Age: 59
male
John William Ferrell (born July 16, 1967)is an American actor, comedian, writer, and producer. He is known for his leading man roles in comedy films and for his work as a television producer. Ferrell received various accolades, including six Primetime Emmy Awards and a British Academy Television Award, in addition to nomination for two Golden Globe Awards and a Tony Award. In 2011, Farrell was honoured with the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. In 2015, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and was named the best comedian in British GQ. Ferrell established himself in the mid-1990s as a cast member on the sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live, where he performed from 1995 to 2002, and has subsequently starred in a string of comedy films. After starring in the 2003 comedy film Old School, Ferrell became considered a member of the "Frat Pack", a generation of leading Hollywood comic actors who emerged in the late 1990s and the 2000s, including Jack Black, Ben Stiller, Steve Carell, Vince Vaughn, Paul Rudd, and brothers Owen and Luke Wilson. He founded the comedy website Funny or Die in 2007 with his former writing partner, Adam McKay. Ferrell starred in comedy films such as A Night at the Roxbury (1998), Elf (2003), Anchorman (2004), Kicking & Screaming (2005), Talladega Nights (2006), Blades of Glory (2007), Step Brothers (2008), The Other Guys (2010), Get Hard (2015), and Barbie (2023). He has also taken dramatic roles in Stranger than Fiction (2006), Everything Must Go (2010), and Downhill (2020). He has voiced roles in Curious George (2006), Megamind (2010), The Lego Movie film franchise (2014–2019), and Despicable Me 4 (2024). He also starred in and produced the documentary Will & Harper (2024) with writer Harper Steele. Ferrell has received four Primetime Emmy Awards for his work as a producer on the drama series Succession (2018–2023) and the specials Live in Front of a Studio Audience (2019–2022). He also produced the series I'm Sorry (2017–2019), the series Dead to Me (2019–2022), and the series Drunk History (2013–2019). For his work on Broadway, he received a Tony Award nomination for Best Special Theatrical Event for his satirical portrayal of George W. Bush in You're Welcome America (2009).
In the New York Zoo, Samson the Lion tells his son Ryan stories of his adventures in the wild. When the zoo closes, all the animals are free to roam. Samson, Benny, Bridget, Larry, and Nigel compete in a turtle curling championship while Ryan visits friends. Ryan accidentally causes a stampede which head to the game. Samson and Ryan have a falling-out and Ryan storms off before Samson can apologize. Ryan wanders into a green box and gets shipped away by a truck, which the legend tells will take him to the wild. With the help of a pigeon, Hamir, Samson and Benny go after him, sneaking into a garbage disposal truck with Nigel, Larry, and Bridget; Benny is accidentally thrown off the truck. After passing through Times Square and nearly being crushed in the garbage disposal, the group encounters a pack of rabid dogs. Samson leads them through the sewer rather than scaring them off. There, they take directions to the docks from two streetwise alligator brothers, Stan and Carmine. The next morning, the four friends steal a tugboat during a hectic escape from New York harbor. With help from Larry, they drive the boat and reunite with Benny, who has enlisted a flock of Canada geese to help lead the crew toward Ryan's ship. Days later, Nigel goes mad and, under the impression they have hit an iceberg, jumps overboard. The boat runs aground in Africa, where all the animals in the area are being evacuated by the carriers, as a nearby volcano erupts. They witness Ryan escape, but he runs into the jungle. Samson attempts to find him, but he is revealed to have never been in the wild before after trying to eat a rude Hyrax. The rest of the group head back to the ship, but Samson tries to find his son. While walking, Samson sees plants and rocks change colors. Nigel is captured by a group of wildebeests who dwell in the volcano, and their leader Kazar, pronounces him "The Great Him", based on an "omen" he received when he was young: about to be devoured by lions, a toy koala fell from a plane and scared the lions away, saving his life. Kazar wants to change the food chain; he would rather see "prey become predators" and vice versa. For this, he needs to eat a lion. Bridget and Larry are captured and held prisoner. Ryan hides up an old tree, but a gang of vultures led by Scraw and Scab attack him under orders from Kazar. The branch breaks and traps his paw. Samson hears Ryan's cries and runs to save him, scaring off the birds. The two reunite but are interrupted by a herd of wildebeests. Ryan is shocked when Samson tells him to run. The two retreat to a tree where Samson reveals the truth. He was born in the circus and like Ryan, was unable to roar. Samson's disappointed father disowned him and allowed him to be sent to the zoo, where he lied to avoid the shame. The wildebeests discover them and, in the scuffle, send the tree over the cliff, with Samson still hanging on. Ryan is captured and taken to the volcano. Benny finds Samson and encourages him to be himself, even if he is not from the wild. They find two chameleons, who were leading Samson to the volcano and are also trying to defeat Kazar's army of his kind. Samson uses the chameleons' camouflage abilities to slip into Kazar's lair. Nigel tries his best to stall the wildebeests from cooking his friends, and eventually Samson fights Kazar but is overwhelmed. Ryan, seeing Samson in danger, climbs onto a catapulting device and launches himself at Kazar, finally letting out a roar. With Kazar distracted, Samson manages to defeat him. Ryan tells Samson that he is happy to have him for a dad. The other wildebeests are touched by this and refuse to serve Kazar any further. Samson gains the courage he has needed and roars powerfully enough to push back a charging Kazar. The animals, along with the wildebeests flee except Kazar, who is trapped in the erupting volcano. The animals manage to escape on the boat and travel back to the New York Zoo.
