Steve Martin roasts Ben Stiller for being a ‘nepo baby’ in Super Bowl ad

Super Bowl LVII will take place on Sunday 12 February

Steve Martin and Ben Stiller have some choice words for each other in an upcoming 2023 Super Bowl ad.

Ahead of the big game – which takes place on Sunday 12 February at 6:30pm ET – the two comedians are seen roasting each other in two amusing teasers for a Pepsi Zero Sugar commercial.

“As actors, in a way, we never really stop acting,” begins Stiller, who’s seen standing next to Steve Martin in one of the ads.

The Only Murders in the Building star chimes in: “For example, Ben is acting right now like he’s not intimidated by standing next to me.”

“And Steve’s acting like he’s not lucky to be here,” the Zoolander star retorts.

Martin claps back: “Oh, and Ben’s acting like that whole awkward thing he does is a character and not his actual personality.”

After the brutal back and forth, Stiller fails to come up with an expert comeback.

“And Steve’s acting like, ‘Oh, I’m Steve Martin,’ when really he’s not so…” he says as he fumble over his words, prompting the Saturday Night Live alum to respond: “See what I mean?”

The two actors then swap playful insults, like when Stiller roasts The Jerk star for being a “banjo player”.

Perhaps the funniest moment of the ad came when Miller called Stiller a “nepo baby,” in reference to a recent New York Magazine cover story about nepotism that had the entertainment industry up in arms.

In December 2022, New York Magazine published a nepotism-themed cover story, titled “The Year of the Nepo Baby”, which featured Hollywood stars who have famous parents. From Drew Barrymore to Maude Apatow, the cover had both readers and celebrities engaging in the age-old nepotism debate – that children of actors, directors, or producers undeniably have a leg-up in Hollywood.

Although Ben Stiller’s career in movies and television spans more than two decades, the Severance director is the child of famous parents Jerry Stiller, of Seinfeld fame, and comedian Anne Meara.

In a separate teaser released before the Super Bowl, the two even take aim at each other’s acting skills, with Stiller telling his co-star: “You couldn’t act your way out of a paper bag.”

“You couldn’t act your way into a paper bag that I was acting in!” Martin replies.

However, the pair decide to bury the hatchet and share their mutual respect for each other.

Super Bowl LVII will see the Kansas City Chiefs face off against the Philadelphia Eagles in Glendale, Arizona at the State Farm Stadium. While kick-off begins at 4:30pm local time – followed by a highly anticipated halftime show performance from Rihanna – it’s really the star-studded commercials that has NFL fans entertained.

In fact, many companies have already released commercial teasers leading up to Sunday night’s game, featuring famous figures like Bryan Cranston as his Breaking Bad character Walter White, rapper Jack Harlow for Doritos, and Maya Rudolph for M&M’s.

Fans of Ben Stiller and Steve Martin will not only see the two comedians on their screens during the Super Bowl. According to E! News, both Stiller and Martin are expected to attend the big game.