The Elf star is just like the rest of us, which means that while he’s had plenty of happy moments, there have also been plenty of low points. From ending friendships to rejecting dream projects, Ferrell has had his share of tragedy.
If asked to think of Ferrell’s work, most people would think directly of his comedic roles. Whether it’s a party project like the aforementioned “Elf,” more recent additions like “Spirited” or even year-round classics like “Anchorman,” almost everyone has seen a Ferrell comedy in a given moment. However, he’s the first to admit that he also enjoys being able to play more serious independent roles, that is, when casting directors want him to.
Speaking to The Talks, he said of roles outside of his general fare: “They just don’t get sent to me. I can’t even read them. I think they stop at the other actors’ doors first before thinking about me. In many people’s minds, I’m not even considered for such roles because of my reputation. As such, he explained, he jumped at the chance to do something different. Granted, that doesn’t mean he’s doing it to become a more serious actor. Rather, he told The Hollywood Reporter that he filmed his Lifetime movie “A Deadly Adoption” alongside Kristen Wiig simply because he thought it would be hilarious. “I thought, ‘Wait a minute, wouldn’t it be funny if you saw me, with maybe another famous comedian, do a Lifetime movie and play it straight?’ Yeah, I have to do that,” he joked. We’d say that’s a win!
Will Ferrell fell out with friend over hurtful casting decision
Although Will Ferrell made it clear to The Hollywood Reporter that his drive to take roles in more serious projects came from his desire to have a good time making them, there was one exception. That would be “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty.” Ferrell and Adam McKay’s production company, Gary Sanchez Productions, was behind the project, but when they ended their partnership, it became McKay’s baby, produced by his new company…and This is where things got complicated.
It’s no secret that Ferrell is a longtime Lakers fan, so it’s not really surprising that he was hoping to portray former team owner Jerry Buss. However, McKay wasn’t convinced his former business partner was the right person for the job. “The way the show was always going to be done is hyper-realistic…and Ferrell just doesn’t look like Jerry Buss, and he doesn’t have the vibe of a Jerry Buss,” he told Vanity Fair. That would be fair enough, but it was only the beginning of the drama. McKay’s first choice was none other than Ferrell’s best friend, John C. Reilly. But that’s still not the worst. Although Reilly’s casting probably would have stung Ferrell in itself, it wasn’t McKay who broke the news to him. “I should have called him and I didn’t. And Reilly did it, of course, because Reilly is a stand-up guy,” McKay admitted.
Although McKay acknowledged that not addressing the issue with Ferrell was a mistake, the damage was done. Ferrell has fallen out with his longtime collaborator — and we don’t see a reconciliation on the horizon anytime soon.
Will Ferrell felt betrayed by Chris Kattan
Unfortunately for Will Ferrell, his relationship with Adam McKay wasn’t the only one to implode. In fact, as Chris Kattan shared in his memoir, “Baby Don’t Hurt Me: Stories and Scars from Saturday Night Live,” his secret while filming “A Night at the Roxbury” destroyed his and Ferrell’s friendship.
Recounting what happened at the start of the project, Kattan shared that it was proposed by the film’s director, Amy Heckerling. He initially refused, but received a worrying call from producer Lorne Michaels, who shouted to him that Heckerling might not stay on the project if he didn’t acquiesce. “Chris, I’m not saying you have to fuck her, but it wouldn’t hurt,” Kattan told Michaels. This probably goes without saying, but this was years before the Me Too movement. Still, Heckerling’s daughter denounced the claims in the harshest terms in since-deleted posts on X (formerly Twitter) and said she would like Michaels to explain her role in the situation, which she said had horribly affected his mother. GOOD.
Disturbing claims aside, Kattan ended up having a relationship with Heckerling, but kept it a secret from Ferrell. However, he later learned that it wasn’t particularly well maintained – and that Michaels had told Ferrell about it. “Even though the situation with Amy did not directly involve Will, my actions and dishonesty made him feel cheated and betrayed,” he wrote. He said Ferrell later told him he was done with their friendship, although he would always remain professional. Yeah.
Will Ferrell was called overpaid
Will Ferrell is worth a pretty penny (a pretty penny in this scenario, or $160 million), but that doesn’t mean everyone is happy about it. In fact, speaking to The Talks, he joked about being named by Forbes as the most overpaid actor in Hollywood in 2009.
Granted, while it certainly wasn’t pleasant that he was put under pressure, it didn’t particularly upset him. “I think we all strive to be overpaid, don’t we? Why not? So I think it’s a win to be the most overpaid person,” he joked. As for the fact that his films apparently didn’t make enough to justify his salary, he added that it wasn’t necessarily his problem, although he always strived to make his projects as successful as possible. “I just feel like if you want to write me a check to make a movie, thank you very much, but it’s your fault,” he snapped. May we all strive to be as indifferent as Mr. Ferrell!
It’s worth noting that Ferrell’s handsome salaries have allowed him to focus on projects he believes in. In fact, Ferrell turned down a whopping $29 million payday for a second “Elf” movie. As he told the Hollywood Reporter: “I should have promoted the film from an honest point of view, which would have been like, ‘Oh! Noit’s not good. I just couldn’t turn down that much money. » After thinking long and hard about whether he could actually say that, he came to the conclusion: “I don’t think I can do it, so I guess I can’t make the movie.” .” Thanks to Ferrell for keeping Buddy the Elf pure, unlike some other holiday classics (cough, direct-to-video sequels to “Home Alone”, cough).
Will Ferrell was involved in a serious car accident
Some may remember that in 2018, Will Ferrell was hospitalized after a serious car accident. According to eyewitnesses who spoke to TMZ, Ferrell’s car was hit on one side by another vehicle, causing it to flip.
Footage from the scene showed a scary crash, with Ferrell’s car on its side and the windshield out. At one point, Ferrell was also seen being placed in an ambulance. However, he is not the only one to have been injured. With him in the car were his longtime collaborator and “Will & Harper” co-star Harper Steele, his assistant Carolina Barlow and his driver, Mark Thompson. While Ferrell and Steele were released shortly after arriving at the hospital, Thompson and Barlow were not as lucky and required more extensive care. However, Ferrell, ever a loyal friend, stayed with them until they could be verified. It’s no surprise that in an interview with Girl Talk HQ several years later, Barlow gushed about her boss. “He is a gentle genius who is not something to take for granted. Behind his humor is an incredible moral center and he takes integrity seriously,” she said.
As an aside, hearing someone who worked so closely with Ferrell talk about the value he places on integrity goes some way to explaining why Adam McKay and Chris Kattan’s secrecy affected him in such a profound way . But we are moving away.
Will Ferrell Broke Up With His Wife (But They Made Up)
Long-term relationships are rare in Hollywood, but even though the odds aren’t in their favor, Will Ferrell and his wife Viveca Paulin have been married for over two decades. However, some might be surprised to learn that the duo decided to end their relationship early on.
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Speaking about the beginning of her relationship with Paulin in an interview on “MeSsy with Christina Applegate and Jamie-Lynn Sigler,” Ferrell shared that they were attracted to each other from the start. That said, neither was ready for a serious relationship at the time. “It was too much, too fast, too young. The intensity level was like, ‘Oh, woah,'” he said. That said, their separation was far from complicated. In fact, he shared that they remained close friends for several years after that. As for how they started dating again, Ferrell didn’t share many details, only suggesting that they “turned around.”
Regardless of how the reconciliation happened, Ferrell and Paulin have been together ever since. They are also parents to three sons (who look like Ferrell, BTW). Given how successful their relationship has been over the years, perhaps the early separation isn’t such a tragic detail after all.