Not surprisingly, Will Ferrell was that disruptive kid in class. Comedy was a way of coping with the bumps in life’s road.
He grew up in a single-parent household in Irvine, California, with his mother, Betty, a teacher. His father, Lee, was on the road as a longtime keyboardist and saxophonist for the Righteous Brothers.
“We never got that close to the edge,” Ferrell says of his childhood and the family’s tough financial times. “But it was definitely a case of you had to save up to get a new pair of tennis shoes. You had to pick the right shoes, make sure that they lasted.
“I was always cognizant of making things last,” he adds.
In that vein, Ferrell has built an enduring Hollywood career as a side-splitting funnyman. At age 57, he’s enjoying a surge with roles in “Barbie” and “Despicable Me 4,” as well as the critically acclaimed documentary “Will & Harper.”
Add to the list his new movie “You’re Cordially Invited,” streaming on Amazon Prime. The plot revolves around Jim (Ferrell), who is in charge of his daughter’s upcoming wedding, and Margot (Reese Witherspoon), who is calling the shots for her younger sister’s ceremony. When the weddings are accidentally double-booked into the same intimate venue, the pair go head-to-head in this chaotic comedy.
Ferrell has been married to Viveca Paulin since 2000, and they have three sons, Magnus, 20, Mattias, 17, and Axel, 14. His good life advice:
Warring parties
“You can expect a roller coaster ride. There are a lot of wedding movies, but this was just really interesting and funny,” Ferrell says of “You’re Cordially Invited.” “We’re willing to basically rip each other’s heads off to defend the turf.”
Funny business
What’s his secret to being so hilarious? “Most of all, you can’t try to be funny,” Ferrell says. “It has to feel real, and you have to totally commit.”
Born entertainer
Since he was young, Ferrell has loved having an audience. “I remember being that kid who was allowed to make the morning announcements over the PA at school. I did it in different voices,” he says. “They let me do it so I didn’t do my act too much in math or history class.” He draws parallels between back then and today. “Now, I just do my thing in a bigger way.”
Have a blast
Ferrell has a bachelor’s degree in sports information from the University of Southern California. But his dream was to pursue a career as a comedian. His mother was all for him giving it a shot, which is something he advises anyone in life. “I approached comedy like, ‘This is probably not going to happen for me, but I might as well have a blast,’ ” he says. “It’s not a bad way to try something new: Just go in and have a blast.”
Use your fear
Ferrell says he will never forget his early days in comedy. “I wasn’t extremely confident that I would succeed during this time period,” he acknowledges. He was barely able to afford an L.A. apartment, leaving little room for “extras” like food. “I would sit down to a meal of spaghetti topped with mustard with only $20 in my checking account,” he says with a laugh. “Yes, I was afraid. You’re never not afraid. That fear is something you can use to get to the next step.”
Start small
When he began as a cast member on “Saturday Night Live” in 1995, Ferrell made one thing clear: He would take the scraps. “I told the writers, ‘I don’t care. Cast me in super-small parts. I’ll deliver a pizza in a scene. You know, if you need someone just because it’s supportive, I’ll do it.’ … I just wanted the opportunity. You get that by starting small. Baby steps.”
No going back
There were stories that Ferrell turned down $29 million to reprise his role as Buddy the Elf in a follow-up to the beloved Christmas hit. Ferrell still hasn’t signed on for that sequel. He acknowledges the original film gave him pause. “I remember sitting in my tights in my dressing room looking at myself in the mirror at the time going, ‘What did I do? This better work or I’m done.’ ”
Helping hand
Ferrell is active in various charities, including his and his wife’s scholarship fund supporting women’s soccer players at USC. He also backs Cancer for College, which awards scholarships to cancer survivors. “You will never be truly successful until you learn to think beyond yourself,” he says.
Just listen
What is Ferrell’s style of parenting? “When they were babies, I found it was best to book them on the same plane as my wife and me,” he jokes. Seriously? “What you need to do is just listen and not try to be too perfect.”
Love and humor
Ferrell calls Paulin “almost the one who got away.” “We were just friends, dated and then we circled back to each other,” he says of the Sweden-born art collector and auctioneer. “We started over, courting each other, after being friends.” Ferrell says he sent her flowers every day for a week with cards like: “You’re the fifth-prettiest woman in the office.” “She loved it,” he says.
Keep dreaming
Ferrell has fame, fortune and family. What’s left on his list? He jokes that one major award has eluded him: People’s Sexiest Man Alive. “Vote for comedians,” he pleads.
