The 2003 holiday classic Elf is full of unforgettable scenes, but one that is so iconic that it barely managed to make the final cut features the “Mailroom Guy.” Mark Acheson, who acted, recently revealed how an ad-libbed banter session with Will Ferrell helped him create an iconic character and become a fan favorite.
At 46, Acheson was initially given a small role with just one line: “work release.” However, director Jon Favreau recognized his potential and encouraged improvisation, leading to a humorous exchange where Acheson’s character laments being 26 with “nothing to show for it,” to which Buddy the Elf, played by Ferrell, joyfully replies, “You’re young, you’re so young.”
Although the scene was a hilarious brilliance, producers were skeptical of the scene. “Who is going to believe that this guy is 26?” Acheson chuckled in an interview. “I never looked young a day in my life.” Favreau, however, went to bat for it by insisting on the absurdity as the comedic highpoint.
Since the scene also featured the pair drunkenly dancing atop a mail-sorting table, it has since gained new life as a meme. Fans online have humorously debated the plausibility of Acheson’s character being 26. “The most unrealistic detail in all of Elf is that the dude on the left is 26 years old,” one viral post quipped.
Acheson credits the role with really boosting his career, making him get parts in films like Hot Rod and Watchmen and TV series like Psych.
Elf, directed by Favreau and starring Ferrell James Caan, and Zooey Deschanel continues to be a Christmas Classic. The movie’s warmth and humor, as expressed in scenes such as that in the mailroom is what makes it a classic so many years later. Users can stream their holiday favorites on platforms like Hulu, Disney+, and Amazon Prime.
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