Zooey Deschanel Reveals Her Kids’ Surprising Reaction to Elf

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Zooey Deschanel hasn’t had the chance to enjoy a festive family tradition, like visiting a magical Candy Cane forest filled with swirling gumdrops.

Her children, 10-year-old Elsie and 8-year-old Charlie (whom she shares with her ex-husband, Jacob Pechenik), surprisingly aren’t big fans of her famous 2003 movie, Elf.

Zooey told Will Marfuggi from TopMob News that viewers had only seen a portion of the show, and weren’t particularly engaged with it, during an interview with her co-star Charlie Cox.

Honestly, when I asked why her kids weren’t loving ‘It’s a Wonderful Life,’ she just said it felt a bit strange to them. That’s all she could really explain, and I totally get that sometimes things just don’t click!

Still, the 45-year-old is hoping for a bit of an Elfresurgence for her kids this year. 

She mentioned her daughter and her friends had been discussing the show, and now her daughter is eager to watch it with them.

Although her children aren’t particularly excited about watching Elf, her fellow actor Charlie is a huge fan. He even admitted to being nervous about working with Zooey on their new show, Merv, which will be available to stream worldwide on Prime Video starting December 10th, simply because he loves Elf so much.

He admitted to TopMob that his main worry while filming was not getting along with Zooey and, as a result, not enjoying the movie Elf.

Fortunately, Charlie and his colleague hit it off well, and Charlie even joked that he’d watched the Christmas movie “multiple times” while working on their shared holiday project.

After starring in two popular Christmas films, Elf and Merv, Zooey Deschanel jokingly wondered if she could become the new “Queen of Christmas,” a title currently held by Mariah Carey.

She playfully pointed out her accomplishments, saying, ‘I just want to state the facts: I have two Christmas movies and two Christmas albums. I’m just curious, does Mariah Carey have the same?’

Zooey quickly added, “No, I love Mariah. She is the Queen of Christmas.”

Zooey Deschanel, known for her role in New Girl, definitely takes charge when it comes to the holidays at home. She told TopMob that she and her fiancé, Jonathan Scott, really go all out for Christmas.

She said her house was completely decked out for Christmas. It felt incredibly festive everywhere you looked! They really go all out – they sing carols, bake cookies, and participate in any Christmas tradition they can find.

If you’re planning to watch Elf this Christmas, you’ll love these fun behind-the-scenes facts!

Oh my gosh, you will NOT believe this! Apparently, the first draft of ‘Elf’ was written way back in 1993! And get this – they wrote it for Jim Carrey! Can you imagine?! It took ten whole years to actually make the movie, and poor Jim Carrey ended up not being able to do it. Honestly, it’s the best thing that could have happened because it meant Will Ferrell got the part! Seriously, Will is Buddy the Elf. It’s just…perfect. I’ve watched it a million times and it still makes me cry with joy knowing how it all worked out!

Originally, the movie Elf had a much darker tone. Director Jon Favreau told Rolling Stone that the character of Buddy the Elf was initially conceived as being more sinister.

Before agreeing to rework the script and make the movie suitable for families, Jon Favreau actually first declined the offer.

I read the script when it came across my desk, and honestly, it didn’t really grab me. It was a lot more intense and gloomy than the final movie turned out to be. I was really excited about the idea of working with Will on his first big film after leaving Saturday Night Live, but the script just didn’t quite feel right, you know? It wasn’t quite hitting the mark for me.

Buddy the Elf’s famous outfit was inspired by the elves featured in the classic 1964 animated movie, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

Favreau explained to ABC News that the costume was key to the character’s look, making him appear almost like a puppet. He specifically mentioned the tights, boots, and hat, and praised the actor’s courage for wearing it.

Costume designer Laura Jean Shannon explained that fitting Will Ferrell, who is 6-foot-3, wasn’t the biggest challenge she faced when creating his look for the film.

Dressing Will wasn’t so much about finding the right size as it was about making the outfit appropriate and not silly,” she told Feel Christmassy. “I mean, I was putting a grown man in tights and a fancy coat! We had a lot of fittings to make sure it was playfully charming, rather than just ridiculous.

Will Ferrell’s hilarious costume as Buddy the Elf was such a hit that he briefly caused some traffic problems while filming in New York City.

According to Favreau, whenever Robert Downey Jr. was filming in costume—whether in the Lincoln Tunnel or on the 59th Street Bridge—it caused minor traffic problems. He told Rolling Stone that they’d hear crashes and see broken lights because drivers were distracted by him walking alongside the road.

Will Ferrell didn’t actually do the famous 12-second burp in the movie. It was voice actor Maurice LaMarche – who’s known as the voice of The Brain from Pinky and the Brain – who created that memorable sound effect at the dinner table. And yes, everyone remembers it!

The cotton balls Buddy kept trying to eat at the doctor’s office weren’t actually cotton – they were undyed pieces of cotton candy.

During filming, Will Ferrell fully committed to his character Buddy’s sugary diet, actually eating all the maple syrup-covered spaghetti and candy you see in the scenes.

Will Ferrell said he ate a ton of sugar and didn’t sleep much while making the movie. He explained that he’ll do whatever it takes for a role, even if that means indulging in things like lots of maple syrup.

James Caan, who recently passed away, didn’t have to stretch his acting skills much to convincingly play Walter, Buddy’s hesitant father.

Will Ferrell recounted on the MeSsy podcast in July 2024, while speaking with Christina Applegate and Jamie-Lynn Sigler, that his comedic style frustrated a co-star during filming. Ferrell said the actor would often express confusion, telling him, ‘I don’t get you. You’re not funny.’ Ferrell responded by acknowledging he wasn’t trying to be like Robin Williams.

Ferrell admitted their unusual chemistry was effective. He explained, “What I loved was that he wasn’t pretending at all. He was genuinely irritated with me, like he just wanted me to be quiet.”

To stay true to the classic feel he was aiming for, Jon Favreau explained to Rolling Stone that he didn’t want the film to rely heavily on computer-generated imagery, only using it sparingly for effects like snow.

He shared his preference for traditional filmmaking techniques like motion control, miniatures, and matte paintings, noting they give a project a classic feel. He’s especially fond of stop-motion animation, and was determined to use practical effects instead of computer-generated imagery, even though it presented several difficulties.

Although Will Ferrell is noticeably taller than Bob Newhart (who plays Papa Elf), Jon Favreau explained they used a camera trick called “forced perspective” to make Ferrell look even bigger than everyone else in the North Pole scenes.

Favreau explained that creating two physical sets, one bigger than the other, allowed a visible seam where they joined – a deliberate choice. He didn’t want to hide it with digital effects, aiming for a timeless look by preserving the imperfections that would have existed before CGI. He even kept a large prop – a four-and-a-half-foot Louisville Slugger bat built by the set’s ‘elves’ – as a memento in his office.

The team almost filmed the Santa scene at Macy’s, but there was a catch. Director Jon Favreau told Rolling Stone that Macy’s insisted on removing the part where Buddy exposes their Santa, played by Artie Lange, as an imposter. They wanted to maintain the illusion that their Santa was genuine, and Favreau said it took a lot of consideration to resolve the issue.

The production team ultimately shot scenes in the cafeteria of a mental hospital in Vancouver. They decided to call their store “Gimbels,” referencing the famous department store from the 1947 film Miracle on 34th Street.

When Zooey Deschanel was chosen to play Buddy’s love interest, Jovie, the filmmakers included her performance of “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” to add a heartwarming touch to the movie.

Zooey Deschanel recalled Jon Favreau explaining that the role was being tailored to the actress they cast. In a 2020 interview with Entertainment Weekly, Deschanel shared that one potential actress was a skilled skateboarder. However, because Deschanel was actively performing a cabaret act and known as a singer, the filmmakers incorporated singing as a hidden talent for her character to discover.

Many of Buddy the Elf’s most famous quotes, like “You smell like beef and cheese!” and “You sit on a throne of lies!”, weren’t in the script – Will Ferrell made them up as he was filming.

The elaborate set for Gimbels department store took weeks to build, so the filmmakers shot the entire fight scene between Will Ferrell and Kirk Lange in a single, continuous take.

“We had one take to destroy it,” Lange told ABC News, “So Favreau said, ‘Just go nuts!'”

Many fans recognize Jon Favreau’s brief on-screen appearance as Buddy’s doctor, confirming his relationship to Walter. However, fewer realize he also provided the voice for the Narwhal who famously wished Buddy luck in finding his father with the line, “Bye Buddy, hope you find your dad!”

Will Ferrell famously declined a potential $29 million to star in a sequel to Elf. He told The Guardian in 2006 that it was an easy decision. He worried about facing criticism if the sequel wasn’t well-received and people thought he only did it for the money. Ferrell didn’t want a bad sequel to damage the positive reputation he’d built with his work, although he joked that he’d probably end up doing a disappointing sequel eventually.

However, Caan suggested that friction between Will Ferrell and Jon Favreau may have been the reason a sequel never happened.

He explained that he was excited about the project, thinking it would finally be his big break and allow him to provide for his children. However, there were issues between the director and Will Smith. Will was committed to the movie but didn’t want to work with that particular director, and his contract actually gave him the power to choose. It was a complicated situation.

Okay, so a proper follow-up movie hasn’t happened, but the story didn’t end there! Fans were thrilled when it was adapted into a Broadway musical back in 2010. It was a real hit, running for three years, and even came back for a revival in 2024! Plus, it wasn’t just a US thing – the show crossed the pond to London’s West End in 2015 and has been back several times since, including runs in 2022, 2023, and again in 2025. It’s a testament to how much people still love the original!

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2025-12-09 14:18