It’s hard to imagine a world in which Will Ferrell is not one of the most famous comedies. For that, we’d have to head all the way back to the ‘90s when the actor and funnyman was a mere player in LA’s popular The Groundlings troupe. Obviously he went on to join SNL, and then parlayed that career into great comedy movie gigs like Elf, Anchorman, and Talladega Nights. None of that was guaranteed when he was just starting out, but it was some advice from his dad that helped him to move forward with no fear.
In fact, to his recollection, the advice may not have worked on everyone, but it worked well for him. He'd already made the decision to try to give comedy a go, before he talked to his dad, and they had a candid conversation over lunch.
My dad gave me the best advice ever. I went and had lunch with him one day and was like, ‘I’m gonna move back up to LA, and Dad, I think I really want to give this a shot. I just know The Groundlings, I’m working on my way up through and I know it’s a place they come look for up and coming talent. What would you say to that?’
His dad didn’t shut him, but he did give him a piece of caring advice that’s clearly stuck with Ferrell in the decades since. His dad said basically he knew it was a “crapshoot,” and gave his kid an out, while still managing to be supportive, with the actor telling fellow SNL alum Ego Nwodim on her 'Thanks Dad' podcast:
Article continues belowHe said, ‘If it was based solely on talent, I wouldn’t worry about you.’ Which is really sweet. ‘But, there’s so much luck involved. Just give it a shot.’ He goes, ‘But, if you ever reach a point where you’re banging your head against the wall and it doesn’t feel fun anymore, it’s OK to quit.’
Does that read like good advice or bad advice? Even the comedian acknowledges that it’s the sort of comment that might not work from everyone, but because he was so loving while stating it might not work out, it actually made it so much easier for Will Ferrell. Not everything felt like life and death. He just out there and gave it the good college try.
Some people might react and go, ‘You don’t believe in me?’ For me, it took the pressure off. I was like, ‘This is probably not going to happen. I’m just gonna go have fun.
Ferrell went on to do The Groundlings in 1994. In ‘95, he was part of a newly minted SNL cast that also featured such heavy hitters as Cheri Oteri and Chris Kattan. He was in his late twenties at the time. So, fame didn’t happen for him overnight.
He left SNL in 2012, but has never forgotten that gig, and has frequently landed on the list of upcoming guest hosts. By the time he left, though, he already had a burgeoning film career, becoming a crown jewel in the Frat Pack in the early aughts (though some of his movies have aged better than others). He's also had an impact on a lot of other Hollywood careers, so he's definitely paying it forward. In short, he's had the sort of career in the industry many have dreamed of, and few have achieved.
These days, he's also a dad to three grown children: Magnus, Axel and Mattias. Here's hoping he's been able to impart some of the same life lessons his own dad clearly did.
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