Will Ferrell Says James Caan Was Not Fond of Him While Filming 'Elf'

Elf is one of the most universally beloved movies of the 21st century so far, but it turns out star James Caan was not a fan - at least while filming. In a new interview on the MeSsy podcast , Will Ferrell said that Caan often told him he was not funny during the shoot. He said that Caan was just "teasing" him, but he believes the actor was genuinely "annoyed with" him at the time.

Ferrell sat down with actors Christina Applegate and Jamie-Lynn Sigler for their pocast earlier this week, looking back on his legendary career including the 2003 Christmas classic Elf . Ferrell said that he was uncertain while filming the movie, fearing that the final product would "be disastrous." He explained: "I like to do bits, but at the same time, I'm not like 'on' all the time... In between setups, he'd be like, 'I don't get you. You're not funny. You're not funny.'"

"And I'm like, 'I know I'm not Robin Williams, I'm not like-' He's like, 'People ask me, like, is he funny?' I'm like, 'No, he's not funny,'" Ferrell recalled, but said all of this teasing was done "with love." Still, Ferrell found out for sure that Caan did not enjoy filming after the movie's premiere, when Cann gave him "the best compliment" as they left the theater.

"He was like, 'I've got to tell you: I thought everything you were doing while we were filming was way too over the top. Now that I see it in the movie, it's brilliant,'" Ferrell recalled. He said that he believes this tension between him and Caan made the movie even better, saying: "I love that the whole time, like he's not acting. He's truly annoyed with me. He's like, 'Can this guy shut the f- up? Jesus.' So I literally drove him crazy in that movie, just acting like that kid. But that was so funny, he's walking out, shaking his head and going like, 'Great job, I thought you were way too over the top. But no it's brilliant, it's brilliant.'"

Caan passed away in July of 2022 at the age of 82. The actor was already a legend for his portrayal of Sonny Corleone in The Godfather , making him a comical choice for the straight-laced father in Elf as well. Caan suffered a heart attack on July 6 and passed away later that day, inspiring a wave of heartfelt tributes to his work throughout the industry.

Elf has become a holiday classic for many families, and after two decades it is clear that the comedy wasn't just a flash in the pan. The movie is not on any major subscription streaming services now, but you can expect it to pop up somewhere towards the end of the year.