Feature interview by Samantha Hamilton
With Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby hitting UK cinemas this week, producer, writer and star Will Ferrell crossed the pond to tell us what it’s all about.
In the flesh Ferrell is like many of his characters, a likeable mix of man and boy, imposing in height, confident and quick off the mark, yet dressed in cut off shorts and a tracksuit jacket, looking more PE teacher than film star. We start by talking about Talladega Nights, the second outing for Ferrell and writer/director Adam McKay. The duo first met on the now iconic comedy-variety show Saturday Night Live, where McKay was head writer and Ferrell the new cast member on the block. Their first foray as a filmmaking team was on Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy and Talladega Nights continues firmly in this vein, being packed with one liners, visual gags and a strong ensemble cast, all seemingly having a ball as they traverse the absurd world of NASCAR racing driver Ricky Bobby. As with Ron Burgundy the character of Ricky Bobby is a 90’s representation of an iconic type of American 1970’s masculinity, big on charisma, tight pants and chest hair, short on brain cells and self-awareness.
Ferrell kindly dissects the world of NASCAR for the UK audience, so for those not in the know: NASCAR is stock car racing, a real man’s Formula One, huge in the US, being second only to the National Football League in the popularity stakes. As with most things American, NASCAR is big personalities and big bucks; it generates two billion a year in sponsorship deals and is a testosterone fuelled world of fast cars, hard men and foxy chicks – deliciously rich pickings for Ferrell and McKay. Getting the authenticity right depended on the support of NASCAR and the film utilises the real tracks, the real cars and the real fans. These guys drive at up to 180 miles and hour, so in order to cut the mustard the cast had to master the cars and the track. Says Ferrell: “They taught us how to take a line on the track, how to approach curves. I think I was going 135 miles an hour, you kind of get hooked right away”. The main priority amongst the cast became the struggle to beat a certain Ms Britney Spears track record of 112 miles per hour. Pleased that his 135 miles per hour left Spears to eat dust, Ferrell was asked if he had an unfair advantage in having no baby on board (!) “No, it was duck-taped to the back of the car” – nice move.
Watching Ferrell in Talladega Nights one is again reminded of Chevy Chase in his hay day. He has that same comic ability that allows him to deliver the absurd, the sexist and the arrogant whilst retaining an unshakable charm. Farrell is nothing but flattered by comparisons with Chase, a key figure from his formative comedy years. “At the auditions for Saturday Night Live Lorne [Lorne Michaels, creator] said I reminded him of Chase. I had watched Saturday Night Live religiously and was definitely influenced by Chevy Chase and Steve Martin. Also Johnny Carson and The Tonight Show. Before cable, before the Comedy Channe,l the Tonight Show was the outlet to watch Stand up comedy. It's where I first saw Jerry Seinfeld and Jay Leno. I had no particular favourite but I would pick and choose styles and the subtleties they used".
Ferrell ended up as Saturday Night Live's highest paid cast member, the only one nominated for an Emmy and the only one who had a farewell show dedicated to him on his departure in 2002. His success led to a natural progression into cinema with minor roles in Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged me, Zoolander and Jay and Silent Bob Strike back before taking centre stage in frat pack movie Old School. He considers this progression was “a good way to introduce myself to film sets and film audiences, and to move from sketch comedy to a comedy audience”. Despite the move to film, Ferrell and McKay still echo the strong ensemble nature of Saturday Night Live in their writing. Talladega Nights awards some of its ensemble cast some of the juiciest lines, in particular Gary Cole as Bobby’s father Reece and John. C. Reilly as his pal and fellow driver Cal. As the out takes at the end show, they also get free rein to improvise and out do Ferrell if they can. Does he get miffed at having the supporting players grab the choice material? "we love giving away jokes, Adam and I. The shows we grew up with were ensemble shows, films like Caddyshack and Ghostbusters. Rather than having one funny comedian, one character leading all the jokes, instead you laughed at other people. It’s more fulfilling that way. Maybe it’s also an influence from [my time in] the theatre as it’s a spirit of give and take”
Ferrell’s career is set to take an interesting further development with his upcoming lead role in Director Marc Forster's (Finding Neverland, Monsters Ball) new film Stranger Than Fiction. Also starring Dustin Hoffman, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Emma Thomson, it marks a distinct departure for Ferrell away from the sketch comedy format to a more cerebral role in a movie that merges black comedy with a thoughtful and deftly handled exploration of the philosophies of choice and fate. The move to a more controlled acting style is a new avenue, and one he enjoyed exploring. “I was surprised to be offered the role. Everyone wants to work with Mark Forster. I didn’t give it the hard sell but I let them know I was would be good. Then I got it and I thought arggghhhh!” In Stranger than Fiction IRS auditor Harold Crick finds himself the subject of a narration only he can hear that begins to affect his entire life, from his work to his love interest to his death. Says Ferrell: “It’s deeper emotionally and was the best creative experience I’ve ever had. In terms of a comedian being taken seriously, I always thought I could do it, but I did not actively seek it, it was just the right time. I’m very proud of it and excited at the same time. “
Before we start to take him too seriously its necessary to touch on the Ferrell body, which appears unclad with regularity in his films, from running naked along the street in Old School, to admiring his ‘guns’ whilst pumping iron semi naked in Anchorman, its guaranteed an appearance . In Talladega nights, we have Ferrell having a breakdown in some fetching Y fronts. Asked if near nudity is a prerequisite of his contract’s he confirms, "it's tied in with UNICEF, they receive money each time I appear in them, its my gift to the world creatively and financially" Asked if Mrs Ferrell is impressed he replies, "She is sooo totally over it" Let’s just hope the same isn’t true of his comedy days.
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