Ben Stiller’s influence from Walter Mitty to Severance is proving more relevant than ever, as the acclaimed actor and director’s earlier work laid the foundation for today’s conversations about fragmented identity and corporate life. The links connecting his 2013 film The Secret Life of Walter Mitty to Apple TV+’s Severance reveal a creative evolution that speaks to modern questions of selfhood and work.
The Creative Pathway Linking Walter Mitty and Severance
Although Ben Stiller first rose to fame through comedies like Zoolander and Tropic Thunder, his directorial turn with The Secret Life of Walter Mitty offered a glimpse of deeper, more introspective storytelling. This film, which starred Stiller as Walter Mitty—a negative assets manager at Life magazine—shows a man who escapes the routine of corporate life through extraordinary daydreams. When Walter embarks on a real global adventure sparked by a missing photograph, the story begins exploring what happens when fantasy and reality collide.
The resonance between Walter Mitty and Severance lies in their depiction of fractured identity amid soul-draining office environments. In Severance, Stiller brings viewers to Lumon Industries, where employees undergo a memory-splitting procedure that divides their consciousness into “innie” and “outie” selves. Both stories dissect the longing for meaning and belonging when faced with the monotony and disenchantment that come from corporate work.
The settings further draw a visual connection: the palette of cold blues, silvers, and whites make both Life magazine and Lumon headquarters feel isolating and sterile. Notably, Adam Scott, who plays the series lead in Severance, also appeared as Ted Hendricks—the smug boss in The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. These creative choices signal Stiller’s deep understanding of how corporate culture can sap a person’s sense of self, planting the seeds that would ultimately flourish in Severance.
Walter Mitty: A Film Ahead of Its Years
Released in 2013, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty did not receive widespread critical acclaim, ending up with only a 52% Tomatometer rating on Rotten Tomatoes. However, its narrative, based on James Thurber’s short story, anticipated present-day struggles with identity in a world overflowing with digital distractions and constant comparison.
Walter’s tendency to lose himself in elaborate fantasies during mundane meetings mirrors what we now recognize as maladaptive daydreaming—a concept less widely discussed at the time but increasingly familiar in the era of social media and digital scrolling. This psychological nuance shows Stiller’s character as someone searching for purpose in an overwhelming work environment.
Severance echoes this emotional realism, albeit in a darker, science fiction-tinged tone. While Walter Mitty chooses to venture beyond his limitations and embrace life, Severance’s central character, Mark, begins to reclaim fragments of memory and personal agency after a lifetime split by corporate procedure. Both characters’ paths underscore the pain and necessity of self-discovery in environments that reward conformity over individuality.
Lasting Impact and Continued Relevance
The ideas seeded in The Secret Life of Walter Mitty have only grown more powerful, as contemporary viewers grapple with questions of autonomy and the cost of chasing meaning inside blank office walls. Ben Stiller’s evolution from comedic actor to visionary director and producer stands as a testament to the enduring importance of tackling themes of identity, purpose, and psychological escape in modern storytelling.
Today, audiences can experience The Secret Life of Walter Mitty on Disney+ and Severance on Apple TV+ in the USA, revisiting how Stiller’s work continues to anticipate—and shape—the conversation around life at work and the quest for selfhood.
