Will Ferrell
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| Will Ferrell | |
 Will Ferrell at the premiere of Talladega Nights |
|
| Birth name | John William Ferrell |
| Born | July 16, 1967 (age 39) Irvine, California |
| Spouse(s) | Viveca Paulin (2000 - present) |
| Notable roles | Various in Saturday Night Live Ron Burgundy in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy Frank Ricard in Old School Buddy in Elf Ricky Bobby in Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby Harold Crick in Stranger Than Fiction |
John William "Will" Ferrell (born July 16, 1967[1]) is an Emmy and Golden Globe nominated American comedian, impressionist and actor who first established himself as a cast member of Saturday Night Live, and has since gone on to a successful film career.
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[edit] Biography
Ferrell was born in Newport Beach, California, California to Lee Ferrell (a keyboardist for The Righteous Brothers) and Kay Overman. He attended Rancho San Joaquin Middle School and University High School in Irvine, where he was a kicker for the varsity football team, and still holds the school record for most field goals made.[2] He became interested in performing while making his school's daily morning announcements over the public address system in disguised voices[citation needed]. He then enrolled at the University of Southern California, where he studied Sports Broadcasting and graduated with a degree in Sports Information. He is also a member of Delta Tau Delta Fraternity.[3] After graduating in 1989, Ferrell developed his improvisation skills as a member of the comedy group The Groundlings. In August 2000, Ferrell married Swedish actress Viveca Paulin, whom he met in 1995 at an acting class. On March 7, 2004 their son Magnus Paulin Ferrell III was born. On December 19, 2006, Will Ferrell announced that he would write a book, entitled "Will Ferrell, the Comedy Revealed". No word on publisher or editor. "[4] On December 30, 2006, Paulin gave birth to another son Mattias Ferrell, just after 2 a.m.[5]
[edit] Saturday Night Live
Ferrell joined Saturday Night Live in 1995 (he was chosen over future co-star Steve Carell). He had planned to perform a comedy bit to win a spot on the show from producer Lorne Michaels who traditionally sits down for a final interview with prospective cast members. It was Will's idea to arrive with a suitcase full of Monopoly money and say, "I'm prepared to do anything to be on this show, Mr. Michaels." After bringing the suitcase to the audition and subsequent meetings, it became apparent that there would be no need for the suitcase bit and Will aborted the idea. After a successful 7 year tenure, Ferrell left SNL in 2002.
During his time on SNL, Ferrell made a name for himself with his impersonations, which included:
- U.S. President George W. Bush ("strategery" was one of several fake Bushisms created by Ferrell during skits about the 2000 campaign),
- announcer Harry Caray (even after Caray's death),
- singer Robert Goulet (crooning a cappella pieces of music by Sisqó, Baha Men, and Notorious B.I.G.)
- singer Neil Diamond
- Inside the Actors Studio personality James Lipton
- Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy,
- U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno
- convicted Unabomber Ted Kaczynski
- game show host Alex Trebek
- professional wrestler-turned-Governor of Minnesota Jesse Ventura.
His original characters included "Morning Latte" co-host Tom Wilkins, Ed the Horse's twin brother Ned, Blue Oyster Cult member Gene Frenkle, music teacher Marty Culp, Spartan cheerleader Craig Buchanan, Dale Sturtevant "Dissing Your Dog", and night clubber Steve Butabi in a sketch that went to the big screen in 1998's A Night at the Roxbury'.
Ferrell returned to Saturday Night Live as a guest host on May 14, 2005. During this guest stint, he reprised his role as Alex Trebek in the popular Celebrity Jeopardy sketches and Robert Goulet, advertising a series of crooned ringtones. Also in the same episode, during the performance of the song "Little Sister" by musical guests Queens of the Stone Age, Ferrell came onstage playing the cowbell.
[edit] Movie career
During his time on Saturday Night Live, Ferrell appeared in several movies: A Night at the Roxbury, Dick, Drowning Mona, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, and Zoolander.
Shortly after he left Saturday Night Live, Ferrell starred in the films Old School, Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, and Elf. All three films were box office successes, making Ferrell a movie superstar. In 2005 Ferrell had roles in five films: Kicking & Screaming, Melinda and Melinda, The Producers, Bewitched, and Wedding Crashers.
In 2006, Ferrell starred in Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby and Stranger Than Fiction; both received critical and box office success. Ferrell's performance in Stranger Than Fiction introduced audiences to the dramatic potential of Ferrell's acting talents.
On December 27, 2006 'The Magazine' named Ferrell as one of its three actors of the year in their 2006 year in review issue.[6]
[edit] Nickname
" Wilf" is a longstanding nickname that combines Ferrell's middle name with the first letter of his last name. This was Ferrell's nickname in high school and has carried on in some Hollywood circles.
[edit] Death hoax
An announcement on I-Newswire.com reported that Ferrell had died in a paragliding accident. The site accepts press releases from users for publication on its website. A user submitted the aforementioned hoax, which was published before its factual inaccuracy was noticed. The story was further propagated when it appeared on Google News.[7] This may perhaps be related to his role in the movie Wedding Crashers where he crashes the funeral of a man who died in a hang gliding accident.[8]
[edit] Awards and nominations
[edit] Golden Globe Awards
Nominated:
- 2006:Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture (for The Producers)
- 2007:Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy (for Stranger Than Fiction)
[edit] Emmy Awards
Nominated:
- 2001:Outstanding Individual Performance In A Variety Or Music Program (for Saturday Night Live)
[edit] Razzie Awards
"Won":
- 2005:Worst Screen Couple (with Nicole Kidman, for Bewitched)
Nominated:
- 2005:Worst Actor for Bewitched and Kicking & Screaming
[edit] American Comedy Awards
Won:
- 2001:Funniest Male Performer in a TV Special (Leading or Supporting) Network, Cable or Syndication(for Saturday Night Live Presidential Bash 2000)
Nominated:
- 2001:Funniest Supporting Male Performer in a TV Series (for Saturday Night Live)
[edit] MTV Movie Awards
Nominated:
- 2005:Best Comedic Performance (for Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy)
- 2005:Best On-Screen Team (with Paul Rudd, Steve Carell and David Koechner for Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy)
- 2005:Best Musical Performance (with Paul Rudd, David Koechner and Steve Carell for Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy)
Nominated:
- 2004:Best Comedic Performance (for Elf)
Nominated:
- 2004:Best Comedic Performance (for Old School)
- 2004:Best On-Screen Team (with Luke Wilson and Vince Vaughn for Old School)
[edit] Satellite Awards
Nominated:
- 2006:Best Actor in a Motion Picture, Comedy or Musical (for Stranger Than Fiction)
[edit] Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Bucket of Blood | Young Man | |
| Criminal Hearts | Newscaster | ||
| 1997 | Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery | Mustafa | |
| Men Seeking Women | Al | ||
| 1998 | A Night at the Roxbury | Steve Butabi | (also writer) |
| The Thin Pink Line | Darren Clark | ||
| 1999 | Superstar | Sky Corrigan/God | |
| Dick | Bob Woodward | ||
| Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me | Mustafa | ||
| The Suburbans | Gil | ||
| 2000 | The Ladies Man | Lance DeLune | |
| Drowning Mona | Cubby the Funeral Director | ||
| 2001 | Zoolander | Mugatu | |
| Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back | Federal Wildlife Marshal Willenholly | ||
| 2002 | Boat Trip | Brian's Boyfriend | (uncredited) |
| 2003 | Elf | Buddy | |
| Old School | Frank Ricard | ||
| 2004 | Melinda and Melinda | Hobie | |
| Wake Up, Ron Burgundy: The Lost Movie | Ron Burgundy | (also writer) | |
| Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy | Ron Burgundy | (also writer) | |
| Starsky & Hutch | Big Earl | ||
| Oh, What a Lovely Tea Party | Himself | (documentary) | |
| 2005 | The Producers | Franz Liebkind | |
| Winter Passing | Corbit | ||
| Wedding Crashers | Chazz Reinhold | ||
| Bewitched | Jack Wyatt/Darrin | ||
| Kicking & Screaming | Phil Weston | ||
| The Wendell Baker Story | Dave Bix | ||
| 2006 | Stranger than Fiction | Harold Crick | |
| Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby | Ricky Bobby | (also writer) | |
| Curious George | Ted/The Man in the Yellow Hat | (voice only) | |
| 2007 | Blades of Glory | Chazz Michael Michaels | |
| 2008 | Land of the Lost | Rick Marshall | |
| Step Brothers | Unknown | (announced, also writer) | |
| Semi-Pro | Jackie Moon | (pre-production) |
[edit] Television work
- Saturday Night Live (cast member from 1995-2002)
- Cow and Chicken (1997-2001) (voice in various episodes)
- Saturday Night Live: Presidential Bash 2000 (2000)
- Undeclared (Guest star)
- The Oblongs (2001-2002) (voice)
- Family Guy (2000-2001) (voice in various episodes)
- MTV Movie Awards Matrix Reloaded parody as the Architect
- Strangers with Candy (Guest star)
- King of the Hill (voice)
- The Tom Green Show (Guest star)
- The Naked Trucker and T-Bones Show (Guest star)
[edit] Salary
- Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006) $20,000,000
- Bewitched (2005) $20,000,000
- Kicking & Screaming (2005) $20,000,000
- Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)
[edit] Trivia
- Having graduated from the University of Southern California, he claims to have punched Vince Young, the quarterback of the Texas Longhorns in the back of the head at the '06 ESPY Awards on ESPN, in revenge for Texas beating USC in the 2006 Rose Bowl Game.[citation needed] Ferrell had also appeared as part of a pre-game video package for the Rose Bowl along with Texas alum Matthew McConaughey.
- According to Forbes Magazine, Ferrell was the best-paid actor of 2005, with a salary of $40 million.[9]
- Will Ferrell is often noted as looking very similar to Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith.[10][11]
- Will Ferrell, who appeared in a short series of Apple Switch and Ipod commercials, did one that had him saying he sells them at Dodger games, like they do hot dogs. But interestingly enough, he has also been recognized as having a resemblance to famed Dodger peanut vendor, Roger Owens. Compare first photo with others of the Peanut Man.1,2,3,4[12]
- Participated in a 79th Academy Awards musical-comedy performance with John C. Reilly and Jack Black, where they sang a song about comedies being snubbed by the voters in favor of dramas.
- Plays a game of Knuckles with Access Hollywood reporter Maria Menounos during their interviews.
[edit] Footnotes
- ^ According to the State of California. California Birth Index, 1905-1995. Center for Health Statistics, California Department of Health Services, Sacramento, California. At Ancestry.com
- ^ http://talk.ocregister.com/showpost.php?p=382645&postcount=3
- ^ http://www.delts.org/About/Heritage/Famous.aspx
- ^ http://www.celebritywonder.com/html/willferrell.html
- ^ http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20005718,00.html
- ^ http://www.wearethemagazine.com/0103/themagazine.htm
- ^ "Will Ferrell Isn't Dead and Google Hasn't Hired A 15 Year-Old"; Ryan, Jack; March 15, 2006; The Post Chronicle
- ^ "Will Ferrell Not Dead In Paragliding Accident"; Marconi, Mitch; Mar 14, 2006; The Post Chronicle
- ^ http://moneycentral.msn.com/content/invest/forbes/P147872.asp
- ^ http://www.mlive.com/entertainment/grpress/index.ssf?/base/entertainment-1/1162568924197380.xml&coll=6
- ^ http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/news/local/15873280.htm
- ^ http://rogerowenspeanutman.com/blog/2006/08/05/will-ferrell-the-peanut-man/
[edit] External links
- Will Ferrell at the Internet Movie Database
- Will Ferrell at the Notable Names Database
- The Frat Pack Tribute
- Will Ferrell Audio Soundboard
| Persondata | |
|---|---|
| NAME | Ferrell, Will |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Ferrell, John William |
| SHORT DESCRIPTION | comedian |
| DATE OF BIRTH | July 16, 1967 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Irvine, California |
| DATE OF DEATH | |
| PLACE OF DEATH | |
Categories: Articles with unsourced statements since February 2007 | All articles with unsourced statements | Articles with unsourced statements since March 2007 | American voice actors | American comedians | American film actors | American impressionists (entertainers) | University of Southern California alumni | Delta Tau Delta brothers | People from Irvine, California | 1967 births | Living people
