How old was Zooey Deschanel in Elf? Will Ferrell Christmas movie explored

Modified Dec 09, 2023 13:13 GMT

A still from the movie (Image via Warner Bros. Entertainment)

Zooey Deschanel is renowned for her role as Jovie in Elf. The movie is a cult classic Christmas movie that was released on November 7, 2003. It features Will Ferrell as Buddy the Elf, a human raised by elves who believe he is one of them. Furthermore, he discovers his real father, Walter Hobbs, lives in New York City and goes to find him.

During his quest for his father, he meets and falls in love with Jovie, the character played by Zooey. Moreover, Zooey's youthful energy made her performance as Jovie memorable. In an interview with Yardbarker, Zooey revealed she was 21 years of age while shooting the movie.

"I was only 21 when I made that movie," Zoey Deschanel on playing Jovie in Elf

In the interview with Yardbarker, Zooey Deschanel shared her views on choosing to act in the movie. According to Zooey, laughing out loud while reading a comedy script was a good sign. Furthermore, she revealed that she was 21 when she acted in the movie. At that time, she had just left college to pursue acting.

Deschanel read Elf's script at her parents' house and laughed out loud. It was her hilarious reaction that made her realize that it was a promising script.

"I feel like with comedies, if I laugh out loud while reading a script, that's a pretty darn good sign...I was only 21 when I made that movie. I remember sitting—I was at my parents' house because I basically just dropped out of college to be an actor—and I remember sitting at my parents' house reading that script and laughing out loud. Since then, I've seen that that's a good sign." Deschanel said.

Did Zooey Deschanel actually sing in Elf?

Yes, Zooey Deschanel sang in the movie. She performed a beautiful rendition of Baby, It's Cold Outside in a shower scene with Will Ferrell. Moreover, it was Deschanel's singing that added depth to her character and brought a special charm to the film.

Who was originally supposed to be in Elf?

It's hard for fans of Elf to imagine anybody but Will Ferrell as the film's star. Surprisingly, Jim Carrey was originally supposed to star in the movie. The project was in development for several years. Carrey was considered for the role of Buddy the Elf. However, by the time the film was ready to be made, Will Ferrell was cast instead.

Furthermore, Ferrell's portrayal of Buddy became iconic. Will graced the audience with his unique comedic style and innocence. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter on October 28, 2021, he revealed how he was unsure of the movie's success.

"Elf followed later that year, and though the feel-good Christmas comedy would prove another home run, Ferrell still remembers running around New York in his silly yellow tights, thinking, 'Boy, this could be the end.' Before its release, they’d held a series of test screenings. Ferrell’s manager would call with updates: 'He was like, ‘Well, the family one went great, but we could really get eviscerated in this next one."

He further stated:

I’m looking at a bunch of what look like USC frat boys about to go in...Then later I hear, no, that group actually liked it, too."

All in all, the movie remains a testament to the impact of intuitive script choices and the magic of comedic timing on creating lasting cinematic experiences.

Edited by Tiasha