Ben Stiller Trend Explodes: Actor’s Latest Move Sparks Buzz Online

New York City — Hollywood star Ben Stiller turned Madison Square Garden into a celebrity spotlight again Tuesday night, taking courtside seats alongside Timothée Chalamet and rapper-mogul 50 Cent as the New York Knicks battled the Indiana Pacers in a pivotal Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. The “Zoolander” actor, a lifelong Knicks die-hard, spent much of the contest fist-bumping fellow fans and trading nervous glances with Chalamet as the Pacers erased an early deficit. Social media cameras quickly spotted the pair, and within minutes “Ben Stiller” was trending on X as viewers memed their every reaction-shot from the TNT broadcast. Stiller’s playoff run has become its own subplot in the NBA postseason. Last week he half-joked that his in-arena appearances might be “a Mitchell Robinson jinx,” referencing the center’s ankle injury that has threatened New York’s interior defense. The self-deprecating comment only fueled a wave of gifs and good-luck rituals from Knicks Twitter, many urging the actor to keep showing up despite his superstition. Ironically, Stiller’s chemistry with Chalamet seems to be thriving in the chaos. The two first bonded courtside during Game 2, and Spanish outlet MARCA reports the pair have exchanged phone numbers and already discussed a future comedy collaboration built around their shared Knicks anxiety. Industry insiders note Chalamet is currently between shoots after wrapping “Dune: Messiah,” leaving room on his schedule for a cameo in Stiller’s long-gestating “Severance” Season 2 directorial slate. Tuesday’s game featured plenty of on-camera celebrity moments, from 50 Cent’s impromptu DJ set during a TV timeout to Stiller standing for every free throw in the final two minutes. While the Knicks fell 109-104, it wasn’t for lack of vocal support: Stiller was filmed shouting “let’s go, Jalen!” as Brunson nailed a late three that briefly tied matters at 97. The actor’s playoff presence is paying off in the digital arena as well. A 12-second clip of Stiller nervously rubbing his lucky Knicks cap has already surpassed 3 million views on TikTok. On Instagram, his post-game selfie with Chalamet and 50 Cent—a simple “Pain. Pride. Knicks.” caption—amassed 1.1 million likes in under four hours, outperforming recent promotional content for his Apple TV+ projects. Marketing experts say the organic buzz illustrates how a single, authentic sports fandom moment can eclipse traditional film-promo campaigns. “Ben Stiller is tapping into a real-time cultural conversation,” notes PR strategist Dana Hsu. “Every meme or courtside gif keeps his name top of feed, which ultimately lifts awareness for his next directing venture.” Next up: Game 5 returns to Indianapolis on Thursday. Whether or not Stiller makes the trip remains a mystery, but Knicks fans have already flooded his X mentions with seat-allocation suggestions and playlists of supposed good-luck chants. One viral reply simply reads, “Ben, bring the juice—not the jinx.” If history is any guide, expect the camera to find him again, cap in hand, ready for another roller-coaster night on Broadway’s loudest stage.