John "Will" William Ferrell (born July 16, 1968) is a comedian, impressionist, and actor who first established himself as a cast member of Saturday Night Live (1995–2002).

Born in Irvine, California, Ferrell attended University High School in Irvine and became interested in performing while making his school's daily morning announcements over the public address system in disguised voices. He then enrolled at the University of Southern California. After graduating in 1989, Ferrell developed his improvisation skills as a member of the comedy group The Groundlings.

His original characters included "Morning Latte" co-host Tom Wilkins, music teacher Marty Culp, Spartan cheerleader Craig Buchanan, Dale Sturtevant "Dissing Your Dog", and night clubber Steve Butabi in a sketch that became the 1998 film A Night at the Roxbury.

His final performance as a regular on Saturday Night Live was May 18, 2002, in which the real Alex Trebek made an appearance at the end of the last Celebrity Jeopardy! sketch. Ferrell then followed in the footsteps of fellow SNL alumni by switching to a career focused on movies.

Ferrell returned to Saturday Night Live as a guest host on May 14, 2005. In one sketch, he reprised his role as Robert Goulet, advertising a series of crooned ringtones. Also on the same episode, during the preformance of the song "Little Sister" by musical guests Queens of the Stone Age, Ferrell came onstage playing the cowbell: this was in reference to a famous 2000 sketch in which he portrayed Gene Frenkle, a (fictitious) member of Blue Öyster Cult, manically but arrhythmically playing the instrument during the band's recording of (Don't Fear) The Reaper.

Ferrell has appeared in many films, including The Ladies Man (2001), Zoolander (2001), Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001), Old School (2003). He has had leading roles in Elf (2003), Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004), and Kicking and Screaming (2005).