Ben Stiller shared an unexpected story from his teenage years while playing “True Confessions” with Robert De Niro and Ariana Grande on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.”
During the November 9 episode, the three “Focker-In-Law” stars joined Fallon for a game that challenged them to separate real experiences from made-up stories.
Each participant selected an envelope containing a confession before answering questions from the group.
While several stories sounded convincing, Stiller surprised everyone with a memory from his early days working in film production.
Ben Stiller Recalls Working Near Foreigner During His Teenage Years
Stiller told Fallon that he once watched Foreigner singer Lou Gramm record vocals for the band’s hit song “I Want to Know What Love Is.”
The actor explained that he was still in high school when the experience happened.
At the time, he worked as a production assistant for a documentary filmmaker who lived in his building in New York City.
Stiller wanted to make movies, so he took the opportunity to learn more about the industry.
The filmmaker was working on a documentary about Foreigner recording music, which brought Stiller into the studio.
He recalled watching Gramm record vocals and even making eye contact with the singer.
Stiller also claimed that he briefly stepped up to the microphone while Gramm was away.
According to Stiller, the singer returned and encouraged him after hearing his attempt.
The additional detail made Fallon question whether the story was real.\
Ariana Grande and Jimmy Fallon Question Ben Stiller’s Story
As Stiller continued explaining the experience, Grande appeared more convinced than Fallon.
The host questioned several details, including the year and location of the recording session.
Stiller estimated that he was working in the studio sometime in the early 1980s.
He also explained that the opportunity came through his production assistant job rather than his famous parents.
Despite Stiller’s explanation, Fallon became increasingly suspicious.
Grande initially believed the story, but the group eventually agreed that Stiller had made it up.
However, the actor revealed that his confession was true.
The unexpected answer surprised Fallon, who had been convinced that Stiller was bluffing.
Robert De Niro and Ariana Grande Share Their Own Confessions
Stiller wasn’t the only actor who surprised the group during the game.
De Niro shared a story about filmmaker Penny Marshall attempting to pop a pimple on his nose.
He explained that actress Ellen Barkin was also present during the encounter.
Although the group questioned his account, De Niro eventually revealed that the unusual experience really happened.
Grande, meanwhile, tried convincing the others that she had fallen into an aquarium when she was four years old.
She claimed that her brother Frankie had been scuba diving inside the tank when she accidentally fell in.
Grande added details about the aquarium’s sea creatures and how someone helped her out of the water.
The group ultimately believed her story, but Grande admitted that she had invented it.
She laughed about how uncomfortable she felt trying to maintain the lie.
The game gave viewers a chance to see the three actors joking together ahead of their upcoming movie.
“Focker-In-Law,” featuring De Niro, Stiller and Grande, arrives in theaters November 25, 2026.
Ben Stiller Reveals His Surprising Connection to Foreigner During ‘Tonight Show’ Game