History Creator / WillFerrell

* BreakTheHaughty: A regular motif in ''Anchorman'' and several other films of his like StepBrothers, TalladegaNightsTheBalladOfRickyBobby and SemiPro.

* BreakTheHaughty: A regular motif in ''Anchorman'' and several other films of his.

* HiddenDepths: He has dabbled in songwriting and does his own singing on at least one occasion.

** Considering the [[ManChild basic]] [[{{Keet}} personality]] that is displayed in most of his movies, ''Film/StrangerThanFiction'' is often thought of as exposing this for him.

* NakedPeopleAreFunny: [[Film/TalladegaNightsTheBalladOfRickyBobby He ran around in tighty-whiteys on at least two occasions]], [[''Film/OldSchool'' and completely butt-naked that one time]].

* BreakTheHaughty: A regular motif in ''Anchorman'' and several others.
* HiddenDepths: Has dabbled in songwriting and does his own singing on at least one occasion.
** Considering the [[ManChild basic]] [[{{Keet}} personality]] in most of his movies, ''Film/StrangerThanFiction'' is often thought of as exposing this for him.

** {{Played For Drama}} in ''Film/EverythingMustGo'', when he played a tragically realistic version of TheAlcoholic.
* InelegantBlubbering: He does this in almost every movie he's in. Also counts for ManlyTears.
* {{Jerkass}}: Typically plays these.
* TheLadette: His portrayal of Janet Reno summed up with his catchphrase.
-->'''Janet Reno''': (In his deepest voice.) "It's time to eat it, Reno style."
* LargeHam: Even more typically, plays those.
* ManChild: In ''Elf'' and ''Step Brothers''; his second best known act after:
** MinorInjuryOverreaction

* NakedPeopleAreFunny: Running around in tightey-whiteys in at least two occasions. And once completely butt naked.
** An SNL sketch (on the season 27 episode hosted by Seann William Scott) was framed entirely around Ferrell in a [[WearingAFlagOnYourHead flag emblazoned]] g-string. Which accidentally snapped apart on-camera. (He had padding on underneath.)
* OnlySaneMan: Rarely, but can step up as one; Alex Trebek from SNL's ''Celebrity Jeopardy'' skits is a prime example -- he tried to keep the game running while dealing with idiots and jerks.
* RealisticDictionIsUnrealistic: Described by Creator/KevinSmith as "the king of the unfinished thought," a lot of his performances are characterized by deliberately awkward, stilted lines to indicate that the character isn't quite all there.

* ScreamsLikeALittleGirl: Soooo much.

On ''SNL'', his recurring characters include Baron Nocturna from "Goth Talk," Frank Henderson (a dad who threatens his kids with horrible punishments if they don't get off his shed), Jacob Silj (a man who has NoIndoorVoice due to a medical condition), Gene Frenkle (Blue Oyster Cult's cowbell player), Terrence Maddox (a drifter who poses nude for art classes), Roger Klavin (one half of The Luvahs), Marty Culp (one half of the singing Culp couple), and Steve Butabi (one half of the Roxbury Brothers). His most memorable celebrity impressions include Alex Trebek, Harry Caray, James Lipton, UsefulNotes/GeorgeWBush (which, sadly, he didn't get to play for all eight years of Bush, Jr.'s administration[[note]]He did play him when Ferrell came back to host and on some post-''SNL'' projects, but after Ferrell left in 2002, Chris Parnell, Darrell Hammond, Will Forte, and Jason Sudeikis were hired to fill the void, which garnered a lot of mixed reactions from fans[[/note]]), Kenneth Star, Neil Diamond, Robert Goulet, and Janet Reno.

* ScreamsLikeALittleGirl

* ''Film/DaddysHome'' (2015) Brad Whittaker

** {{Played For Drama}} in ''Film/EverythingMustGo, when he played a tragically realistic version of TheAlcoholic.

** An SNL sketch (on the season 27 episode hosted by Seann William Scott) was framed entirely around Ferrell in a [[WearingAFlagOnYourHead flag emblazoned]] g-string. Which accidentally snapped apart on-camera. (He had padding on underneath)
* OnlySaneMan: Rarely, but can step up as one; Alex Trebek from SNL's ''Celebrity Jeopardy'' skits is a prime example- he tried to keep the game running while dealing with idiots and jerks.

** An SNL sketch (on the season 27 episode hosted by [[AmericanPie Seann William Scott]]) was framed entirely around Ferrell in a [[WearingAFlagOnYourHead flag emblazoned]] g-string. Which accidentally snapped apart on-camera. (He had padding on underneath)

** Watch him sing opera in StepBrothers. It's awesome.

One of the most successful ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'' alumni since Creator/AdamSandler, '''John William "Will" Ferrell''' (born July 16, 1967) is a [[{{Comedy}} comedic]] actor well known for his ability to say, do, and bear witness to the craziest things with a totally straight face, although he is certainly quite capable of [[LargeHam hamming it up]]. His popularity on ''SNL'' (during the show's third GoldenAge when LorneMichaels once again had to save his show from cancellation following the harsh criticism and low ratings of the show's 20th season by firing long-standing/poorly-performing cast members, keeping in the stand-out performers, and hiring some new blood -- both on and off-set) ensured that he would become a box-office juggernaut in the world of funny movies. He is also part of the FratPack.

* PlayingAgainstType: In ''StrangerThanFiction'', ''Elf'' and ''Megamind''. Also playing the ever-frustrated straightman Alex Trebek in the SNL ''Celebrity Jeopardy!'' skits.

* StarMakingRole: ''Anchorman''. A great argument can be put of for Elf too which predates ''Anchorman'' by a year

* DoingItForTheArt[=/=]JekyllAndHyde: [[http://www.playboy.com/articles/the-jekyll-and-hide-career-of-deadly-adoption-star-will-ferrell This article]] talks about his dual existence as an SNL alumni who makes broad, overly-commercial movies while also being a producer of various offbeat WidgetSeries.

* ''The Spoils Before Dying'' (2015) Eric Jonrosh

* ''Old School'' (2003) Frank "The Tank" Richard

* ''Kicking & Screaming'' (2005) Phil Weston

With his creative partner/former SNL writer Adam [=McKay=] he runs a production company [[http://www.garysanchezprods.com/ Gary Sanchez Productions]] [[note]] Named after a fictional Paraguayan financier. [=McKay=] later explained that Gary Sanchez was a fake name in Ferrell's Blackberry, and they decided it was a random enough name to give to the company. [[/note]] as well as the popular website [[http://www.funnyordie.com/?_cc=__t___&_ccid=govsgk.ntvqhn Funny or Die]].

* ''ANightAtTheRoxbury'' (1998; [[TheMovie adapted]] from his SNL routine with Chris Kattan) Steve Butabi

* ''StepBrothers'' (2008) Brennan Huff

* PlayingAgainstType: In ''StrangerThanFiction'', ''Elf'' and ''Megamind''.

With his creative partner/former SNL writer Adam [=McKay=] he runs a production company [[http://www.garysanchezprods.com/ Gary Sanchez Productions]] [[note]] Named after a fictional Paraguayan financier. [=McKay=] later explained that Gary Sanchez was a fake name in Ferrell's Blackberry, and they decided it was a random enough name to give to the company. [[/name]] as well as the popular website [[http://www.funnyordie.com/?_cc=__t___&_ccid=govsgk.ntvqhn Funny or Die]].

* JekyllAndHyde: [[http://www.playboy.com/articles/the-jekyll-and-hide-career-of-deadly-adoption-star-will-ferrell This article]] talks about his dual existence as an SNL alumni who makes broad, overly-commercial movies who's also a producer of various offbeat WidgetSeries.
* JerkAss: Typically plays these.

** {{Played For Drama}} in ''Film/EverythingMustGo, when he played a tragically realistic version of {{The Alcoholic}}.

-->'''Janet Reno:(in Ferrel's deepest voice)''' Its time to eat it Reno style.

* InelegantBlubbering: He does this in almost every movie he's in. Also counts as ManlyTears.