Will Ferrell Revives Buddy the Elf, Stirs Fan Controversy

Will Ferrell recently caused a stir with his unexpected portrayal of Buddy the Elf, appearing at a Los Angeles Kings hockey game in December while holding a beer and a candy cigarette. His grizzled interpretation of the character, intended as a humorous take on a disillusioned adult version of Buddy, was met with mixed reactions from fans, some of whom felt he strayed too far from the original character's cheerful persona. Ferrell reflected on the backlash, stating that many people were unhappy with his portrayal, but he defended it as Buddy simply having a bad day. He shared that the idea came from his desire to do something unusual and see how people would react, explaining it on the New Heights podcast and in interviews. Despite the criticism, he found the reaction to be overwhelmingly engaging and amusing. Ferrell's recent work includes the wedding comedy film 'You're Cordially Invited,' which is currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video.