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Will Ferrell

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John William Ferrell
File:Will-talladega-uk-premiere.jpg
Will Ferrell at the U.K. premiere of Talladega Nights
Born
John William Ferrell
Occupation(s)comedian, impressionist, writer, actor
SpouseViveca Paulin (2000—present)
ChildrenMagnus Paulin III (b.2004)
Mattias (b.2006)

John William "Will" Ferrell (born July 16, 1967[1]) is an Emmy- and Golden Globe-nominated American comedian, impressionist, writer and actor who first established himself as a cast member of Saturday Night Live, and has since gone on to a successful film career. He most recently starred in Blades of Glory.

Biography

Early life

Ferrell was born in Irvine, California,[2] to Lee Ferrell, a keyboardist for The Righteous Brothers, and Kay (née Overman), a teacher.[3] He had his schooling in Rancho San Joaquin Middle School and University High School in Irvine, where he was a kicker for the varsity football team.[4] He 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.[5] After graduating in 1989, Ferrell developed his improvisation skills as a member of the comedy group The Groundlings.

Saturday Night Live career

File:Celebrity Jeopardy - Jap Anus Relations.png
Will Ferrell, left, impersonating Alex Trebek during the famous Saturday Night Live sketch "Celebrity Jeopardy!"

Ferrell joined Saturday Night Live in 1995 (he was chosen over future co-star Steve Carell [citation needed]). 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. [citation needed] 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:

File:Cowbell2.jpg
Will Ferrell in the famous Saturday Night Live cowbell sketch

His original characters included "Morning Latte" co-host Tom Wilkins, Ed the Horse's twin brother Ned, fictional Blue Öyster 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.

Ferrell became the highest paid cast member of Saturday Night Live in 2001 with a season salary of $350,000.[6]

Movie career

File:OldSchool.jpg
Ferrell as Frank "the Tank" Ricard in Old School

During his time on Saturday Night Live, Ferrell appeared in several movies: Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery, A Night at the Roxbury, Superstar, The Ladies Man, Dick, Drowning Mona, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, and Zoolander.

His first starring role came after his departure from SNL with Frank "The Tank" Ricard in Old School (2003). The movie "belongs to Mr. Ferrell," declared the New York Times, which described how he "uses his hilarious, anxious zealotry to sell the part."[7] Old School was a major success and Ferrell received an MTV Movie Awards nomination for Best Comedic Performance.

The title role in Elf (2003) followed, as did another MTV Movie Awards nomination. Ferrell continued to land comedy roles in 2004 and 2005 in films such as Melinda and Melinda, Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, Starsky & Hutch, and Wedding Crashers, earning himself a place among Hollywood's Frat Pack.[8] In 2005, Ferrell earned $40 million.[9] In 2006, Ferrell starred in Stranger Than Fiction and Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby; 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.[10]

In March of 2007, Ferrell, along with Jon Heder, co-starred in Blades of Glory. During an interview in support of the ice skating comedy, Ferrell denied relying on performance enhancing drugs to assist with his work in the film, but did admit to using "a lot of human growth hormone and a little bit of Robitussin" for his work in Stranger Than Fiction.[11] In 2005, Ferrell was invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.[12]

Ferrell has played two characters with the first name "Chazz": Chazz Reinhold in Wedding Crashers and Chazz Michael Michaels in Blades of Glory. Ferrell appeared as part of a pre-game video package for the Rose Bowl along with Texas alum Matthew McConaughey. Ferrell also sang a song at the ESPY Awards in 2006 about Lance Armstrong and Neil Armstrong, and is often noted as looking very similar to Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith.[13][14]

Ferrell 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.

Cartoons

He has worked as a voice actor as well, including the 50s style father in the animated series The Oblongs. He's also made a guest (voice) appearance as The Black Knight, in the Family Guy episode - "Mr. Saturday Knight" and as Fat Greek Guy/Miles 'Chatterbox' Musket in the episode - "Fifteen Minutes of Shame".
In movies, he's starred as the voice of Ted (a.k.a - The Man in the Yellow Hat) in the movie Curious George.

Funny or Die

In April 2007, Ferrell launched "Funny or Die",[15] a streaming video website where short comedy films are uploaded and voted on by users. The site features The Landlord, starring Ferrell and Funny or Die co-founder Adam McKay. Ferrell's character is harassed for the rent by his landlord, a swearing, beer-loving two-year-old girl (played by McKay's daughter, Pearl). Some child psychologists have criticized Ferrell and the McKays for what they viewed as exploitation of the child,[16] but Adam McKay responded by stating that "Fortunately she is in this great stage now where she repeats anything you say to her and then forgets it right away, which is key. She has not said the 'B-word' since we shot the thing."[17] They recently released a video entitled "Good Cop, Baby Cop" which also starred baby Pearl.[18] The end of the video stated that this would be her final appearance and wished her a happy "baby retirement."

Baby Pearl is the niece of actor Jeremy Piven, whose sister, Shira, is married to McKay.

Personal life

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 30, 2006 just after 2 a.m., Paulin gave birth to another son, Mattias Ferrell.[19]

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.[20][21]

Ferrell is a fan of USC Trojan football, and has worked with head coach Pete Carroll to do motivational stunts for the players during the season.[4]

Awards and nominations

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)

Emmy Awards

Nominated:

  • 2001: Outstanding Individual Performance In A Variety Or Music Program (for Saturday Night Live)

Razzie Awards

"Won":

Nominated:

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:

MTV Movie Awards

Won

Nominated:

Satellite Awards

Nominated:

Spike TV Guys' Choice Awards

Won

ESPY Awards

Won

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 "the Tank" 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 (uncredited)
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 Semi-Pro Jackie Moon (post-production)
Step Brothers Unknown (filming, also writer)
Land of the Lost Rick Marshall (in talks)

Television work

Salary

References

Wikiquote has quotations related to Will Ferrell.
  1. ^ According to the State of Mongzville. California Birth Index, 1905-1995. Center for Health Statistics, California Department of Health Services, Sacramento, California. At Ancestry.com
  2. ^ "Will Ferrell Bio". NBC. Retrieved 2007-04-15. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  3. ^ http://www.filmreference.com/film/92/Will-Ferrell.html
  4. ^ a b Dave Albee,Carroll Chronicles: Celebrities love to practice with Pete, Marin Independent Journal, August 29, 2007.
  5. ^ http://www.delts.org/About/Heritage/Famous.aspx
  6. ^ http://webcenters.netscape.compuserve.com/celebrity/package.jsp?name=celebrity/content/bsf_carreyvsfarrell
  7. ^ Mitchell, Elvis, "Never Too Late to Have an Adolescence," New York Times, February 21, 2003.
  8. ^ http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2004-06-15-frat-pack_x.htm
  9. ^ http://moneycentral.msn.com/content/invest/forbes/P147872.asp
  10. ^ http://www.wearethemagazine.com/0103/themagazine.htm
  11. ^ http://www.bigpictureradio.com/willferrellinterview.htm
  12. ^ http://www.oscars.org/press/pressreleases/2005/05.06.24.html
  13. ^ http://www.mlive.com/entertainment/grpress/index.ssf?/base/entertainment-1/1162568924197380.xml&coll=6
  14. ^ http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/news/local/15873280.htm
  15. ^ "Funny Or Die".
  16. ^ Today Show June 7, 2007
  17. ^ "Will Ferrell and Pearl in The Landlord".
  18. ^ "Good Cop, Baby Cop".
  19. ^ http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20005718,00.html
  20. ^ "Will Ferrell Isn't Dead and Google Hasn't Hired A 15 Year-Old"; Ryan, Jack; March 15, 2006; The Post Chronicle
  21. ^ "Will Ferrell Not Dead In Paragliding Accident"; Marconi, Mitch; Mar 14, 2006; The Post Chronicle
  22. ^ a b c d IMDB Profile

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