So much about Will Ferrell has been iconic and unforgettable.
Elf , Anchorman , his years making us laugh on SNL , any of his lines in Stepbrothers …
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And yet, there’s still so much we don’t know about this funny man. For instance, did you know that he’s run three marathons? Or that he’s written some of the greatest comedies?
For more, here are 10+ interesting facts fans didn’t know.
1. He’s a family man:
It all began when Will met his wife , Viveca Paulin, a Swedish actress, in acting class in 1995.
They got married five years later and have three sons together: Magnus Paulin Ferrell, Mattias Paulin Ferrell, and Axel Paulin Ferrell.
What a gorgeous family!
2. Will found his love for performing in high school:
The actor started working on his comedic skills when he was put in charge of doing the morning announcements every day.
This gave him the opportunity to try out different voices and characters.
3. He believes that living in suburbia helped make him funny:
When he spoke with the Orange County Register , he revealed that living in a safe, boring environment led him to create his own entertainment.
“Growing up in suburbia, in safe, master-planned Irvine, there was no drama so we had to create it in our heads.”
“My main form of entertainment was cracking my friends up and exploring new ways of being funny.”
He continued:
“I didn’t have to have the survival mode instinct like other comics, who grew up in tough neighborhoods. I had the opposite. For me, I grew up in Mayberry, and the humor broke the boredom. And there was a lot to make fun of.”
4. He’s an avid runner:
Both Will and his wife, Viveca, even ran the Boston Marathon in 2003.
You’ll be impressed to know that he finished 26.2 miles in three hours and 56 minutes.
He also ran the New York City marathon and the Stockholm Marathon.
5. He was the highest paid *SNL* member of all time:
Will was laughing all the way to the bank when he worked on the show from 1996 to 2002. In 2001, it was reported that he made $367,500 a season.
This has a lot to do with how popular a cast member he was.
6. He’s left-handed:
This random fact was revealed when the actor did a Reddit Ask Me Anything .
“However, I do all sports right-handed. So when people find that out, they’re like, “Hey, whaaat?” he said.
7. He has a scar on his abdomen:
You’ll notice it whenever he’s shirtless in a movie. He’s had it since he was a baby when he had to undergo surgery to treat pyloric stenosis.
This is a condition that causes frequent vomiting.
8. He once explained what inspired the iconic headshake in *A Night at the Roxbury*:
“I don’t know exactly. I think it was Chris Kattan and myself just acting stupid in my apartment when we wrote that sketch for the Groundlings show that we were in at the time. It’s also what happens when the beat of any Haddaway song hits your ear,” he said in his Reddit AMA .
9. He has a favorite *SNL* sketch:
In fact, he has two ! There’s the Harry Caray space show he did with Jeff Goldblum.
And of course, the cowbell sketch with Christopher Walken!
He also revealed that his favorite cast member to work with was Julia Louis-Dreyfus.
10. He loves the fact that he and Chad Smith look alike:
In case you didn’t know, Smith is the drummer for the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
It is kind of freaky…
During his Reddit AMA he said, “It has been acknowledged many times that myself and Chad Smith, drummer for the Red Hot Chili Peppers, share a resemblance to each other.”
“A lot of people think that it’s me playing for the Red Hot Chili Peppers. But that would be an insult to Chad Smith. The truth of the matter is there is no Will Ferrell. Only Chad Smith.”
The pair even had a drum-off on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon .
15. He was offered $29 million to do *Elf 2*, but turned it down:
He explained why he couldn’t be swayed with money to The Guardian :
“That’s what was on offer for it. But I killed the idea of a sequel. I remember asking myself: could I withstand the criticism when it’s bad.”
11. He makes a cameo in the Farrelly Brothers’ 1996 movie, *Kingpin*:
Although you can’t see him, you can hear his voice during the final bowling match between Woody Harrelson and Bill Murray.
During this, Will yells, “Ernie, you’re the man!”
12. He’s not just an actor:
When he’s not in front of the camera, Will’s busy writing and producing.
In the past, he’s produced some shows, including Drunk History and Between Two Ferns . He’s also worked on movies such as Hot Rod and Virginity Hit .
He’s even written some of your favorite comedic movies.
This includes Stepbrothers , Night at the Roxbury , and Anchorman .
Not only that, but he created the popular entertainment platform, Funny or Die. He has done so much for comedy entertainment!
13. He’s big on charity:
He called Cancer for College “one of the purest charities he has ever seen.”
The actor has been working with the organization for years and even did his Reddit AMA as a way to raise money and awareness.
14. He almost didn’t get the role of Buddy the Elf:
Since Will wasn’t exactly a household name before the movie was made, the filmmakers originally envisioned Jim Carrey for the role.
It’s unclear why this never panned out, but everything worked out as Carrey went on to star as the Grinch.
“And they say, ‘He did the sequel for the money’?”
“I decided I wouldn’t be able to. I didn’t want to wander into an area that could erase all the good work I’ve done…But you watch—I’ll do some sequel in the future that’s crap.”
He makes his kids watch *Elf* every Christmas.
He joked , “We have three boys. And [the presents] are opened in 12 minutes. [So] I force them to watch Elf 10 times, 10 straight times. It’s a marathon, and then you get to open a present after.”
