An improvised line in ‘Elf’ almost got cut, and now it’s gone viral
By Lisa Respers France, CNN
(CNN) — Thanks to meme culture, a whole new generation is enjoying the beloved 2003 holiday movie, “Elf.”
We are now learning the behind-the-scenes story about one particular scene that has gone viral.
According to Mark Acheson, who played “Mailroom Guy” in the film, not only was much of his scene improvised, it almost didn’t make it into the movie.
“I called my agent and he said, ‘Listen, they would like you to come and do one line with Will Ferrell. Would you like to do it?,’” Acheson told People magazine. “And I said, yeah, I’d be happy to do that. I was only supposed to say ‘work release’ and that was the end of it.”
Ferrell plays Buddy the Elf, sent to the mailroom at his father’s office to stay occupied. “Elf” director Jon Favreau got Acheson to improvise with Ferrell.
During the scene, Acheson’s character tells Ferrell’s character he’s 26 years old but has “nothing to show for it.”
“You’re young, you’re so young,” Ferrell’s Buddy tells the “Mailroom Guy.”
But not everyone loved the banter, and Acheson said the improvised dialogue initially landed on the chopping block.
“The producers wanted to axe the whole scene because of that. I think, ‘Who is gonna believe this guy is 26?’ I mean, seriously,” Acheson said. “I believe I was 46 at the time and an older, 46 even at that. Because I never looked young in my life.”
Favreau fought to keep it in the movie.
“He said that the joke, that’s the funny part, right?” Acheson recalled. “He kept me in. They didn’t want me, but he did and thank God for me because it changed my career quite a bit.”
The scene is now being shared all over social media.
The-CNN-Wire
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