It was the famous scene where Will Ferrell’s loveable character Buddy devoured spaghetti deluged in maple syrup in the much-watched festive movie, Elf.
The concoction, which also featured marshmallows, Smarties and a smashed up Pop Tart, became so globally famous that restaurants across the world sold their own versions of the meal.
And now, speaking for the first time about the iconic moment in the 2003 film, Will has revealed that the dish happened by chance because there was nothing in the script for him to create the dish.
Instead, the Hollywood actor says that he instead improvised it with no help from his production staff.
Speaking to Ruth Rogers – the owner of Michelin starred Italian restaurant The River Café – on her podcast Ruthie’s Table 4, Will described the moment as his favourite food scene from his illustrious career.
Will Ferrell, 56, has admitted he created the iconic maple syrup covered spaghetti dish in festive classic Elf himself as he reveals the scene was improvised during an appearance on Ruth Rogers’s podcast Ruthie’s Table 4
The concoction, which also featured marshmallows, Smarties and a smashed up Pop Tart, became so globally famous that restaurants across the world sold their own versions of the meal
Will, 56, told the restaurateur: ‘The one that is kind of sweet is eating the spaghetti and maple syrup in Elf.
‘Because, we didn’t really plan out what, they just put a bunch of stuff in front of me and I just kind of improvised that and ate as much as I could so hundreds of kids every year asked me what it tastes like.
‘That’s the one that stands out the most.’
The unusual concoction was showcased in the hit 2003 comedy which followed elf Buddy as he headed from the North Pole to New York in a bid to track down his real father.
After meeting his father Walter and his partner, Emily, Buddy was left alone in their Manhattan apartment where he decided to create his own breakfast meal using everything sweet he could find in the kitchen.
He threw on marshmallows, Smarties, broken up pop tarts and maple syrup before slurping up the pasta, looking delighted with his meal.
Meanwhile Will, who won an Emmy award for his role as executive producer of Sky Atlantic drama Succession, also revealed he is yet to return to work following last year’s strikes.
Hollywood stars refused to work between July 14 to November 9 after the the American actors’ union SAG-AFTRA (Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) decided to strike over a labour dispute with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP).
Will admitted: ‘Because, we didn’t really plan out what, they just put a bunch of stuff in front of me and I just kind of improvised that and ate as much as I could so hundreds of kids every year asked me what it tastes like’
In the iconic film Buddy was left alone in his father’s Manhattan apartment as he decides create his own breakfast meal using everything sweet he could find in the kitchen
The actor, who had just finished a voiceover role for a movie named Strays alongside Isla Fisher (pictured with canine cast member Sophie at CinemaCon 2023)
The actor, who had just finished a voiceover role for a movie named Strays alongside Isla Fisher, told Ruthie’s Table 4 that he is ‘still kind of on a holding pattern because of the SAG strike.
He added: ‘I have been at home more and kind of waiting for the next thing to happen.’
The father-of-three was also quizzed by Ruthie on whether any of this three sons Magnus, 19, Mattias, 17, and Axel, 14, had ever worked as waiters.
He replied that they hadn’t but it would be a ‘nice wake up call’ for them.
To listen to the podcast go to Ruthie’s Table 4 (chtbl.com)
