Will Ferrell Nearly Died Filming Anchorman 2
Apparently, Will Ferrell came very close to dying while filming Anchorman 2. It was a near miss involving a fault prop on the set.
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Will Ferrell has been known for his physical comedy since he first came on the scene for Saturday Night Live. He’s had no problem throwing his body around and putting himself in compromised situations. But there was one time when performing what should have been a harmless, though maybe tasteless, stunt could have turned out very, very badly for the actor. While filming Anchorman 2 there was a malfunction with some of the equipment during the scene which put the comedic legend in a compromised and dangerous situation.
While speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, longtime Will Ferrell creative and business partner Adam McKay talked at length about their relationship, history, and ultimately the riff that ended up dissolving their company and their friendship. During the interview, the topic of the tragedy on the set of Rust came up. It was here that McKay started talking about safety on movie sets and how certain things can happen in the course of productions. He shared a story about Anchorman 2 that was scary for everyone involved and could have been very bad for Will Ferrell. Here’s what McKay had to say:
“We had like a near accident on the set of Anchorman 2. It was involving Will, and it was really scary. It was a scene where Ron Burgundy was going to hang himself. It was a silly joke. For a half a second, the rig didn’t operate properly and there was actual tension on the rope, but then it gave way and Will was OK. Thank God no one was hurt. We were sick about it for two days. ‘
Sure, jokes about this kind of thing aren’t with the best of taste, but there is a clear sophomoric humor to these Adam McKay/ Will Ferrell productions that blurs the lines of sense and sensibility. It is disconcerting to think about something like this going wrong with a silly gag that could have an actor his life if the rig had moved the wrong way and actually suffocated him. McKay says as much when he talks about how it stayed with the cast and crew for a couple of days afterward. Ultimately though, Will Ferrell was okay and things moved on.
Part of this interview was a discussion about how Adam McKay and Will Ferrell saw their relationship and their company, Gary Sanchez Productions, make a break. Some of it had to do with the recent casting of John C. Reilly in the McKay-led movie about the Showtime Lakers. Apparently, Ferrell was upset to not have been considered and to have heard about it second hand. But McKay also said that the two have just been interested in working on different kinds of projects recently. McKay has transitioned into more movies and shows that have serious commentaries on the current state of our political, environmental, and financial world.
Meanwhile, Will Ferrell is just coming off the first season of The Shrink Next Door with Paul Rudd. It was an adaptation of the popular podcast of the same name. The show focuses on the psychiatrist and patient relationship between Rudd and Ferrell and the ways the latter is manipulated throughout their time in counsel.
Next up for Will Ferrell are a couple of movies that are currently in post-production. The first is Strays which will have him voicing a talking dog alongside Jamie Foxx and Will Forte. Plus, there is Spirited, a Christmas movie with Ryan Reynolds that is due out next year. We are just glad he is around to make the films.
