Which actor played the father Jack Byrnes in the 2000 comedy film Meet the Parents?
Answer
Robert De Niro
Robert De Niro played Jack Byrnes, the father, in the 2000 comedy film Meet the Parents.
Jack is the intimidating father of Pam Byrnes and the future father-in-law of Greg Focker, played by Ben Stiller. Much of the film’s comedy comes from Greg’s attempts to win Jack’s approval while Jack subjects him to intense scrutiny.
De Niro’s performance deliberately plays against his established image as a star of serious crime dramas. The film turns his stern presence, suspicious questioning, and former-CIA backstory into sources of awkward comedy.
The role is sometimes confused with father characters played by other major actors in the later sequels or related films. Robert De Niro remains the actor who originated Jack Byrnes in Meet the Parents, which was directed by Jay Roach.