Will Ferrell once turned down an absolute truck load of cash to make a second Elf movie, but couldn't do it because his heart wasn't in it.
As we all know, the first Elf film was a smash hit, way overperforming on a $33 million budget.
That meant that there was some clamour for a second movie, although Ferrell eventually turned it down because he couldn't do it in good conscience.
Advert
Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, he said: "I would have had to promote the movie from an honest place, which would've been, like, 'Oh no, it's not good. I just couldn't turn down that much money.' And I thought, 'Can I actually say those words? I don't think I can, so I guess I can't do the movie.'"
The sequel was written, and $29 million would have been on the table for him, should he have taken the role.
As it happens, the actor was once worried that his role as Buddy the Elf in the film Elf could be the end of his career.
Advert
Obviously, we now know that it wasn't, but it still must have seemed like quite a limb to go out on at the time.
The premise is a silly elf wandering around New York City, for crying out loud.
Anyway, it was a great success, but Ferrell admitted to James Corden in 2018 that he did wonder whether it was a good move for him.
He says he remembers a time when he was 'running around New York in his silly yellow tights, thinking, 'Boy, this could be the end,'' whilst filming the movie.
Advert
Of course, after breaking out on shows like The Groundlings and Saturday Night Live! Ferrell stepped out in to feature films, playing roles in Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery - a small role, admittedly - and Old School.
Whilst he completely stole the show in Old School, he remembers a time when director Todd Phillips had to fight to keep him in the film.
Ferrell told The Hollywood Reporter: "There were people who didn't like the idea of me in that role, but I never found out who."
Not that it really matters, he smashed it.
It's not like he's struggled since then, either.
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy is perhaps the role that he's best known for, and he also starred in Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, and - more recently - that ridiculous Eurovision film.
He's won fans both inside and outside of the Hollywood bubble, too.
On the set of Anchorman, Paul Rudd realised what a talent he was working with.
He said: "I remember being on the set of Anchorman, and he'd just say these things in the moment, like [the now-famous line] 'Milk was a bad choice,' and I thought, 'God, this is a really funny person being funny in ways I haven't seen people be funny before,'
"And what really struck me was that Will was doing it seemingly without a neurotic bone in his body. It didn't make sense that someone that funny really didn't seem insecure in the ways that so many funny people are."
Featured Image Credit: New Line CinemaTopics: Christmas, TV and Film, Celebrity, US Entertainment, Will Ferrell, Elf