Circle of Trust

Inner Circle - The Frat Pack

Ben Stiller is at the center of the Pack. Vince, Owen, and Will are the next core members. Jack’s friendship is depicted as in between Ben and Will. Steve is portrayed as a friend of Will’s, yet he also has his own clique. Luke is, of course, linked with his brother, Owen.

Blue Circle - Pledges

The Frat Pack Circle of Trust

This second tier is for actors/filmmakers closest to Frat Pack inclusion.

Closest to the center, next to Steve, are 40 Year-Old Virgin co-stars/Knocked Up stars Seth Rogen and Paul Rudd, who are on the verge of Frat Pack membership. Not far behind them, pictured above Rudd, is John C. Reilly (a close friend of Will and Jack) and a star in his own right. Also in the blue circle is frequent Frat Pack co-star David Koechner and Danny McBride who seems to be in every Frat related film these days.Also close to the center is Justin Long, near Vince and Luke. These actors have had highly increased profiles since the Frat Pack term was first coined in 2004. Also in the blue are frequent female costars Jennifer Aniston, Christine Taylor, and Leslie Mann.

Below Rogen are frequent directors/writers Judd Apatow (40 Year Old Virgin), Adam McKay (Anchorman) and Todd Phillips (Old School.) While they aren’t known for their acting, these three “Frat Packagers” have established the closest relationships with the Frat Pack.

Located below Vince Vaughn are his friends Jon Favreau and Jason Bateman. Amy Poehler is edging into the blue with performances in several Frat Pack films. Finally, above Stiller and Jack Black is Andy Dick. Although he hasn’t been seen in a Frat Pack film since Old School, his long resume with Stiller is enough to suggest pledge status.

Clockwise from John C. Reilly, Amy Poehler, Paul Rudd, Seth Rogen, Judd Apatow, Adam McKay, Todd Phillips, Jason Bateman, Jon Favreau, Justin Long, Jennifer Aniston, David Koecher, Leslie Mann, Christine Taylor, Danny McBride, Andy Dick.

Red Circle - Family and Close Friends

The second tier is for friends and the most frequently recurring co-stars. Family (Jerry Stiller, Andrew Wilson) are close to the center since their connections are deep bonds.

Most friends connect with Ben, Jack, Will and Vince.

Those who seem closest to Vince are easy to identify. Snoop Dogg, Juliette Lewis, Stephen Root are shown having closer ties to Vince Vaughn than the other Frat Pack members. Dodgeball co-stars and frequent Frat Pack friends Missi Pyle, and Gary Cole are shown here. Cole is also near his Talladega Nights co-star Will Ferrell. Also appearing here is composer Theodore Shapiro, near the rest of the Old School principals. Rob Corrdry is shown with Old School costars but lately is closer to Ben and Will.

Ben’s friends are Jim Carrey, Hank Azaria, Judah Friedlander, and Patton Oswalt. Right outside the Pledge Circle, between Carrey and Azaria, is Stiller’s Red Hour Films partner Stuart Cornfeld, who has produced many classic and future Frat Pack projects and briefly appeared in Old School. David Cross and Bob Odenkirk (in the gray circle) is placed between Stiller and Jack Black, for his involvement in The Ben Stiller Show and the Tenacious D show. Dustin Hoffman is most closely linked with Ben but also has ties to Will Ferrell and Jack Black. Ben’s friend Janeane Garofalo also costarred with Vince, Owen, and Luke in several films in the late 90s.

Jack’s friends are Tim Robbins, Kyle Gass, and frequent collaborator Mike White.

Will’s friends are Andy Richter, Will Arnett, Fred Armisen, Rachael Harris, Fred Willard, Chris Parnell, and Maya Rudolph. Will’s Kicking and Screaming co-stars Rachael Harris and Laura Kightlinger are placed somewhere between Black, Ferrell, and Stiller’s cliques. Will Arnett is positioned next to real-life wife and Blades of Glory costar, Amy Poehler.

Wes Anderson is close to the three Wilson brothers, as is Woody Harrelson, a real-life friend of the Wilsons and costar of Will Ferrell. Jason Schwartzmann is associated with the Anderson clique but has appeared opposite Will and Jack in recent years.

Steve’s friends Jane Lynch and Jonah Hill also have connection to Judd Apatow, located near Will, Steve, and Ben. Steve’s wife and frequent costar Nancy Walls is shown here as well. Apatow regulars Michael Cera and Bill Hader appear in this area but have connections to other members such as Jack Black and Ben Stiller, respectively.

Clockwise starting with Snoop Dogg: Juliette Lewis, Andrew Wilson, Wes Anderson, Jason Schwartzman, Woody Harrelson, Jerry Stiller, Hank Azaria, Stuart Cornfeld, Jim Carrey, Janeane Garofalo, Judah Friedlander, Patton Oswald, Dustin Hoffman, Laura Kightlinger, Rachael Harris, Kyle Gass, David Cross, Tim Robbins, Mike White, Fred Armisten, Chris Parnell, Will Arnett, Andy Richter, Bill Hader, Jane Lynch, Nancy Walls, Michael Cera, Jonah Hill, Gary Cole, Stephen Root, Missi Pyle, Theodore Shapiro, Rob Corrdry.

Outer Circle - Friends and Co-Stars

The outer circle are co-stars from Frat Pack classics and upcoming projects. Some have appeared in more than one Frat Pack film, but their connections to the Pack aren’t easily linked to one member. However, for space purposes Zooey Deschanel and Artie Lange (Will’s friends), Peter Billingsley (Vince’s friend), Drew Barrymore (Luke’s friend), Jackie Chan (Owen’s friend), Robert Musgrave (Owen and Luke’s friend), Ed Helms (Steve’s friend), Justin Theroux (Ben’s friend), and Jack’s friends Colin Hanks, Paul F. Thompkins, Dave Grohl, and Troy Gentile complete the outer layer. Jay Baruchel is costarring with Stiller/Black in Tropic Thunder, but like Jason Segel is more closely aligned with Apatow’s Knocked Up crew. Shauna Robertson is part of Team Apatow but also produced Meet the Parents.

Clockwise from top: Tom Cruise, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Colin Hanks, Paul F. Thompkins, Dave Grohl, Jon Heder, Bob Odenkirk, Jack McBrayer, Amy Adams, Sacha Baron Cohen, Michael Clarke Duncan, Maya Rudolph, Christina Applegate, Artie Lange, Zooey Deschanel, Romany Malco, Jenna Fischer, Elizabeth Banks, Catherine Keener, Kristen Wiig, Ed Helms, Jason Segel, Jay Baruchel, Evan Goldberg, Shauna Robertson, Mary Steenburgen, Mike Judge, Peter Billingsley, John Michael Higgins, Fred Willard, Lance Armstrong, Alan Tudyk, Jeremy Piven, Perrey Reeves, Patrick Cranshaw, Craig Kilborn, Elisha Cuthbert, Seann William Scott, James Carville, Drew Barrymore, Robert Musgrave, Jackie Chan, Bill Murray, Christopher Walken, Isla Fisher, Rachel McAdams, Keir O’Donnell, Jane Seymour, Carmen Electra, Amy Smart, Matt Walsh, Matt Dillon, Justin Theroux, Matt Dillon, Winona Ryder, Teri Polo, Robert DeNiro.

Will Arnett Has Seen the Circle

During Tribute Senior Editor Rick Duran’s March 26, 2007 visit to the set of Semi-Pro, Will Arnett revealed he has seen the Circle. He knew the intimate details of the Circle as it existed on that day:

“Oh yeah! You’re the guys with that Circle! Amy’s much higher than me. I’m way in the back, what’s up with that?”

Well, seeing how Arnett killed in Blades of Glory and was a highlight in Semi-Pro, we have now moved him up into the red circle. He’s still behind wife Amy Poehler but at least he’s right next to her.