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.

Ferrell has received four Primetime Emmy Awards for his work as a producer on the drama series Succession (2018–2023) and for the specials Live in Front of a Studio Audience (2019–2022).

For his work on Broadway he received a Tony Award nomination for Best Special Theatrical Event for his satirical portrayal as George W. Bush in You're Welcome America (2009).

With fellow Groundlings member Chris Kattan, he created the Butabi Brothers, who go out to dance clubs to try to pick up women but are constantly rejected.

By 1995 he was receiving small roles, including appearances in TV series Grace Under Fire and Living Single, low-budget films such as A Bucket of Blood, as well as commercials.

[22] During his time on SNL, Ferrell made a name for himself with his impersonations, which included US President George W. Bush, Chicago Cubs announcer Harry Caray, singer Robert Goulet (crooning a cappella pieces of music by Sisqó, Baha Men, and The Notorious B.I.G.

), singer Neil Diamond, Inside the Actors Studio host James Lipton (who favored Ferrell's impersonation), Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy, United States Attorney General Janet Reno, convicted Unabomber Ted Kaczynski, game show host Alex Trebek, fictitious private detective John Shaft, professional wrestler Jesse Ventura, US Vice President Al Gore, Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, and Cuban President Fidel Castro.

His original characters included Morning Latte co-host Tom Wilkins, Mister Ed the Horse's twin brother Ned, fictional Blue Öyster Cult member Gene Frenkle (physically modeled after the band's vocalist Eric Bloom),[citation needed] music teacher Marty Culp, cheerleader Craig Buchanan, Dale Sturtevant from Dissing Your Dog, Hank of the Bill Brasky Buddies, David Leary from Dog Show, angry and inattentive Dr. Beaman and night clubber Steve Butabi in sketches that were turned into a feature film in 1998's A Night at the Roxbury.

Although a one-shot character, one of Ferrell's most memorable SNL characters is Dale McGrew, a "highly patriotic" office worker who comes to work wearing a half t-shirt and short shorts that Ferrell improvised into a thong just before the skit aired live, leading to genuine laughter from the cast and guest host Seann William Scott.

During his time on Saturday Night Live, Ferrell appeared in several movies: Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997), A Night at the Roxbury (1998), Superstar (1999), The Ladies Man (2000), Dick (1999), Drowning Mona (2000), Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999), Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001), and Zoolander (2001).

They're fine separately, but when the two are together, be it during an extended fight scene with a bunch of kids, or a demented sleepwalking sequence, the movie is a blast.

"[36] Ferrell is also known for his promotional appearances including acting as part of a pre-game video package for the Rose Bowl along with University of Texas at Austin alum Matthew McConaughey.

The Man in the Yellow Hat) in the film Curious George[37] and guest voiced on an episode of the FOX sitcom King of the Hill as a politically correct soccer coach.

Ferrell made his Broadway debut taking on departing U.S. President George W. Bush in a one-man show called You're Welcome America.

[43][44] In 2010, he was the executive producer and star of The Other Guys, a buddy cop film which also has an ensemble cast including Mark Wahlberg, Eva Mendes, Michael Keaton, Steve Coogan, Ray Stevenson, Samuel L. Jackson, and Dwayne Johnson.

[49][50] In a 2014 poll taken as part of a commemorative SNL feature on Grantland, Ferrell was voted the best Saturday Night Live cast member of all time.

Both were joined by Smith's Red Hot Chili Peppers bandmates for a performance of "Don't Fear the Reaper", with Ferrell playing cowbell.

[66] In 2020 Ferrell starred alongside Julia Louis-Dreyfus in the remake of the 2014 Swedish film Force Majeure, entitled Downhill which was directed by Nat Faxon and Jim Rash.

That same year he starred in the musical comedy film Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga with Rachel McAdams.

[67] In April 2007, Ferrell and Adam McKay launched "Funny or Die",[68] a streaming video website where short comedy films are uploaded and voted on by users.

One of the featured shorts, The Landlord, stars Ferrell as a man harassed for the rent by his landlady, a swearing, beer-loving, two-year-old girl, played by McKay's own daughter, Pearl.

Unlike his SNL predecessor Dana Carvey's famous relationship with George H. W. Bush, Ferrell has said: "I declined, partly out of comedic purposes, because when I was on the show Saturday Night Live at the time, it didn't make sense to really meet the people that you play, for fear of them influencing you.

"[85] In August 2012, while in Australia promoting The Campaign, Ferrell made a guest appearance on the Network 10 live panel news/comedy show The Project.

He found himself speaking via video link to Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard, during which they had a light-hearted conversation about hairdressing.

Wearing a false mustache and carrying a bag of beer cans to the mound, Ferrell threw one pitch and was ejected after a staged fight and chase with an opposing batter.

[99][100] The appearance was cooked up by Ferrell and the Express, who sent out a press release announcing Johnson's "signing" to promote a charity golf outing the following day at a nearby country club.

[107][109] In a March 21, 2019 game between the Kings and San Jose Sharks, Ferrell commentated the entire second period of the match on the local television broadcast in-character as Ron Burgundy.

[110] For the 2023–24 NHL season, Kings goaltender Cam Talbot, although himself not a member of the team at the time of the broadcast, bore a depiction of Burgundy in reference to the event.

[116] Ferrell also has received various honors including the James Joyce Award from the University College Dublin's Literary and Historical Society in recognition for "excelling in his field" in 2008.

Ferrell received the prize at a ceremony at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts where he was honored by fellow comedians and collaborators Conan O'Brien, John C. Reilly, Ben Stiller, Jack Black, Paul Rudd, Adam McKay, Tim Meadows, Matthew Broderick, and Ed Asner.