July 12th 2024.
In 2003, the hilarious Will Ferrell took on the role of Buddy the Elf in the beloved Christmas movie, Elf. In a recent interview, Ferrell opened up about his experience filming the iconic flick and shared some behind-the-scenes secrets.
Alongside Zooey Deschanel, James Caan, Bob Newhart, Peter Dinklage, Mary Steenburgen, and Amy Sedaris, Ferrell brought Buddy, a human who was raised by elves at the North Pole, to life on the big screen. The movie, directed by Jon Favreau, was released in November 2003 and quickly became a fan favorite.
Reflecting on his time on set, Ferrell revealed that Caan, who played his father in the film, initially had some criticisms about his performance. On the MeSsy podcast, Ferrell shared, "James Caan – may he rest in peace, and we had such a good time working on that movie – he would tease me. I like to do bits but at the same time, I’m not on all the time."
He continued, "We’d be in between setups, he was like, 'I don’t get you. You’re not funny. You’re not funny.' And I’m like, 'I know! I’m not Robin Williams.' He’s like, 'People ask me, 'Is he funny?' And I’m like, 'No, he’s not funny!' It was all with love but at the same time...I love that the whole time, he’s not acting. He’s truly annoyed with me. Like, 'Will this guy shut the f**k up? Jesus!' So I literally drove him crazy in that movie, just acting like that kid."
However, Caan's opinion quickly changed when he saw the finished product. Ferrell shared, "We were walking out of the theater at the premiere, and we walk out together. I take it as the best compliment, because it’s coming from James Caan. He’s like, 'I gotta tell you, I thought everything you were doing while we were filming was way too over-the-top. Now that I see it in the movie, it’s brilliant.'"
Ferrell also praised Caan's performance, explaining that the actor's decision to change their on-screen dynamic was a game-changer. "It was scripted a little more that he would get more frustrated and lose his temper with me, and he didn’t want to do any of that...He was totally right. He had plotted where his performance was going to go. It was all serendipity," he shared.
Elf was one of Ferrell's first projects after leaving Saturday Night Live, adding another layer of pressure to its success. However, the movie has since become a beloved Christmas classic, alongside other holiday favorites like Home Alone, Miracle on 34th Street, and It's A Wonderful Life.
In an interview from 2022, Ferrell admitted that he initially thought Elf would be his last film role before it became a hit. "At the time, as I was running around New York City in my yellow tights, I was thinking, 'This is gonna be my last movie,'" he shared on the One Show. "Little did we know, we were making a movie that would stand the test of time, and people love it."
He added, "I think because it’s beautifully uncynical. It’s a character who’s excited by everything that is mundane to a person in a normal life, it’s a fish out of water story, it’s very sweet and hopeful and it turns out, it was funny!"
It's safe to say that Buddy the Elf and Will Ferrell have become synonymous with the holiday season, and fans can't get enough of this heartwarming and hilarious film.
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