 interview with Total Film, Spielberg shared, “My wife says I’m not funny enough. I was preparing to direct Meet the Parents when she read the script. She said, ‘You’re not directing this movie – give it to a director who does comedy well.’”
Spielberg added, with a touch of humor, “She doesn’t mind when I have comic moments in my movies, like when Tom Cruise chases his eyeballs towards a drain in Minority Report, but I’m still not allowed to do an outright comedy! Still, I produced Meet the Parents, and we did very well with it.”
This fascinating revelation adds an exciting chapter to the history of “Meet the Parents,” offering a unique perspective on what the film could have been and celebrating the serendipitous pairing of Stiller and Roach that gave audiences the memorable comedy hit they came to adore.
