Trivia

A kicker for the Varsity football team, and still holds the school record for the most field goals made.

Does not do stand-up comedy like most of the Saturday Night Live (1975) cast and alumni. He considers it to be "hard, lonely and vicious".

His first son was born during the filming Kicking & Screaming (2005), which is why it is his favorite of the films he appeared in. He said that he is eager for his son to see it, because he will always associate it with his birth.

Was not a class clown in high school but a scholar and an athlete.

His father, Lee Ferrell, was a longtime keyboardist and saxophonist for The Righteous Brothers.

He was the first and last guest on The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien (2009).

Was chosen over future co-star Steve Carell in 1995 to join Saturday Night Live (1975).

He can be heard (uncredited) in the movie Kingpin (1996) in the background during the final bowling scene between Bill Murray and Woody Harrelson's characters shouting, "Ernie, you're the man!".

Became Saturday Night Live (1975)'s highest paid cast member ever in 2001. Producers were desperate to keep him, resulting in a salary of over $350,000.

On February 13, 2013, while working security during a Lakers game at the Staples Center, Will Ferrell escorted a good-natured Shaquille O'Neal away from his courtside seat. The name on Ferrell's official red jacket read "Ted Vagina".

Has a surgical scar on his upper right abdomen from a surgery he had as a baby to treat pyloric stenosis, a condition that causes frequent vomiting.

Attended and graduated from the University of Southern California with a degree in Sports Information.

Studied at USC in the hopes of becoming a sports broadcaster. He graduated and interned at NBC Sports, but then drew laughs after ad-libbing a joke on-air during one of his broadcasting courses and switched to comedy.

Every summer, Will and his wife celebrate mid-summer in Sweden, a typical Swedish tradition.

Was roommates with Jon Stewart during his early years on Saturday Night Live (1975).

Turned down $28 million dollars to be in Elf 2 in late 2013.

Is only seven years younger than Jane Lynch who plays his mother in Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006).

Celebrity impersonations include Alex Trebek, Jesse Ventura, Charlton Heston, Mark McGwire, George W. Bush, Janet Reno, Harry Caray and (perhaps most famously) James Lipton.

His style is unique among modern movie funnymen, a majority of whom have some sort of background in stand-up comedy. Ferrell's humor is character-driven and his genius lies in his improvised riffs from the minds of his typically cracked characters. His appearances on talk shows are often awkward, as he is uncomfortable appearing in public as himself.

Met his wife, Viveca Paulin, in an acting class in 1994.

According to Forbes magazine, his movies averaged $8 of gross income for every dollar the actor got paid. (December 2007)

Has a brief cameo in Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult (1994) as a man chasing a lawnmower down a flight of stairs during a parody of The Untouchables (1987).

On October 24, 2011, he was the 14th recipient of the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor at the Kennedy Center. Previous recipients include: Tina Fey, Bill Cosby, George Carlin, Billy Crystal, Neil Simon, Steve Martin, Lorne Michaels, Lily Tomlin, Bob Newhart, Whoopi Goldberg, Carl Reiner, Jonathan Winters and Richard Pryor.

Ranked #17 on EW's The 50 Smartest People in Hollywood (2007).

His wife, Viveca Paulin, is Swedish.

Has three sons -- Magnus, Mattias and Axel. Mattias was born on December 30, 2006.

Is a member of what the media refers to as "The Frat Pack", along with Jack Black, Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn, Steve Carell, Owen Wilson and Luke Wilson. The "Frat Pack" name is a reference to the film Old School (2003) featuring Vince Vaughn, Ferrell and Luke Wilson, due to the wide number of films featuring the seven actors. Ferrell's "Frat Pack" films include Zoolander (2001), Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004), Starsky & Hutch (2004) and Wedding Crashers (2005).

Is a huge fan of the soccer clubs Celtic (from Glasgow) and Chelsea (From London). Can be seen wearing the jerseys from the clubs at events on television.

In Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001), he played Marshal Willenholly, a reference to Marshall, Will, and Holly from the television series Land of the Lost (1974). Ferrell played Marshall in the movie adaptation of Land of the Lost (2009).

He and his wife Viveca Paulin ran in the New York City Marathon in 2001, finishing together in 5 hours, 1 minute and 56 seconds.

Has played the son of two The Godfather (1972) cast members: James Caan in Elf (2003), and Robert Duvall in Kicking & Screaming (2005).

Final appearance on Saturday Night Live (1975) on May 18, 2002, followed by career move into full-time movie-acting.

Received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6767 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California on March 26, 2015.

Once said that one of his favourite films is Patton (1970).

Nominated for the 2009 Tony Award for Special Theatrical Event "You're Welcome America. A Final Night with George W Bush".

Third son, Axel Ferrell, was born on January 23, 2010 in Los Angeles.

Has been attacked by animals in several of his films. He is attacked by grizzly bears (while filming giant pandas) in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004), a cougar in Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006), a grizzly bear in Semi-Pro (2008), etc...

Worked as a teller at Wells Fargo when he was in high school.

Was voted the 3rd funniest person in America by Entertainment Weekly.

He has English, with smaller amounts of Irish, German, and Welsh, ancestry.

The Evil Genius Beer Company named two of their beers from his dialogue: Santa!! I Know Him! festive saison from Elf (2003), and Ma! The Meatloaf! mango Belgian wit from Wedding Crashers (2005).

Speaks basic Swedish.

Is a member of the Delta Tau Delta international fraternity.

Friends with John C. Reilly, and Mark Ryan Walberg.

Has three dogs.

Is a member of an adult soccer league that plays at Crossroads School for Arts and Sciences - an exclusive private school in Santa Monica, California.

(April 21, 2003) Competed at the Boston Marathon. His official time was 4 hours, 2 minutes and 29 seconds.

Has appeared on the cover of GQ magazine three times: July 2004, July 2006 and December 2006.

Lives in Los Angeles, Bend, Oregon and New York City.

In January 2008, he spent two weeks traveling throughout Ireland with his father, Lee, and brother Patrick.