25 December 2023 , 16:00
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To say Buddy from Elf is a fan of sugar is an understatement - but for actor Will Ferrell, eating just like the cheerful character was far from a delightful experience.
The 2003 festive classic Elf is a must-watch for many at Christmas, even now, 20 years after the comedy holiday film was first released. The Step Brothers actor stars as Buddy the Elf, a human who accidentally gets taken back to the North Pole with Santa, where he is raised as an elf.
As Buddy grows older, he makes the shocking discovery that not only does he has a human father - but he's also on the naughty list. Buddy travels to New York in search of his biological dad Walter, and while in the city he finds it quite hard adjusting to non-elf life.
Will Ferrell was 36 when he starred as Buddy the Elf (Rex)Fans of the film will know that one of the big differences between Buddy and other humans is his diet - as he loves everything laced with sugar. As the character himself explains: "We elves try to stick to the four main food groups: candy, candy canes, candy corns and syrup."
In one of the most iconic scenes, Buddy is seen loading up a plate of spaghetti with anything sugary he can get his hands on - from maple syrup to chocolate sauce and marshmallows. In another scene in Walter's office, the elf seemingly eats cotton balls, which actually turn out to be pure candy floss.
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This meant that Ferrell actually had to eat 100s of candy floss balls during the filming process, or "a few bushels worth," as he told Black Film. If you deem yourself as big a sugar fan as Buddy, this might sound like a dream situation to be paid for, but for the protagonist, it took a toll on his health.
The actor, who was then 35 years old, said he suffered from a lot of headaches and struggled to sleep during filming. He revealed in an interview: "That was tough. I ingested a lot of sugar in this movie and I didn't get a lot of sleep. I constantly stayed up. But anything for the movie, I'm there. If it takes eating a lot of maple syrup, then I will - if that's what the job calls for."
Buddy travelled to New York to meet his biological dad (Rex)In fact, in the scene where Buddy ate all the different candies and pastries with the spaghetti, Ferrell reportedly vomited and it had to be filmed twice. But it seems it was all worth it, as Elf was a huge hit, grossing $220million (£175m) worldwide, against a $33m (£26m) budget.
Many have called it one of Ferrell's best performances, but he actually turned down $29m (£23m) for a sequel. He told The Guardian: "I killed the idea of a sequel. $29m does seem a lot of money for a guy to wear tights, but it's what the marketplace will bear."
Later he explained: "I just think it would look slightly pathetic if I tried to squeeze back in the elf tights: Buddy the middle-aged elf."