Biography
John William Ferrell (; born July 16, 1967) is an American actor, comedian, producer, and writer. He first established himself in the mid-1990s as a cast member on the NBC sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live, where he performed from 1995 to 2002, and has subsequently starred in comedy films such as Elf (2003), Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004) Kicking & Screaming (2005), Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006), Semi-Pro (2008), and Land of the Lost (2009). He founded the comedy website Funny or Die in 2007 with his writing partner Adam McKay. Other notable film roles include The Other Guys (2010), The Campaign (2012), Get Hard (2015), Holmes & Watson (2018), and the animated films Curious George (2006) and Megamind (2010).Ferrell is considered a member of the "Frat Pack", a generation of leading Hollywood comic actors who emerged in the late 1990s and the 2000s, including Jack Black, Ben Stiller, Steve Carell, Vince Vaughn, and brothers Owen and Luke Wilson. He received an Emmy Award nomination for his work on Saturday Night Live, and three Golden Globe Award nominations for acting in The Producers (2005) and Stranger than Fiction (2006) and for producing Vice (2018). He was also named the best comedian of 2015 in the British GQ Men of the Year awards. Ferrell received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on March 24, 2015.
Personal Life
In August 2000, Ferrell married Swedish actress Viveca Paulin, whom he met in 1995 at an acting class. They live in New York City and also Orange County, California, and have three sons, Magnus Paulin Ferrell (born March 7, 2004), Mattias Paulin Ferrell (born December 30, 2006), and Axel Paulin Ferrell (born January 23, 2010).At USC, Ferrell was a member of Delta Tau Delta fraternity and is now an active alumnus. Ferrell has worked with former head coach Pete Carroll to do motivational stunts for the players during the season. Ferrell has participated in marathons including the Boston, New York, and the Stockholm marathons. He also raises money for charity, including his Scholarships for Cancer Survivors campaign through a micro-donations fundraising platform.In 2007, Autograph magazine named Ferrell the worst celebrity autographer. Its 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." In response, Ferrell stated: "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."Ferrell had noted that, although he was well known for his SNL impersonation of President George W. Bush, he chose, for both professional and political reasons not to meet the President on several occasions, unlike his SNL predecessor Dana Carvey's famous relationship with George H. W. Bush: "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." Ferrell also appeared on an episode of Man vs. Wild, where he traveled throughout the tundras of Sweden with the show's host, Bear Grylls. In the episode, Ferrell came across various unique situations which included eating the eye of a reindeer.In August 2012, while in Australia promoting The Campaign, Ferrell made a guest appearance on the channel 10 live panel news/comedy show The Project. He found himself speaking via video link to Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard, during which they had a humorous conversation about hairdressing. Ferrell supported Barack Obama in the 2012 presidential election and met him (along with his wife, Michelle) in 2011. In February 2013, Ferrell endorsed Eric Garcetti for mayor of Los Angeles.On January 7, 2016, it was announced that Ferrell would become a part-owner of Los Angeles FC, a Major League Soccer team set to begin playing in 2018, one of several celebrity owners of the team alongside Mia Hamm and Magic Johnson.On May 12, 2017, Ferrell was awarded an honorary D.H.L. degree by the University of Southern California.On April 13, 2018, Ferrell was involved in a serious two-car collision in California, where he was riding in an SUV that flipped over. Ferrell was one of three passengers in the car. Ferrell was seen talking on his cell phone while being loaded into an ambulance. Ferrell, along with another passenger was unhurt in the accident, although two others were injured. He was released from the hospital shortly after, said to be "doing fine."
Early Life
Ferrell was born on July 16, 1967, in Irvine, California, to Betty Kay (née Overman; born 1940), a teacher who taught at Old Mill School elementary school and Santa Ana College and Roy Lee Ferrell Jr. (born 1941), who played saxophone and keyboards for the Righteous Brothers. His parents were both natives of Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina. They moved to California in 1964. Ferrell's ancestry includes English, German, and Irish. As an infant Ferrell suffered from pyloric stenosis and had a pyloromyotomy to correct the condition. He has a younger brother, Patrick.When he was eight years old, his parents divorced. Ferrell said of the divorce: "I was the type of kid who would say, 'Hey, look at the bright side! We'll have two Christmases'." The divorce was amicable, and both parents were committed to their children. The biggest problem was his father's line of work. As a person in show business, his paychecks were never steady, and he traveled from home for months at a time. Growing up in this environment made Ferrell not want to go into show business and instead have a steady job.Will first attended school at Culverdale Elementary and later attended Rancho San Joaquin Middle School, both in Irvine. He attended University High School in Irvine, and was a kicker for the school's varsity football team. He was also on the soccer team and captain of the basketball team, as well as serving on the student council. Ferrell called third grade "a pivotal year." He realized he could make his classmates laugh if he pretended to smash his head against the wall, or if he tripped and fell on purpose, and said it was a great way to make friends. He said the dullness of Irvine contributed to the growth of his humor: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.In his senior year of high school, Ferrell and a friend would perform comedy skits over the school's intercom system, with cooperation from the principal; the two had to write their own material. Ferrell also performed comedic skits in the school's talent shows. He was voted "Best Personality" by his classmates. He enrolled at the University of Southern California, where he studied sports broadcasting and joined the Delta Tau Delta fraternity. In college, he was known for a few pranks. On occasion, he would dress in a janitor's outfit and stroll into his friends' classes. He was also known for streaking around campus with a few other people from the Delta Tau Delta fraternity. Ferrell earned an internship at a local television station in the sports department, but he did not enjoy the work.After graduating with a B.A. degree in sports information in 1990, he knew he did not want to do broadcasting. He took up a job as a hotel valet where, on his second day, he tore a baggage rack off the top of a van by trying to drive it under a low beam. He also worked as a teller at Wells Fargo, but came up short $300 the first day and $280 the second; he was not stealing the money, but was just careless and error-prone. In 1991, encouraged by his mother to pursue something he liked, Ferrell moved to Los Angeles. He successfully auditioned for the comedy group The Groundlings where he spent time developing his improvisation skills.
Filmography
All 204
Movies 139
TV shows 65
Self 51
Producer 41
Narrator 1
Writter 1
Voice 1
Toy Company CEO

Barbie (2023)
Movie
Sherlock Holmes

Holmes & Watson: The Abandoned Case (2022)
Movie
Executive Producer

The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window (2022)
TV show
Producer

Am I Ok? (2022)
Movie
Executive Producer

Live in Front of a Studio Audience: The Facts of Life and Diff'rent Strokes (2021)
Movie
Marty Markowitz

The Shrink Next Door (2021)
TV show
Producer

Barb & Star Go to Vista Del Mar (2021)
Movie
Self

Demi Lovato: Dancing with the Devil (2021)
TV show
Self (archive footage)

The Holiday Movies That Made Us (2020)
TV show
Self

VOMO: Vote or Miss Out (2020)
Movie
Therapist

David (2020)
Movie
Lars Erickssong

Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga (2020)
Movie
6.18
Self

Feeding America Comedy Festival (2020)
Movie
Megamind

Megamind 2: Back in Black (2020)
Movie
Executive Producer

Motherland: Fort Salem (2020)
TV show
5.33
Miami Restaurant Girl #4

Impractical Jokers: The Movie (2020)
Movie
1.33
Pete

Downhill (2020)
Movie
5.33
Executive Producer

Live in Front of a Studio Audience: "All in the Family" and "Good Times" (2019)
Movie
Will Ferrell

Between Two Ferns: The Movie (2019)
Movie
6.32
Rondell

Zeroville (2019)
Movie
6
Producer

Hustlers (2019)
Movie
6.31
Executive Producer

Booksmart (2019)
Movie
6.8
Tom Willis / Executive Producer

Live in Front of a Studio Audience: Norman Lear's "All in the Family" and "The Jeffersons" (2019)
Movie
Executive Producer

Dead to Me (2019)
TV show
5.75
Bum

Drunk Parents (2019)
Movie
Lord Business / President Business / The Man Upstairs

The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part (2019)
Movie
5.7
Cord Hosenbeck

The 2019 Rose Parade with Cord & Tish (2019)
Movie
Sherlock Holmes

Holmes & Watson (2018)
Movie
4.33
Producer

Vice (2018)
Movie
7.36
Executive Producer

Succession (2018)
TV show
6.5
Producer

Ibiza (2018)
Movie
6.29
Cord Hosenbeck

The Royal Wedding Live with Cord and Tish! (2018)
Movie
Producer

LA to Vegas (2018)
TV show
5.83
Cord Hosenbeck

The 2018 Rose Parade Hosted by Cord & Tish (2018)
Movie
Adrian / Executive Producer

No Activity (2017)
TV show
Brad

Daddy's Home 2 (2017)
Movie
6.5
Scott Johansen/The Butcher / Producer

The House (2017)
Movie
7.33
Executive Producer

Oh Lucy! (2017)
Movie
Narrator

A.C. Green: Iron Virgin (2016)
Movie
Producer

The Boss (2016)
Movie
6.22
Jacobim Mugatu

Zoolander 2 (2016)
Movie
7.5
Brad Whitaker

Daddy's Home (2015)
Movie
6.2
Self

Ferrell Takes the Field (2015)
Movie
Himself

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (2015)
TV show
5.5
Eric Jonrosh / J. Edgar Hoover

The Spoils Before Dying (2015)
TV show
6
Producer

Sleeping with Other People (2015)
Movie
Robert Benson

A Deadly Adoption (2015)
Movie
Ron Burgundy

Comedy Central Roast of Justin Bieber (2015)
Movie
James

Get Hard (2015)
Movie
7.63
Himself

The Late Late Show with James Corden (2015)
TV show
9
Himself

Hot Ones (2015)
TV show
Self

Saturday Night Live: 40th Anniversary Special (2015)
Movie
Executive Producer

Bad Judge (2014)
TV show
5.87
Producer

Welcome to Me (2014)
Movie
Producer

Tammy (2014)
Movie
7
Self

Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (2014)
TV show
6.67
Will Ferrell

Welcome to Sweden (2014)
TV show
4.75
Ron Burgundy

Late Night with Seth Meyers (2014)
TV show
3.5
Self / Self - Guest

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (2014)
TV show
6.26
Self

Off Camera with Sam Jones (2014)
TV show
Lord Business / President Business / The Man Upstairs

The Lego Movie (2014)
Movie
6.01

And the Oscar Goes To... (2014)
Movie
Eric Jonrosh / Shah of Iran

The Spoils of Babylon (2014)
TV show
8
Ron Burgundy / Screenplay / Producer

Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues (2013)
Movie
5.39
Roald Dahl

Drunk History (2013)
TV show
5.65
Kevin

The Internship (2013)
Movie
7
Producer

Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters (2013)
Movie
7.22
Cam Brady

The Campaign (2012)
Movie
5.5
Self

Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee (2012)
TV show
5
Armando

Casa De Mi Padre (2012)
Movie
Damien Weebs

Tim and Eric's Billion Dollar Movie (2012)
Movie
Self

Inside Comedy (2012)
TV show
Producer

Bachelorette (2012)
Movie
6
Self

Billy on the Street (2011)
TV show
Nick Halsey

Everything Must Go (2011)
Movie
Ad-Rock (B-Boys 2)

Fight for Your Right Revisited (2011)
Movie
Megamind

Megamind: The Button of Doom (2011)
Movie
8
Will

John and Will's Animal Choices (2011)
Movie
Himself

Star Wars Spoofs (2011)
Movie
Ron Burgundy / Self

Conan (2010)
TV show
8.14
Ted Nettters / Craig Buchanan / Alex Trebek / Various (archive footage)

The Women of SNL (2010)
Movie
Megamind

Megamind (2010)
Movie
6.35
Producer

The Virginity Hit (2010)
Movie
Producer

Big Lake (2010)
TV show
Allen Gamble

The Other Guys (2010)
Movie
6.86
George W. Bush

Presidential Reunion (2010)
Movie
Writer

Funny or Die Presents (2010)
TV show
6
Dr. Rick Marshall

Land of the Lost (2009)
Movie
3.33
Producer

The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard (2009)
Movie
George W. Bush

Will Ferrell: You're Welcome America - A Final Night with George W. Bush (2009)
Movie
Self

Late Night with Jimmy Fallon (2009)
TV show
3.5
Producer

Eastbound & Down (2009)
TV show
5.39
Self

Bat Fight with Will Ferrell (2009)
Movie
Producer

Prop 8: The Musical (2008)
Movie
Brennan Huff

Step Brothers (2008)
Movie
7.18
Jackie Moon

Semi-Pro (2008)
Movie
5.61
Self

Between Two Ferns with Zach Galifianakis (2008)
TV show
6
Arnold Darkshner

Green Team (2007)
Movie
Executive Producer

Hot Rod (2007)
Movie
2.75
Bob

The Procedure (2007)
Movie
Angel

Good Cop, Baby Cop (2007)
Movie
Renter

The Landlord (2007)
Movie
Chazz Michael Michaels

Blades of Glory (2007)
Movie
5.38
Self

The Graham Norton Show (2007)
TV show
9.5
Donald Mahanahan

Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! (2007)
TV show
5

The Naked Trucker and T-Bones Show (2007)
TV show
Self

Up Close with Carrie Keagan (2007)
TV show
Self

Man vs. Wild (2006)
TV show

30 Rock (2006)
TV show
6.1

The Megan Mullally Show (2006)
TV show
Harold Crick

Stranger Than Fiction (2006)
Movie
5.67
Self - Guest

The One Show (2006)
TV show
Ricky Bobby

Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006)
Movie
6.5
Ricky Bobby

Ricky Bobby: Sports Century (2006)
Movie
Self / Various Characters

Saturday Night Live: The Best of Commercial Parodies (2006)
Movie
Ted - Man with the Yellow Hat

Curious George (2006)
Movie
5.8
Corbit

Winter Passing (2006)
Movie
Franz Liebkind

The Producers (2005)
Movie

The Reichen Show (2005)
TV show
Dave

The Wendell Baker Story (2005)
Movie
Chazz Reinhold (uncredited)

Wedding Crashers (2005)
Movie
6.13
Jack Wyatt / Darrin

Bewitched (2005)
Movie
9
Phil Weston

Kicking & Screaming (2005)
Movie
4.33
Deangelo Vickers

The Office (2005)
TV show
6.55

Saturday Night Live: The Best of Jimmy Fallon (2005)
Movie
Ron Burgundy

Wake Up, Ron Burgundy: The Lost Movie (2004)
Movie
2
Himself

Oh, What a Lovely Tea Party (2004)
Movie
Hobie

Melinda and Melinda (2004)
Movie
3.5
Self

Saturday Night Live: The Best of Will Ferrell - Volume 2 (2004)
Movie
Self / Various

Saturday Night Live: The Best of Christopher Walken (2004)
Movie
Ron Burgundy

Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)
Movie
5.87
Big Earl (uncredited)

Starsky & Hutch (2004)
Movie
6.24

Best Week Ever (2004)
TV show
Buddy

Elf (2003)
Movie
6.76
Self

The Ellen DeGeneres Show (2003)
TV show
5.15
Himself

Saturday Night Live: The Best of Chris Kattan (2003)
Movie
Himself

Old School: Orientation (2003)
Movie
The Architect

MTV Reloaded (2003)
Movie
Frank

Old School (2003)
Movie
6.88

Jimmy Kimmel Live! (2003)
TV show
6.3
Self

U-Pick Live (2002)
TV show
Michael, Brian's Boyfriend (uncredited)

Boat Trip (2002)
Movie
Self / Various Characters

Saturday Night Live: The Best of Will Ferrell (2002)
Movie

Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway (2002)
TV show
Himself

HypaSpace (2002)
TV show
Self

The Concert for New York City (2001)
Movie
Mugatu

Zoolander (2001)
Movie
7.21

The Guardian (2001)
TV show
6
Federal Wildlife Marshal Willenholly

Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001)
Movie
6.05
Self

Saturday Night Live: The Best of Molly Shannon (2001)
Movie
Bob Oblong / Coach

The Oblongs (2001)
TV show
6
Lance DeLune

The Ladies Man (2000)
Movie
Self

Endangered Feces - The Very Worst of The Tom Green Show (2000)
Movie
Cubby

Drowning Mona (2000)
Movie
Self

The Early Show (1999)
TV show
Gil

The Suburbans (1999)
Movie
Sky Corrigan / Jesus

Superstar (1999)
Movie
Self

Saturday Night Live: 25th Anniversary Special (1999)
Movie
Bob Woodward

Dick (1999)
Movie
Mustafa

Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999)
Movie
5.82

Strangers with Candy (1999)
TV show
6
Self - Guest

The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn (1999)
TV show
Self

Tom Green Show: Road Kill (1999)
Movie
Fat Greek Guy / Miles 'Chatterbox' Musket (voice) / The Black Knight (voice)

Family Guy (1999)
TV show
6.08
Darren Clark

The Thin Pink Line (1998)
Movie
Steve Butabi

A Night at the Roxbury (1998)
Movie
7.13

TRL (1998)
TV show
Troy / Self / Nancy Reagan / Various Characters

Saturday Night Live: The Best of Phil Hartman (1998)
Movie

Cow and Chicken (1997)
TV show
6
Mustafa

Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997)
Movie
5.49

Men Seeking Women (1997)
Movie
Self

The Daily Show with Trevor Noah (1996)
TV show
5.67
Newscaster (uncredited)

Criminal Hearts (1996)
Movie

A Bucket of Blood (1995)
Movie
Construction Worker

On Our Own (1994)
TV show
Self - Guest

Late Night with Conan O'Brien (1993)
TV show
6

WWE Raw (1993)
TV show
6.58
Self

The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (1992)
TV show
5.75

LIVE with Kelly and Ryan (1988)
TV show
Self

Kids' Choice Awards (1987)
TV show
Self - Host / Self - Host / Alex Trebek / Gene Frenkle / Robert Goulet / Self - Host / George W. Bush / Alex Trebek / Harry Caray / Self - Various Characters / Self - Host / Various

Saturday Night Live (1975)
TV show
6.36
Self / Various Characters

Saturday Night Live: The Best of Commercial Parodies (1975)
TV show
Self

The Oscars (1953)
TV show
Self

Today (1952)
TV show

Larry's Kidney
Movie
Present

Spirited
Movie
Producer

Untitled Sister Comedy Project
Movie
Producer

Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters 2
Movie

Imagine
Movie
Sandy

Fruitcake
Movie
Actor

Untitled The Legend of Cocaine Island Remake
Movie
Producer

May December
Movie
Producer

The Flintstones
Movie
Producer

Plus One
Movie
Producer

Bad Blood
Movie
Actor

Untitled eSports Project
Movie
Actor

Strays
Movie
Producer

First Ladies
Movie
Producer

Untitled Disney Evil Stepsisters Film
Movie
Producer

Will
Movie
Producer

Toni Erdmann
Movie
Actor

The Prince of Fashion
Movie
Allan

The 100 Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared
Movie
Chuck Blazer

American Huckster
Movie
Gallery







Information
Known for Acting
Gender Male
Birthday 1967-07-16 (54 years old)
Birth name John William Ferrell
Place of birth Irvine, California, United States of America
Height 1.92-metre, 1.92-meter
Spouse Viveca Paulin
Children Axel Ferrell, Mattias Ferrell, Magnus Ferrell
Siblings Patrick Ferrell
Citizenships United States of America
Also known as John William "Will" Ferrell, John William Ferrell, Τζον Γουίλιαμ "Γούιλ" Φέρελ, 윌 페럴, 威尔费瑞尔, ウィルフェレル, گے فیری, Уилл Феррелл, Ќе Ферел, Θα Ferrell, William Ferrell, ويل فيريل
Awards star on Hollywood Walk of Fame, Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, Primetime Emmy Award

Will Ferrell
Biography
Filmography
Information
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