Frat Pack

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The Frat Pack is an unofficial 1990s-2000s era nickname given to a group of male Hollywood actors, who have appeared together in many movies since the mid 1990s. It was coined by USA Today in a story from June 2004. Before USA Today dubbed this group the Frat Pack, Entertainment Weekly referred to them as the "Slacker Pack," but this term is rarely used. Meanwhile, EW used the term Frat Pack to describe Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Edward Norton, and Ryan Phillippe, but this usage has not been seen elsewhere. Since then, EW has dropped the "Slacker Pack" term, and also began referring to the group as the Frat Pack.^[1] The name is a take-off of the Rat Pack, a nickname given to a group of performers that included Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis, Jr. in the 1950s and 1960s combined with the shorthand term for a college fraternity. (See also: Brat Pack) Also, this name is a reference to the group's popular film, Old School. Interestingly, only Will Ferrell was actually in a fraternity.

1 The Pack
2 Filmography
- 2.1 Primary
- 2.2 Secondary
3 Notes
4 See also
5 Citations
6 References
7 External links

[edit] The Pack

The USA Today article which coined the Frat Pack term listed Jack Black, Will Ferrell, Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn, and brothers Owen Wilson and Luke Wilson as members of the group.^[2] By 2006, Steve Carell was also included in the Pack when USA Today published another article.^[3] Carell claimed membership when hosting Saturday Night Live. Though he did not use the term "Frat Pack," he did say he was "one of those guys now" and specifically referenced Stiller, Vaughn, Ferrell, Owen Wilson, and Black.

Frat Pack "Pledges" are actors who are on the verge of "Frat Pack membership"[1]. These actors include David Koechner, Seth Rogen, and Paul Rudd. Justin Long and John C. Reilly are also considered to be increasingly "pledging the Frat Pack".^[4] According to the same source, actors such as Jason Bateman, Andy Dick, Jon Favreau, actresses such as Jennifer Aniston, Christine Taylor, and writer/producer/directors such as Judd Apatow, Adam McKay, Todd Phillips are also "Pledges" to the Frat Pack. A year before citing Carell as a member, USA Today tagged him, in addition to Rudd, Koechner, Apatow, Leslie Mann and Mindy Kaling as the Frat Pack's "Junior Varsity."^[5] Mann & Kaling haven't been associated with the group elsewhere, but Details Magazine has cited Apatow (in addition to directors McKay & Phillips) as "The Frat Packagers"[2], while Paul Rudd was cited as a Frat Pack member in the New York Post, among other publications[3]. In an interview with The Advocate, when questioned if Knocked Up will officially welcome him into the Frat Pack, Rudd speculated that he is a "pledge" that hasn't "been initiated yet into the brotherhood." [4]

The members of the Frat Pack often work with certain directors multiple times. Wes Anderson is a college friend of the Wilsons and directed them in both Bottle Rocket and The Royal Tenenbaums, while Todd Phillips directed both Old School and Starsky & Hutch. Adam McKay directed Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, and Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby. Jay Roach directed both Meet the Parents and Meet the Fockers. Judd Apatow is the writer/producer of several Frat Pack comedies like The Cable Guy and Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy. He made his directorial debut with The 40-Year-Old Virgin starring Steve Carell, and followed up with Knocked Up starring Seth Rogen and Paul Rudd, with cameos by Carell and Owen Wilson. Wedding Crashers helmer David Dobkin is set to begin another collaboration with Vince Vaughn for the dark Christmas comedy Fred Claus (2007). In addition, John Michael Higgins of The Break-Up will also co-star as Santa's head elf. Subsequently, John C. Reilly who co-starred with Will Ferrell and director Adam McKay in Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006), will reunite for the comedy Step Brothers.

[edit] Filmography

[edit] Primary

According to the Frat Pack Tribute website, "to 'strictly' qualify as a Frat Pack movie, a movie must have at least two Frat Pack members involved. More importantly, the movie must also share a certain comedic sense. Looser and more inclusive definitions allow for movies such as Along Came Polly, which have at most a single Frat Pack star, several Frat Pack friends, and a similar comedic sensibility, to qualify." Although all Frat Pack members have never appeared in a single movie together, they have come closest in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, which featured all but Owen Wilson (chiefly in minor roles and cameos).

Movie	Jack Black	Ben Stiller	Luke Wilson	Owen Wilson	Vince Vaughn	Will Ferrell	Steve Carell	Secondary Frat Packers
Bottle Rocket (1996)			Lead Role	Lead Role, Writer
The Cable Guy (1996)	Supporting Cast	Minor Role, Director		Minor Role				Andy Dick, Judd Apatow (Producer)
Bongwater (1997)	Supporting Cast		Lead Role					Andy Dick
Permanent Midnight (1998)		Lead Role		Supporting Cast				Andy Dick
Heat Vision and Jack (Unaired pilot) (1999)	Lead Role	Director, Minor Role		Lead Role, Voice				Christine Taylor
The Suburbans (1999)		Supporting Cast				Supporting Cast
Meet the Parents (2000)		Lead Role		Supporting Cast
The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)		Lead Role	Lead Role	Lead Role, Writer				Christine Taylor (Cameo)
Zoolander (2001)		Lead Role, Director, Writer, Producer		Lead Role	Minor Role	Lead Role		Andy Dick, Christine Taylor
Orange County (2002)	Lead Role	Minor Role
Old School (2003)			Lead Role		Lead Role	Lead Role		Andy Dick, Todd Phillips (Writer, Actor, Director, Producer)
Movie	Jack Black	Ben Stiller	Luke Wilson	Owen Wilson	Vince Vaughn	Will Ferrell	Steve Carell	Secondary Frat Packers
Tenacious D: The Complete Masterworks (V) (2003)	Lead Role, Writer, Songs	Minor Role
Starsky & Hutch (2004)		Lead Role		Lead Role	Lead Role	Supporting Cast		Jason Bateman, Todd Phillips (Writer, Director)
Around the World in 80 Days (2004)			Minor Role	Minor Role
Envy (2004)	Lead Role	Lead Role
Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story (2004)		Lead Role, Producer			Lead Role			Christine Taylor, Jason Bateman, Justin Long
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)	Minor Role	Minor Role	Minor Role		Minor Role	Lead Role	Supporting Cast	Paul Rudd, David Koechner, Seth Rogen, Adam McKay (Actor, Writer, Director), Judd Apatow (Producer)
Wake Up, Ron Burgundy: The Lost Movie (V) (2004)					Supporting Cast	Lead Role	Supporting Cast	Paul Rudd, David Koechner, Seth Rogen, Adam McKay (Actor, Writer, Director), Judd Apatow (Producer), Justin Long
Meet the Fockers (2004)		Lead Role		Minor Role
Melinda and Melinda (2004)						Lead Role	Supporting Cast
Bewitched (2005)						Lead Role	Supporting Cast
Movie	Jack Black	Ben Stiller	Luke Wilson	Owen Wilson	Vince Vaughn	Will Ferrell	Steve Carell	Secondary Frat Packers
Wedding Crashers (2005)				Lead Role	Lead Role	Minor Role
The Wendell Baker Story (2005)			Lead Role, Director, Writer	Supporting Cast		Supporting Cast
Danny Roane: First Time Director (2006)	Supporting Cast	Supporting Cast						Andy Dick (Cast, Director)
Tenacious D in: The Pick of Destiny (2006)	Lead Role, Writer, Songs	Minor Role, Producer						David Koechner (deleted scene/DVD), John C. Reilly
Night at the Museum (2006)		Lead Role		Supporting Cast				Paul Rudd
Blades of Glory (2007)		Producer	Minor Role			Lead Role
Knocked Up (2007)				Minor Role			Minor Role	Paul Rudd, Seth Rogen (Actor, Producer), Judd Apatow (Director, Writer)
Tropic Thunder (2008)	Lead Role	Lead Role, Producer, Director

[edit] Secondary

Comedy films that involve only one primary Frat Packer (the main seven) and one or more secondary Frat Packers (Andy Dick, Judd Apatow, Jon Favreau, Jennifer Aniston, Jason Bateman, Adam McKay, Christine Taylor, Todd Phillips, and close "pledges" John C. Reilly, David Koechner, Seth Rogen, Justin Long, and Paul Rudd), with at least one Frat Packer in a large role include:

Reality Bites (1994)

Ben Stiller, Andy Dick

Heavyweights (1995)

Ben Stiller, Judd Apatow

Swingers (1996)

Vince Vaughn, Jon Favreau

Best Men (1997)

Luke Wilson, Andy Dick

Made (2001)

Vince Vaughn, Jon Favreau

The Third Wheel (2002)

Luke Wilson, David Koechner

Bruce Almighty (2003)

Steve Carell, Jennifer Aniston

Elf (2003)

Will Ferrell, Jon Favreau

Along Came Polly (2004)

Ben Stiller, Jennifer Aniston

The 40-Year Old Virgin (2005)

Steve Carell, David Koechner, Seth Rogen, Paul Rudd, Judd Apatow

The Break-Up (2006)

Vince Vaughn, Justin Long, Jennifer Aniston, Jon Favreau, Jason Bateman

You, Me, and Dupree (2006)

Owen Wilson, Seth Rogen

Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006)

Will Ferrell, David Koechner, Judd Apatow, Adam McKay, John C. Reilly

School For Scoundrels (2006)

Ben Stiller, Todd Phillips

Idiocracy (2006)

Luke Wilson, Justin Long

The Mirror (2007)

Ben Stiller, Christine Taylor

Drillbit Taylor (2007)

Owen Wilson, Seth Rogen, Judd Apatow

Blonde Ambition (2008)

Luke Wilson, Andy Dick

Horton Hears A Who (2008)

Steve Carell, Seth Rogen

Semi-Pro (2008)

Will Ferrell, David Koechner

Get Smart (2008)

Steve Carell, David Koechner

Step Brothers (2008)

Will Ferrell, Judd Apatow, Adam McKay, John C. Reilly

Untitled Naked Trucker & T-Bones Movie (2009)

Will Ferrell, David Koechner, Adam McKay

Bold = films featuring pledges close to Frat Pack membership

[edit] Notes

Owen Wilson is the only member ever to be nominated for an Academy Award
Steve Carell is the only member to ever win a Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild Award or Writers Guild Award.
Ben Stiller is the only member to ever win an Emmy.
All members have been presenters at the Academy Awards.
All members have hosted Saturday Night Live, except Owen Wilson.
Jack Black is the only member to be a musical Guest on Saturday Night Live (as Tenacious D).
Will Ferrell and Ben Stiller are the only members to have been cast member in Saturday Night Live.
Three of the seven members - Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson and Will Ferrell are left handed.