Will Ferrell has opened up about the embarrassment he felt growing up with his real name, John William Ferrell. During a recent appearance on Christina Applegate and Jamie Lynn Sigler’s podcast, MeSsy, the actor shared a childhood memory that has stuck with him for years.
Ferrell, known for his comedic roles in films like “Elf” and “Anchorman,” revealed that his parents always called him Will, despite his legal name being John. This discrepancy led to awkward moments during the first days of school each year. “The first day of school, it’d be ‘John.’ Like, John Farrell,” Ferrell recounted. “It was so embarrassing to me to have to say, ‘Here, but I go by Will. I don’t go by John.’”
The actor described the experience as “excruciating,” adding that he hated having to remind the teacher that he was not John. “For the first week of school, it took like a week before the teacher remembered, ‘That’s right, you’re Will.’ And that was excruciating,” he explained. “So the beginning of the school year was always like, ‘Oh my gosh, I hate this. I have to remind the teacher that I’m not John.'”
When asked why he disliked his birth name, Ferrell explained that it “wasn’t my choice,” as his parents called him Will despite picking John as his first name. “I grew up as Will, but on a rule sheet, my legal name is John Ferrell,” he said. Ferrell admitted that looking back, he was perplexed as to why it was “so embarrassing” to clarify that he went by Will. “I don’t know why that was so embarrassing to me to have to explain, ‘I’m actually Will,'” he added. “People are probably going to be listening to this going, ‘This is the lamest thing ever.'”
Ferrell also shared another childhood challenge: his hair. “The one thing that was an issue in my life was I went from having really straight blond hair to—it naturally got curlier and curlier,” he said. “So in fourth grade I would’ve had a part, like a wavy part. By the time I left elementary school—the first day I junior high was very traumatic because I just had to go full ‘fro. I couldn’t comb it anymore.”
Despite these challenges, Ferrell found ways to cope and make friends. “Fourth grade Will would’ve been really into sports, very conscientious student,” he recalled. “But at an early age, still trying to make my friends laugh. I was like a conscientious class clown. I would goof around to a point. If the teacher said ‘Please stop,’ I was like, ‘You got it.’”
Ferrell’s experience is not unique in Hollywood, where many stars go by stage names. For instance, Katy Perry was born Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson, and Cardi B’s real name is Belcalis Almanzar. Even Meghan Markle was known as Rachel before she became the Duchess of Sussex.
Ferrell’s story highlights the often-overlooked challenges that come with having a name that doesn’t match what you’re called. It’s a minor issue in the grand scheme of things, but for a young child, it can feel like a significant burden. “It wasn’t my choice,” Ferrell reiterated. “My parents named [me] John but they called me Will. I grew up as Will, but on a rule sheet, my legal name is John Ferrell.”
Despite the embarrassment, Ferrell has clearly moved past it and built a successful career. He has portrayed many iconic characters in film, including Buddy from “Elf,” Brennan Huff from “Step Brothers,” and Ricky Bobby from “Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby.” His most recent film was “Despicable Me 4,” released in July 2024.
Ferrell also touched on his experience working on “Elf,” one of his first major projects after leaving “Saturday Night Live.” “The script really needed some work, so I left [SNL] with the concept [of Elf’s story] but not necessarily a great script,” he recalled. Ferrell reworked the script but still had concerns over whether the now-holiday classic would work. His co-stars, including James Caan, initially didn’t get his humor but later praised his performance.
Outside of his showbiz career, Ferrell is a father of three. He shares sons Magnus, 20, Mattias, 17, and Axel, 14, with his wife of nearly 24 years, Viveca Paulin. Speaking of raising boys, he told People back in 2017: “There is usually a high volume in the house. Whether they’re having a great time or whether they’re losing their minds, they are always yelling.”
Ferrell’s story is a reminder that even the most successful people have had their share of childhood embarrassments and challenges. It’s how they overcome these obstacles that often shapes who they become.
Source: MeSsy Podcast, People
