Son of a nutcracker!
Andy Richter revealed that parts of the beloved Christmas movie “Elf” were filmed inside a functioning psychiatric hospital.
Richter, who played Morris, a children’s book writer working for the late James Caan’s Walter Hobbs, told Us Weekly in an interview published Tuesday that scenes in the 2003 holiday classic were filmed in “a couple empty wings” of an “old mental hospital.”
Andy Richter (pictured above competing on “Celebrity Jeopardy!” in April) revealed that parts of “Elf” were filmed in “a couple empty wings” inside an “old mental hospital.” Disney via Getty Images
Richter played Morris, a children’s book writer working for the late James Caan’s character, Walter Hobbs. (Caan is seen above with Amy Sedaris and Will Ferrell in “Elf.”) ©New Line Cinema/Courtesy Everett Collection
“That’s where the offices are, the Hobbs’ home, the mailroom; almost all the interiors of the movie are in a mental hospital that was still functioning a little bit,” the comedian, 60, told the outlet.
“There was still a wing of the hospital that had patients in it,” he said, revealing that the hospital was Riverview Hospital in Coquitlam, British Columbia, near Vancouver.
Richter explained that the production turned to the facility because studio space was limited at the time, thanks in part to a “big vampire movie” that was also filming there.
“That’s where the offices are, the Hobbs’ home, the mailroom; almost all the interiors of the movie are in a mental hospital that was still functioning a little bit,” Richter said. (He is pictured above in Hollywood in June 2024.) Getty Images for A24
Richter (seen above in Beverly Hills in 2021) said there was a separate wing of the hospital that still “had patients in it.” Getty Images
The “Madagascar” actor also clarified that he “wasn’t wandering around” the hospital while filming, explaining that he kept to himself between scenes.
“I went to the set. I went to the trailer. I got in the van. I went back to the hotel,” he recalled.
Richter couldn’t say the same for the film’s lead actor, Will Ferrell, who starred as Buddy the Elf and was hard to miss in his signature bright green coat, yellow tights and curly elf shoes.
Richter (pictured above in Kansas City in May) also clarified that he “wasn’t wondering around” the hospital while filming, adding, “I went to the set. I went to the trailer. I got in the van. I went back to the hotel.” Getty Images
Richter wondered what the patients thought of Ferrell, who starred as Buddy the Elf and was hard to miss in his signature bright green coat, yellow tights and curly elf shoes (as seen above). ©New Line Cinema/Courtesy Everett Collection
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“Will was all over that place for a month or two, like what were people thinking? Patients were looking out the window and seeing this guy in February wandering around in an elf costume and maybe recognizing, ‘Hey, isn’t that Will Ferrell?’” Richter recalled.
Elsewhere in the interview, the “Conan” alum also revealed that his co-star Zooey Deschanel, whom he said he’s known “since she was a teenager,” nearly didn’t land the role of Jovie.
“I found out from Zooey that they talked about Selma Blair doing it before she was on board,” Richter said.
“Zooey told us that apparently, at that time, Selma Blair was, like, a big skateboarder, and so they were going to maybe have Jovie skateboard around Manhattan, which would have been interesting in December in Manhattan, somebody skateboarding around.”
Richter also revealed that his co-star Zooey Deschanel nearly didn’t land the role of Jovie, as producers had discussed having Selma Blair step into the part. (Deschanel is pictured above as Jovie in “Elf.”) ©New Line Cinema/Courtesy Everett Collection
Meanwhile, Deschanel revealed on “Call Her Daddy” last December that Katie Holmes was also among those considered for the part. (Deschanel is seen above as Jovie alongside Ferrell as Buddy the Elf in “Elf.”) ©New Line Cinema/Courtesy Everett Collection
Meanwhile, Deschanel, 46, revealed on “Call Her Daddy” last December that Katie Holmes was also among those considered for the part.
“When I met with Jon Favreau, the director, I walked in and he was like, ‘Oh, you don’t need to read. We just offered it to Katie Holmes,’” the “New Girl” actress told host Alex Cooper at the time.
She went on to explain that Holmes, now 47, “had some scheduling conflict” that ultimately prevented her from stepping into the role.
“And then they were like, ‘Who should we have?’ I think the character was kind of meant to be worked around whoever played her, and they knew I sang because I had a cabaret act, so that kind of worked out with the character,” Deschanel said.