Movies

Elf producers wanted to “axe” classic mailroom scene

BBG News

As a gamer with a soft spot for holiday-themed films, I can’t help but feel a sense of camaraderie with Mark Acheson, the postal worker from “Elf.” You see, we both share an unexpected connection – our ages don’t quite match up with the characters we play. In his case, it was the iconic line about being 26 when he was actually 46; for me, it’s the fact that I’ve been playing video games since the days of Pong, but people still see a youthful spark in my eyes.

Movie star Mark Acheson (who plays an Elf character) disclosed that the filmmakers initially considered cutting the iconic mailroom sequence.

In 2003, a heartwarming holiday movie unfolds around Buddy, a man brought up by Santa’s elves at the North Pole instead of humans. Upon discovering his human heritage, he embarks on a journey to New York City in search of his biological father, Walter (James Caan), who, unbeknownst to him, finds himself on Santa’s list of naughty individuals.

In a different scenario, Acheson portrayed a character who worked as a postman. One day, he was assigned to work in his father’s office, where he crossed paths with Buddy. Their connection sparked immediately, leading them to secretly mix whiskey into their coffee and engage in boisterous table-dancing under the influence.

In conversation with the folks, Acheson shared that what started as a plan to utter just a single line unexpectedly became an extraordinary day on the filming location instead.

He shared that he contacted his representative who informed him about an opportunity: “They want you to share a single line with Will Ferrell. Would you be interested?” To which he responded positively, saying, “Absolutely, I’d be delighted.” He was told that all he needed to say was “work release,” and that would wrap up the scene.

Nevertheless, director Jon Favreau encouraged Acheson and Ferrell to come up with their own lines during filming, resulting in a scene that has since become one of the movie’s standouts, complete with a legendary quote.

In a lively conversation, Buddy – evidently under the influence – casually mentions to his latest acquaintance, Acheson, that he is 26 years old but lacks significant achievements in his life.

“You’re young, you’re so young,” Buddy then tells the mail worker.

The producers decided to remove the impromptu scene because they believed that, being 46 years old, Acheson might not find it amusing for the audience.

In a nutshell, Acheson shared that the producers considered cutting the entire scene due to it. He expressed skepticism, saying something along the lines of, “How could anyone possibly believe this character is only 26?” It just doesn’t seem plausible, he added.

At that point, I was approximately 46 years old, and I felt older than typical for someone my age due to my timeless appearance, as I’ve never appeared youthful throughout my life.

Jon Favreau advocated for me. He commented that the humorous aspect was crucial, didn’t you think? Despite others not wanting me, he persisted and I’m grateful because it significantly altered the course of my career.

The line remains popular among fans, as numerous individuals express their laughter on X (previously known as Twitter), during the holiday season.

“The guy in the mailroom in Elf saying he’s 26 years old gets me every time,” one person wrote.

One person commented, “Now, the Elf mailroom character resonates with me so much, as he mysteriously seems to be 26 years old.” Another chimed in, “Every time I rewatch that scene from Elf, I can’t help but laugh because he’s supposedly 26!

Elf is now available to watch on Sky Cinema and NOW.

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2024-12-23 21:19

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