Jim Carrey Was The Original Choice For Buddy As hard as it may be to conceive of, Buddy the Elf was once going to be played by Ace Venture: Pet Detective himself, Jim Carrey. Of course, Carrey would go on to play the Grinch, making his own mark on the holiday movie season.

Who was first offered the role of Elf?

The original script for Elf was written with Jim Carrey in mind for the lead role, but it sat in production limbo for a decade before eventually being picked up by Ferrell.

Who was the original choice for Elf?

Though it's hard to imagine anyone else in the role of Buddy, Ferrell wasn't the first choice for the titular character. When the script for the movie first emerged in 1993, Jim Carrey was attached to star, per Vulture. However, by the time the film went into production, Carrey had moved on from the role.

Who was the first pick for Elf?

– Will Ferrell was not the original choice for Buddy the Elf. Back when the script was first being shopped around in the 90s, producers wanted Jim Carrey to play the goofy lead.

Who else auditioned for 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.

Who was the first choice for the movie Elf?

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.

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 was supposed to be Elf instead of Will Ferrell?

But had the screenwriter had his choice, Ferrell wouldn't have been the comedian selected for the lead role. 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.

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!

Was Jim Carrey supposed to be in Elf?

The original script for Elf was written with Jim Carrey in mind for the lead role, but it sat in production limbo for a decade before eventually being picked up by Will Ferrell.

How much did Will Ferrell get paid for Elf?

Elf was Will Ferrell's second box office hit. He reportedly received a whopping salary of $17 million for that film alone, more on par with what his talents would dictate in the mid-2000s. He was allegedly offered $29 million to act in an Elf sequel, but couldn't get his heart into it, so he turned it down.

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.

Was Elf filmed before 9/11?

Elf wears its era much more lightly, combining fantasy elements with a kind of twinkling Miracle on 34th Street charm in a way that would feel wildly risky in less capable hands. But this movie was filmed in New York City at the end of 2002—of course 9/11 is there if you look for it.

Why didn't they use Macy's in Elf?

As Favreau revealed to ABC News, the Elf team asked Macy's if they could use the store for the movie, but Macy's declined. He told the publication: "Because we're using a Santa, of course, everybody thinks Macy's. "But Macy's didn't like the idea that there was a fake Santa working there.

How much did James Caan make in Elf?

Celebrity Net Worth noted that court documents showed Caan earning $1 million in royalties in 2015, with $140,000 annually from the Christmas classic “Elf.”

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.

How old was Will Ferrell in Elf was filmed?

This actually makes Buddy a fair amount younger than Will Ferrell himself, who was 35 years old at the time of Elf's filming, and 36 when the movie was released to theaters.

Why did Jim Carrey not play 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.

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.

Where did they film Elf?

Buddy at the North Pole scene in Elf

Interestingly, while the movie is set in New York City and the North Pole, many interior shots were filmed in an abandoned mental hospital in Vancouver, British Columbia. The Riverview Hospital, located in Coquitlam, east of Vancouver, served as the backdrop for these scenes.

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.

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 was Jovie showering in Elf?

The next morning, Jovie took a shower in the women's locker room because her building's water was shut off. She sang the female part of "Baby, It's Cold Outside". Buddy was up all night decorating the store and heard her singing. He went into the locker room and, with her, sang the man's part.

Who is the baby at the end of Elf?

Gender. Susie Hobbs is the daughter of Buddy and Jovie, the granddaughter of Walter Hobbs and Susan Wells, the adopted granddaughter of Papa Elf, the step granddaughter of Emily Hobbs and the half-niece of Michael Hobbs. She's shown at the end of the movie when Buddy and Jovie are married and visit Santa.