Credit: Alamy
Will Ferrell Has Famous Brother Who You’ll Have Seen In His Films Without Knowing
Over the years, Will Ferrell has undoubtedly cemented himself as one of the biggest comedy actors in the world.
But few people know that he also has a famous brother, and there’s a good chance you will have already seen his movies.
Will Ferrell’s rise to stardom
Will, celebrated for his unforgettable comedy performances, had an unconventional path into Hollywood.
He first honed his craft with the renowned improv troupe The Groundlings, where he developed many of the quirky characters that would later become fan favorites.
His career reached a turning point in 1995 when he joined the cast of Saturday Night Live.
Over the course of seven seasons, Will became one of the sketch show’s standout stars, earning acclaim for his impressions of George W. Bush, as well as memorable characters including cheerleader Craig Buchanan and Alex Trebek in the iconic Celebrity Jeopardy sketches.
After departing SNL in 2002, Will quickly transitioned to the big screen with Old School, launching a run of blockbuster comedy films that remain popular more than 20 years later.
Before long, he had cemented his status as one of Hollywood’s biggest comedy stars.
Elf becomes Will Ferrell’s biggest hit
One of Will’s biggest and most widely known roles came in November 2003, in the form of the iconic festive hit, Elf.
The Christmas flick sees Buddy traveling to New York City in search of his biological father, after discovering he doesn’t quite fit among the other elves.
During his search, Buddy attempts to spread Christmas cheer, which ultimately leads to complete and utter chaos along the way.
In the two decades that have followed, Elf has remained up there as one of the most popular Christmas films of all time.
It was so popular, in fact, that Will previously revealed he was offered an astounding $29 million to star in a sequel, but he has remained steadfast in his decision that it’s never going to happen.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Ferrell explained: “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.’”
But while virtually all of us have seen it, most don’t know about Will’s brother’s appearance in the film.
Pat and Will Ferrell bonded over movies
Will grew up having a close bond with his younger brother Patrick Ferrell, known better as Pat.
Back in 2009, the actor opened up about his love of watching comedy with his sibling, admitting that just seeing Pat laugh would always set him off.
He told the Victorville Daily Press: “I would love watching stuff with my brother because things would tickle him, and it would get me going
“I would laugh at watching my brother laugh.”
The pair even went on to study at the same university, the University of Southern California, where Will majored in sports broadcasting and Pat studied film, cinema and video studios, before completing a Master’s in cinematography.
Pat Ferrell’s movie appearances
Will Ferrell’s younger brother Pat might not share the same level of fame as his sibling, but he certainly does have his fair share of well-known titles under his belt.
Pat, who is three years younger at 56, appeared in Elf as one of the security guards who escorts Buddy out of the department store.
He also appeared as Drunk Pat in an alternative version of Anchorman called Wake Up, Ron Burgundy, and a precinct detective in The Other Guys.
Pat has also appeared in 12 separate episodes of SNL.
In addition to his acting credits, the younger Ferrell brother has also directed two short films, Allergy Guy in 2012 and You’re Welcome: How Not to Throw a Rave in 2014.
He is also credited as producer on short films Liberty (2012) and No Age for Us (2013).
Other on-screen appearances include Liberty, Ass Backwards, Datch and Richual, however the majority of Pat’s career sees him behind the camera in production roles.
Related Article: Will Ferrell Says He’ll Never Return As Famous Character After Fall Out With Co-Star
Related Article: Barbie Fans Speechless After Finding Out That Ken Has A Last Name
Want more stuff like this?
Get the best viral stories straight into your inbox!
