Will Ferrell Smokes Cigarette While Dressed as Elf’s Buddy at NHL Game

Buddy the Elf’s appearance at a NHL game was quite the departure from the happy-go-lucky personality fans know and love.

While watching the L.A. Kings versus Philadelphia Flyers game at Los Angeles’ Crypto.com Arena on Sunday, December 29, Will Ferrell was spotted looking less than thrilled as he sat next to his wife, Viveca Paulin, and their youngest son, 14-year-old Axel. (The couple also share sons Magnus, 20, and Mattias, 18.)

“If you’ve been to Crypto.com arena over the last few seasons, you know that Buddy the Elf is a huge Kings fan,” FanDuel Sports Network reporter Carrlyn Bathe said during the game, per social media. “But we’ve never, ever seen him like this.”

The camera panned to Ferrell, 57, who was sitting watching the game in his Elf costume featuring a matching green hat. The actor held a cup of beer while a cigarette hung out of his mouth.

“He’s got a cigarette rink side, he’s got a 5 o’clock shadow,” she continued. “Looking a little bit disgruntled. Said it was a tough holiday season, you guys.”

Bathe noted that the actor is “looking for a Kings win.” She added, “Right now, with this score, it’s a little tied. I don’t think he’s happy with the way things are going personally and on the ice.”

Elf centered around Buddy, who discovers he’s human and ventures to New York City to reconnect with his biological father, Walter Hobbs (James Caan).

During a 2021 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Ferrell recalled filming Elf in the Big Apple and running around in his costume thinking, “Boy, this could be the end.”

Before the premiere, there were a series of test screenings, after which Ferrell’s manager would update him on audience reactions.

“He was like, ‘Well, the family one went great, but we could really get eviscerated in this next one. I’m looking at a bunch of what look like USC frat boys about to go in,’” Ferrell recalled of his alma mater. “Then later I hear, no, that group actually liked it, too.”

While fans of the holiday film have been hoping for more, Ferrell revealed that a sequel won’t be happening anytime soon.

Ferrell shared that he wasn’t a fan of the storyline pitched for the second film and claimed to have ultimately turned down a $29 million offer to return.

“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,’” he said. “And I thought, ‘Can I actually say those words? I don’t think I can, so I guess I can’t do the movie.’”