Garry Shandling was offered the role of Walter Hobbs but declined. Wanda Sykes was originally cast as the Gimbels manager Wanda but later dropped out; the manager's name tag in the film still bears the name "Wanda". Terry Zwigoff was offered to direct the film, but he turned it down in favor of Bad Santa (2003).

Who was supposed to be cast in Elf?

Jim Carrey was initially eyed to play Buddy in Elf.

However, it took another 10 years to get the project in motion, at which time Saturday Night Live star Will Ferrell was signed to star.

Who almost played Elf?

Berenbaum finished the first draft of Elf in 1993 with In Living Color alum, Jim Carrey in mind for the lead role, with a much darker undertone of the film — but Carey wasn't meant to be in the role. The version featuring Carey was never made, and the script sat idle for years.

Who turned down the role of Elf?

1. Jim Carrey as Buddy the Elf in Elf. The script for Elf was first written in 1993, and at the time, Carrey was attached to star in it. However, the movie did not immediately go into production, and by the time it did in 2003, Carrey was no longer interested in the role.

Who else could have played Elf?

Summary. Elf could have been a very different movie if Jim Carrey had been cast as Buddy the Elf instead of Will Ferrell, as Carrey's comedic style is more over-the-top and bombastic.

This Battle Deserves to Be A Movie

Who was the first choice for Elf?

Jim Carrey was reportedly the first choice to play Buddy

However, by the time the film went into production, Carrey had moved on from the role. Interestingly enough, Carrey did end up playing another iconic Christmas character: the Grinch in 2000's How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

Why was Zooey Deschanel blonde in Elf?

“I had to dye my hair blonde for a screen test for a movie that never happened before I did Elf,” Deschanel told Stylecaster in a March 2019 interview. “I went in for the meeting for Elf, and then I asked them, 'Could I dye my hair back to my natural color? ' And they said, 'No.

Who else tried out for Buddy the Elf?

David Berenbaum initially wrote the script in 1993, with Chris Farley and Jim Carrey being early candidates to play Buddy. Berenbaum's screenplay underwent uncredited rewrites by Scot Armstrong, Chris Henchy, and the writing team of Adam McKay and Will Ferrell.

Why did Will Ferrell not do Elf 2?

Will Ferrell turned down a reported $29 million to make a sequel to "Elf." He told THR he turned it down because he couldn't promote it from "an honest place." Last year, his "Elf" costar James Caan said Ferrell and director Jon Favreau didn't get along.

How old was James Caan during Elf?

James Caan stars in Elf with Will Ferrell in 2003

The legendary actor was 82-years-old and had enjoyed an incredible 60-year career. During his time on the big screen he starred in some iconic pictures such as The Godfather, Dick Tracy and The Rain People to name but a few.

Was Jim Carrey in Elf?

The first script for Elf was written way back in 1993 with Jim Carrey in mind to play Buddy. However, as the project took years to get off the ground, The Mask star never ended up taking on the role.

How did Zooey Deschanel get cast in Elf?

Nonetheless, when the actor that Favreau first wanted for Jovie dropped out at the last minute, he needed a new performer with a new special talent. “I remember Jon Favreau telling me that they were catering it to whoever played the part,” Deschanel told EW about building the Jovie character in 2020.

How old was Zooey Deschanel in Elf?

I was only 21 when I made that movie. I remember sitting—I was at my parents' house because I basically just dropped out of college to be an actor—and I remember sitting at my parents' house reading that script and laughing out loud. Since then, I've seen that that's a good sign." Deschanel said.

Did James Caan really play the piano in Elf?

James Caan was a true delight. My favorite memory of him was shooting part of a montage for the end of Elf and he started playing piano — he played beautifully — I sang and he played and I was just astonished by his talent!

Who was almost cast as Elf?

1. The first script for Elf was actually written in 1993, with Jim Carrey in mind to play the titular Santa's helper. Because it took over a decade for the film to finally be made, the Ace Ventura: Pet Detective star never ended up taking on the role, , which proved to be the ultimate Christmas gift for Will Ferrell.

Who was supposed to play Wanda in Elf?

According to the "Elf" episode of Netflix's "The Holiday Movies That Made Us," producer Jon Berg said that they originally wanted Wanda Sykes to play the role, but she dropped out at the last minute. It was Love's decision to wear the "Wanda" name tag — which they preemptively made for Sykes — in the film.

Who turned down the Elf role?

The script for Elf was first created in 1993, and Jim Carrey was reportedly ready to play the role of Buddy. But by the time the film came together a decade later, Carrey turned it down for other projects, reportedly also hesitant to book the role after playing the Grinch.

How much money was Will Ferrell offered to make Elf 2?

Will Ferrell Still Has Zero Regrets Over Turning Down $29 Million Offer to Make 'Elf' Sequel. Had Ferrell starred in "Elf 2," he would not have been able to promote it with honesty.

What did Will Ferrell improvise in Elf?

EXCLUSIVEWill Ferrell admits he created the iconic maple syrup covered spaghetti dish in festive classic Elf himself as he reveals the scene was improvised. It was the famous scene where Will Ferrell's loveable character Buddy devoured spaghetti deluged in maple syrup in the much-watched festive movie, Elf.

Who was considered to play Elf?

The original script for the movie in the early 1990s had comedian Jim Carrey chosen to star in the role of Buddy the Elf. Turns out, Carrey ended up playing a very different Christmas character in the 2000 film How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

How did they film Elf look so big?

The teams worked with a two-thirds scale that would allow Ferrell to seem bigger than his elven counterparts. Afterward, the crew would adjust the height of the cameras and objects to bring the optical illusion to life.

Why did they use gimbels in Elf?

Fun fact: Producers wanted to feature the famous Macy's 34th street location, the largest store in the world, but Macy's refused to have their name used. So they settled on Gimbels, a now defunct NY department store–the exterior was shot at 5th Avenue and E 30th St and decorated with CGI.

Does Jovie really sing in Elf?

Actor sang Ella Fitzgerald's 'Baby, It's Cold Outside'

Elf star Zooey Deschanel has revealed that the scene where she sings in the shower was not in the original script of the film. The 2003 Christmas movie starred Deschanel as department store employee Jovie, opposite Will Ferrell's Buddy the Elf.

Where was Elf filmed?

We have known for two decades that Vancouver played a big role in the film production of New Line Cinema's Elf, and it has since become a contemporary Christmas cult classic.

Who is the original Jovie in Elf?

Jovie is the tritagonist of Elf and Elf: Buddy's Musical Christmas. She's played by Zooey Deschanel in the film and voiced by Kate Micucci in the special.