Hollywood star Will Ferrell has revealed how his co-star in a much-loved Christmas film was driven "crazy" by his on-screen antics and has vowed never to play the role again
Actor Will Ferrell has opened up about his refusal to reprise a beloved role after his co-star was driven to distraction on set. The Hollywood superstar, known for his roles in Anchorman, Talladega Nights and Blades of Glory, has become one of the most adored figures in the industry.
However, it was his portrayal of Buddy in the festive favourite Elf that apparently irked one of his fellow cast members. Speaking on the Messy podcast last year, Ferrell shared that James Caan, who played Buddy's biological father in the film, would often tell him he wasn't "funny" during filming.
According to Variety, Ferrell said it wasn't until Caan saw the final cut of the film that he changed his tune. He recalled: "James Caan, may he rest in peace, we had such a good time working on that movie. He would tease me.
"I like to do bits but I'm not like 'on' all the time. In between set ups, [Caan] would be like, 'I don't get you. You're not funny.'
"And I'm like, 'I know. I'm not Robin Williams.' And he was 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..." As they left the cinema, Ferrell says Caan gave him the "best compliment".
He added: "He was like, 'I've got to 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," reports the Mirror US.
The film icon dished out the real tea on how James Caan's character Walter Hobbs' frustration with Buddy in Elf wasn't all just acting chops. He spilled: "He's truly annoyed with me.
"He's like, 'Can this guy shut the f--- up? Jesus.' I literally drove him crazy in that movie, just acting like that kid. But that was the funniest thing, him walking out of the theater and shaking his head and going 'it's brilliant.'" The Christmas cracker of a movie, directed by Jon Favreau, raked in a cool $220million (£176m) at the box office, and they even penned a sequel.
Will Ferrell, now 57, was tempted with a whopping $29m (£23m) to reprise his role as Buddy but gave the script the thumbs down, as per the Hollywood Reporter. He confessed: "I would have had to promote the movie from an honest place, which would've been, like, 'Oh no, it's not good. I just couldn't turn down that much money.' And I thought, 'Can I actually say those words? I don't think I can, so I guess I can't do the movie.'" Back in 2016, Favreau told Yahoo Movies that chancing a sequel would be rolling the dice, given how Elf has nestled into hearts globally as a festive favourite.
He said: "[A sequel] is a big gamble. If I don't do anything I'd be very happy with what it is. The minute you take it on, you try to add on to something, you always run the risk of diminishing from the original.
"I do have tremendous fondness for that film and you don't want to do anything to screw up the legacy of it. It exists in very pure form as it comes back every year on television in both the British and American cultures."
Hollywood icon James Caan died in July 2022 at the age of 82. Will Ferrell appears on The Graham Norton Show tonight (Friday, January 24) at 11.05pm on BBC One.
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