Will Ferrell is considered one of the funniest guys in Hollywood. He has appeared in many comedy movies. Reminiscing about many people’s favorite Christmas movie, Ferell revealed what it was like to work with co-actor James Caan on the set of ‘Elf’.
While fans love Ferell’s humor, Caan was less than impressed. Let us explore what the actor has to say about his on-screen father.
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Will Ferrell Recalls James Caan’s Harsh Words On ‘Elf’ Set
Will Ferrell recently revealed in an interview with Christina Applegate and Jamie-Lynn Sigler on their podcast ‘MeSsy‘, that the ‘Godfather’ actor had some strong words to say when they played father and son in the 2003 Christmas classic, ‘Elf’.
Ferrell said, “James Caan — may he rest in peace, and we had such a good time working on that movie — he would tease me. 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.”
Ferrell said that Caan’s genuine annoyance at Buddy the Elf’s on-screen demeanor helped strengthen the comedic dynamic between the two characters. “I love that the whole time, he’s not acting,” Ferrell explained. “He’s truly annoyed with me. Like, ‘Will this guy shut the f— up? Jesus!’ So I literally drove him crazy in that movie, just acting like that kid.”
Adding on, Ferrell revealed, “It was scripted a little more that he would get more frustrated and lose his temper with me, and he didn’t wanna do any of that,” Ferrell said of his co-star. “He wanted to save it till that moment in the boardroom where he kicks me out and kicks me out of this life, like, ‘No, it’s gotta be this slow build.’ And he was totally right. He had plotted where his performance was gonna go.”
Ultimately, after seeing the finished movie, Caan changed his mind about Ferrell’s acting approach. “We were walking out of the theater at the premiere, and we walk out together, and he was like — I take it as like the best compliment, cuz he’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 remembered.
He added, “That was so funny, he’s walking out, shaking his head, going like, ‘Great job. I thought you were way too over the top. But no, it’s brilliant.'”
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Will Ferrell’s Comedic Legacy
Known for being an actor, comedian, writer, and producer, Will Ferrell is a multi-talented man. He has worked on numerous projects and has won quite a few awards for the same.
Midway through the 1990s, Ferrell made his debut as a cast member of ‘Saturday Night Live‘, a sketch comedy show, where he appeared from 1995 until 2002. Famously known for his comedy roles, he has starred in films like ‘Elf’ (2003), ‘Anchorman‘ (2004), ‘Kicking & Screaming’ (2005), ‘Talladega Nights’ (2006), ‘Blades of Glory’ (2007), ‘Step Brothers’ (2008), ‘The Other Guys’ (2010), ‘Get Hard’ (2015), and ‘Barbie‘ (2023).
He has also voiced roles in ‘Curious George’ (2006), ‘Megamind’ (2010), ‘The Lego Movie’ film franchise (2014–2019), and ‘Despicable Me 4’ (2024).
He has earned five Emmy Awards and in 2011 was honored with the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. In 2015, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and was named the best comedian in British GQ.
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