Benjamin Terrell Best (September 11, 1974 – September 10, 2021) was an American actor, writer, musician, and producer. Best attended the

University of North Carolina School of the Arts The University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA) is an arts school in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. It grants high school, undergraduate, and graduate degrees. Founded in 1963 as the North Carolina School of the Arts by then-Governo ...

Winston-Salem, North Carolina Winston-Salem is a city and the county seat of Forsyth County, North Carolina, United States. In the 2020 census, the population was 249,545, making it the second-largest municipality in the Piedmont Triad region, the 5th most populous city in N ...

with frequent collaborators Danny McBride, Jody Hill, and

David Gordon Green David Gordon Green is an American filmmaker. He directed the dramas ''George Washington'' (2000), ''All the Real Girls'' (2003), and '' Snow Angels'' (2007), as well as the thriller '' Undertow'' (2004), all of which he wrote or co-wrote. In 2 ...

. It was with McBride and Hill that Best co-created the comedy series ''

Eastbound & Down ''Eastbound & Down'' is an American sports comedy television series that was broadcast on HBO, and created by Ben Best, Jody Hill, and Danny McBride. It stars McBride as Kenny Powers, a former professional baseball pitcher who, after a career d ...

'', which ran on

HBO Home Box Office (HBO) is an American premium television network, which is the flagship property of namesake parent subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is ba ...

for four seasons from 2009 to 2013. Best appeared in eight episodes of the series as Clegg, a local bartender and Kenny's longtime friend. Best also co-wrote and co-starred with McBride and Hill in the cult indie movie '' The Foot Fist Way'', directed by Hill. He also co-wrote the 2011 period fantasy comedy ''

Your Highness ''Your Highness'' is a 2011 American stoner comic fantasy film directed by David Gordon Green. It stars Danny McBride, James Franco, Natalie Portman, Zooey Deschanel and Justin Theroux. Written by McBride and Ben Best, the film was released on ...

'', which starred McBride, James Franco and

Natalie Portman Natalie Portman (born Natalie Hershlag, he, נטע-לי הרשלג, ) is an Israeli-born American actress. She has had a prolific film career since her teenage years and has starred in various blockbusters and independent films, receiving mu ...

, and was directed by Green. It was also Best's last collaboration with McBride and Green. Best’s acting credits also include ''

Superbad ''Superbad'' is a 2007 American coming-of-age teen buddy comedy film directed by Greg Mottola and produced by Judd Apatow. The film stars Jonah Hill and Michael Cera as Seth and Evan, two teenagers about to graduate from high school. Before grad ...

'', ''

What Happens in Vegas ''What Happens in Vegas'' is a 2008 American romantic comedy film directed by Tom Vaughan and written by Dana Fox. It stars Cameron Diaz and Ashton Kutcher as a couple who get married and win a casino jackpot prize during a drunken night in Las ...

'', '' Observe and Report'', and ''

Land of the Lost Land of the Lost may refer to: * Land of the Lost (1974 TV series), ''Land of the Lost'' (1974 TV series), the original 1974 children's television series * Land of the Lost (1991 TV series), ''Land of the Lost'' (1991 TV series), the 1991 remake of ...

''. Best died on September 10, 2021, a day before his 47th birthday. Ben’s partner was Carrie Saunders (2011-death). Their daughter is Harper Courtney Best, born in 2014.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Best, Best 1974 births 2021 deaths 21st-century American male actors American male film actors American male screenwriters American male television actors American television producers American television writers University of North Carolina School of the Arts alumni American male television writers 21st-century American screenwriters 21st-century American male writers