Random Fun Facts You Didn't Know About Will Ferrell (25 items)

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  (#1) He Found His Love For Performing While Doing The Morning Announcements

  Ferrell went to University High School in Irvine, California, and was responsible for the morning announcements there. Naturally, he did them in various wacky voices, and would even perform full skits with his friends over the intercom.

  It was here that his love for performing was born.
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  (#2) He And His Wife Are Avid Runners

  You'd never guess it from his lap through the quad in Old School, but Ferrell is an avid runner. Both he and his wife ran the Boston Marathon in April 2003, where his official time was 4 hours, 2 minutes, and 29 seconds.

  Two years prior, they ran the New York City Marathon together, and there his time was 5 hours, 1 minute, and 56 seconds.
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  (#3) He Was The Highest-Paid 'SNL' Cast Member Of All Time

  Ferrell had a long and impressive run on SNL from 1996 to 2002. Near the end of his tenure, he became the highest-paid cast member ever, making $350,000 a season beginning in 2001. This pay raise was likely due to the actor's popularity, both on SNL (in particular his portrayal of President George W. Bush) and beyond.
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  (#4) The Roxbury Guys Began As A Groundlings Sketch

  The Groundlings is a prestigious improv school in Los Angeles. It was there that Ferrell and fellow student/future SNL co-star Chris Kattan developed their now-famous "Roxbury Guys" bit (later developed into the feature film A Night at the Roxbury).

  In 2014, when Ferrell was asked how they came up with that iconic headshake, he said: "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."
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  (#5) He Loves That He And Chad Smith Look Alike

  Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith and Ferrell bear a striking resemblance to each other. Naturally, the pair love to use this resemblance in the service of comedy. They did just that on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, where they engaged in a "drum-off."

  He said in his Reddit AMA, "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."
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  (#6) He's Part Of What The Media Describes As 'The Frat Pack'

  Because of appearances in Old School, Zoolander, and even The Cable Guy, critics lump Ferrell in with a group of comedic actors known as The Frat Pack. Films from this group often feature numerous other so-called members—including Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn, Steve Carrell, Jack Black, Luke Wilson, and Owen Wilson—and generally involve dudes doing dude stuff, hence the "frat" reference in the name. 
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  (#7) There's A Backstory Behind The Piano Key Tie In 'Zoolander'

  In the 2001 film Zoolander, Ferrell plays Mugatu, a fashion mogul. The character's claim to fame is creating the piano key necktie, an invention that coincidentally relates to Ferrell's father. Lee Ferrell, was the keyboardist (and also saxophonist) for The Righteous Brothers.
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  (#8) He Turned Down $29 Million To Do 'Elf 2'

  Ferrell doesn't just sign on to any film for the money. For instance, he was offered a staggering $29 million to star in the sequel to the hit 2003 comedy Elf, but he turned it down: 

  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 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.
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  (#9) He Pops Up In 'Kingpin'

  In the Farrelly Brothers' 1996 film Kingpin there is a final bowling match between Woody Harrelson and Bill Murray. During the peak of the match, someone yells, "Ernie, you're the man!" That was a young Ferrell representing Team Murray.
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  (#10) He Loves That Cowbell Skit As Much As You Do

  In an episode from SNL in 2000, Ferrell appeared alongside fellow castmates and host Christopher Walken in a skit poking fun at the quite noticeable cowbell part in the Blue Oyster Cult song "Don't Fear The Reaper." It became an instant classic among fans, and made a catchphrase out of Walken's line "Needs more cowbell."

  Not only has Ferrell revisited the bit multiple times (during a hosting stint of SNL years later, and in the Beastie Boys music video "Make Some Noise") but spoke fondly about it up during a Reddit AMA in 2014: "I will say off the top of my head that my two favorite sketches that I was part of had to have been the Harry Caray space show with Jeff Goldblum and, of course the cowbell sketch with Christopher Walken."
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  (#11) He Credits Growing Up In Suburbia With Making Him Funny

  Speaking with the Orange County Register, Ferrell said he thinks he became funny because of the monotony and safety of growing up in a nice neighborhood: 

  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. 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.
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  (#12) He Had His Share Of Odd Jobs Before His Career Took Off

  Before SNL and his successful film career, Ferrell went through his share of odd jobs. He was a teller at a bank and a valet at the Newport Beach Meridien Hotel. Also, for five weeks he played Santa Claus at a mall in Pasadena CA, where friend and future co-star Chris Kattan also worked as an elf.
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  (#13) He's Had That Scar On His Abdomen Since He Was A Baby

  Ever notice that large scar whenever Ferrell is shirtless? That's from a surgery he had as a baby to treat pyloric stenosis. It's a condition that causes frequent vomiting.
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  (#14) He Was The First And Last Guest On 'The Tonight Show With Conan O'Brien'

  For a very short period of time following Jay Leno's first retirement, Conan O'Brien hosted The Tonight Show. A controversy emerged when ratings dipped after O'Brien's debut. This lead Leno to return to the show, while O'Brien left to host a new series TBS. As it happens, Ferrell was the guest on O'Brien's first episode as host of The Tonight Show, as well as his last.
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  (#15) He Doesn't Just Act

  Ferrell is quite active in the entertainment community, and not only as an actor. He has produced a number of television shows, such as Drunk History, Eastbound and Down, and Between Two Ferns. He also produced several films, including Hot Rod and Virginity Hit, as well as many of his own movies.

  He's written many of his classic comedies like Night at the Roxbury, Anchorman, and Stepbrothers, and he founded Funny or Die.
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  (#16) He Believes His Brand of Comedy Comes From Not Holding Anything Back

  If there's one thing Ferrell is known for, it's going all the way for his laughs. Whether it's running naked through quad, screaming, or putting his (fake) balls on the drum set, there's seemingly nothing off the table.

  "What I recognized when I started doing comedy was that I'm probably not the wittiest, not the fastest on my feet, but the one thing I can guarantee is that I won't hold anything back," Ferrell explained to Esquire:

  It was just funnier to me, and it played funnier, when instead of just yelling at someone in a scene, you're yelling to the point where you're losing your voice—that one extra step. If that's what's called for within the context, isn't that our job as comedians?
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  (#17) He Has A Wife And Three Sons

  Ferrell met his wife, Swedish actress (and professional auctioneer) Viveca Paulin, in an acting class in 1995. They wed five years later in August of 2000. They have three sons: Magnus Paulin Ferrell, born in 2004, Mattias Paulin Ferrell, born in 2006, and Axel Paulin Ferrell, born in 2010.
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  (#18) He Is A Huge Advocate For The Cancer For College Organization

  Ferrell has been friends with the Cancer for College founder Craig Pollard since they attended college together. The organization helps cancer survivors afford the often insurmountable costs of higher education. Since Craig founded the foundation, Ferrell has been helping and fundraising in every way he can, be it attending their annual golf tournament, throwing out pitches at baseball games, doing Reddit AMAs, or auctioning off wal-on roles in movies (which by itself raised over $50,000).

  Ferrell calls Cancer for College “one of the purest charities he has ever seen,” and says the annual golf tournament is the highlight of his year. 
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  (#19) He Has A Star On The Hollywood Walk Of Fame

  Ferrell had a banner year in 2015. Not only did he receive GQ's Comedian of the Year award, but he also received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on March 26th. It's located at 6767 Hollywood Boulevard.
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  (#20) He Was Roommates With Jon Stewart

  In the mid-'90s, at the time he joined the cast of SNL, Ferrell was roommates with none other than The Daily Show's Jon Stewart (who at the time had not yet taken the reins of the Comedy Central program).
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  (#21) He Was A Jock In High School

  Ferrell was the varsity football kicker, captain of the basketball team, and member of the soccer team in high school. He received a degree from USC in Sports Broadcasting. He even interned at NBC Sports. This love of sports better explains his numerous sports-themed comedies (Semi-Pro, Kicking and Screaming, Blades of Glory, etc.):

  I was never the class clown. I was popular in high school and in college. I was good at sports... I used to worry that I wasn’t crazy enough to succeed in comedy. Or troubled enough. In the beginning, people were surprised that a seemingly mild-mannered person could bring a script or a character to life. But I’m not above throwing a chair out a window just to see what happens. I may not have demons, but I am kind of immune to inhibitions.
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  (#22) He Had Planned To Bribe Lorne Michaels With Fake Cash To Secure His Spot On 'SNL'

  Ferrell had an interesting idea to get SNL producer Lorne Michaels's attention during his first audition:

  I had read how Adam Sandler, in his meeting with Lorne, had humped a chair and had him laughing so hard, he signed him on the spot. So I thought, I'm gonna go in there and be funny. I had a briefcase full of fake money, and as Lorne starts talking, I was gonna open it and start stacking piles of money on his desk. 'Lorne, you can say whatever you want, but we all know what really talks. And that's cold, hard cash. Now, I'm gonna walk outta here. You can take the cash if you want. Or not.' And then just leave and not come back.
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  (#23) He's Not ACTUALLY The Worst Autograph Signer

  Autograph Magazine named Ferrell the worst celebrity autographer. The magazine's editor stated: "What's so frustrating about Will Ferrell being the worst autograph signer this past year is that he used to be so nice to fans and collectors and a great signer. What makes him so bad is that he'll taunt people asking for his autograph." Ferrell responded by saying, "I don't know how I got on the list. I sign a lot of autographs."

  He has, however, admitted to taunting autograph-seekers: "I do. I really do. I'm like, 'How badly do you want this autograph?' 'Are you sure?' 'You say you're my biggest fan, really, prove it.' I'll do things like that. They have to earn it."
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  (#24) He's Never Met George W. Bush—And He Doesn't Want To

  Ferrell went on record as saying that he had no interest in meeting the former president that he famously impersonated on SNL, even though he had the opportunity:

  I declined, partly out of comedic purposes, because when I was on the show Saturday Night Live at the time, it didn't make sense to really meet the people that you play, for fear of them influencing you. And then the other side of it is, from a political standpoint, I don't want to meet that guy.
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  (#25) He Has His Own Line of Sunscreen

  Ferrell has produced a rather silly line of sunscreen lotion, though rather than being a cash cow for the actor, 100% of the proceeds go to charity. The lotion is described as such: "Are you Sexy? Are You Hot? Then who wouldn't want a sexy, hot tan? This sunscreen is made with our very own streaking strength formula plus one. All of our sunscreen products come in 6 oz bottles and are 30 SPF and provide UVA/UVB broad spectrum protection. 100% of the proceeds from sales go to the Cancer for College Scholarship Fund"

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