Elfstar Will Ferrell is a down-right legend when it comes to comedy and has, over the last few decades, made a household name for himself throughout his career, steadily climbing the ladder of success through laughter. Despite the fact that the world has already claimed him long ago as a super-star, Ferrell would never consider himself anything of the sort, admittingly blind to his own light. Whether you know Ferrell from hits likeStep Brothers, Wedding Crashers, Zoolander,or even his iconic SNL George W. Bush impersonation skits, he’s easily one of the most well known comedians to this day. The modesty with which he speaks on his skill set as a comedic actor is shocking, and this all seems to boil down to Ferrell’s uncanny devotion to humor. He sees a simple-man in the mirror, one who just really-really loves to make other people laugh - to make them shriek, holler, and cry.
He wrapped up shooting this past Spring for his upcoming role in the limited dark-comedy series,The Shrink Next Door.Ferrell has shared his anxiety and worries around taking on a more dramatic and emotionally leading role. Some have even described the tone and genre of the series to be more in the horror/thriller department as well, leaving Ferrell pushed outside his comfort zone. The show synopsis reads, “Inspired by true events,The Shrink Next Doordetails the bizarre relationship between psychiatrist to the stars Dr. Isaac “Ike” Herschkopf(co-star Paul Rudd) and his longtime patient Martin, “Marty” Markowitz (Will Ferrell.)” Having to play such a three-dimensional character while also experimenting with acting outside of comedy was definitely a bit nerve-wracking to Ferrell.
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Although the genre-bending series is something that he is proud of and excited to share, he seems more sure than ever after taking on this challenging role that he would much rather just tell jokes. When Ferrell was questioned in regards to what he would like to do next in his career by The Hollywood Reporter he answers with, “What am I interested in doing? I don’t know. More funny stuff?" After all, telling jokes is definitely what he does best, which may in fact bewhyElfwas the film that credited himwith fame.
Elfis not only one ofthe most beloved Christmas films, but it surprisingly appealed to a wide, diverse range of viewers besides the typical family/children audience. Even more surprisingly, Ferrell’s long nights running around New York City with a full on elf costume on made him truly believe this film would be the downfall of his career. It happened to be the one movie that for the first time solidified him as a comedic genius, so much so that Ferrell was offered $29 million dollars alone just to make a sequel,Elf 2.As much as fans and possibly the whole world would go absolutely crazy for anElfsequel, Ferrell’s decline comes from a place of immense integrity.
When reading the script for the sequel at the time, Ferrell simply thought it was poorly written and overall not a project that he wanted attached to his name. He stated, “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.”
There are, however, plenty of stars who would have taken the money and signed onto the project regardless. It’s Ferrell’s air of humbleness and honesty that is so refreshing about him. If he makes a commitment to a project, fans can guarantee that it’s because he believes in it and is passionate aFbout it, or it’s just simply Fdown-right hilarious. A choice of dignity over demise.Ferrell is a firm believer in authenticityand it’s evident his craft comes from a deep place of care rather than material desire. His next passion project,The Shrink Next Door, will be available for streaming November 12th, on Apple TV.
