Historically, the Oscars have maintained a storied reputation for favoring the dramatic flair over the whimsical jests of comedy films. Despite this, in a moment that shook the aisles with humor during the 79th Academy Awards (2007), beloved comedic giants Will Ferrell and Jack Black delivered a delightful sketch spotlighting this very phenomenon.
With John C. Reilly at their side, they charmed the audience with a musical number that elegantly highlighted the loneliness of comedy stars at the Oscars. Indeed, in one segment, Ferrell and Black jovially (and facetiously) threatened more serious nominees in the Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor categories, including the likes of Leonardo DiCaprio and Ryan Gosling.
Ferrell dared not, however, mess with Mark Wahlberg.
Jack Black & Will Ferrell’s Hilarious Encounter with A-List Celebs
In Hollywood, there are always some who are ready to engage in little fisticuffs. And at the 79th Academy Awards in 2007, two of comedy’s biggest stars, Will Ferrell and Jack Black, jokingly threatened to take on the nominees of the Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor categories.
With Leo DiCaprio, Ryan Gosling, and even legendary Peter O’Toole in their sights, they were ready to throw down and show them who’s boss. Black said:
Hey, Leo! You think you can date supermodels and win awards? I’m gonna elbow you in the larynx!
In their hilarious skit, Black and Ferrell taunted and teased some of the A-list celebrities, ready to take them on in a battle of wits and fists. The latter stated:
Ryan Gosling… you’re all hip and now. Well, I’m gonna break your hip… Right now!
But when they reached the name Mark Wahlberg, they surprisingly backed off. Why, you ask? Because the Ted star is no ordinary Hollywood face. He’s a force to be reckoned with, a badass among mere mortals. So, when they mentioned Wahlberg, they quickly realized that he was not one to be messed with. In Ferrell’s words:
Mark Wahlberg! Where are you? I won’t mess with you. You’re actually kinda badass. Once again, I hope we’re cool. You are very talented.
As they sang and danced on stage, threatening to take down the competition, Wahlberg sat coolly in the audience, a sly grin on his face. And so, the occasion was set for a comedy duo that would take Hollywood by storm. How? Ferrell and Wahlberg, an odd couple if ever there was one, teamed up for Adam McKay’s buddy cop film The Other Guys.
The film celebrated their chemistry and comedic timing. And thus, a new Hollywood powerhouse was born!
2007 Academy Awards Sparked Will Ferrell & Mark Wahlberg’s Chemistry?
Have you ever witnessed an on-screen duo that just clicks, creating comedic gold with every shared scene? While Will Ferrell is often associated with Paul Rudd and Steve Carell, thanks to the iconic Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, it’s his dynamism with Mark Wahlberg that truly sets the screen alight.
Ferrell & Wahlberg’s chemistry is vividly displayed in Adam McKay’s The Other Guys. So how did this unexpected yet brilliant pairing come to light? This was after McKay noticed the effortless rapport between these actors during an Oscar skit in 2007.
The director, 56, told Little White Lies:
We had dinner at a little Italian restaurant and the two of them just made me laugh. They’re very different people, but both of them just made me laugh the whole night.
Although The Other Guys proved to be Wahlberg and Ferrell’s most technically demanding movie to date, they managed to maintain their style. McKay added:
The idea was to play it real even though there are crazy beats in it, like when we learn about Allen’s past, how he became a pimp without knowing he was a pimp.
This 2010 cinematic alchemy not only entertained us with Ferrell and Wahlberg’s remarkable chemistry but also paved the way for their later delightful reunions in Daddy’s Home and Daddy’s Home 2.
The Other Guys is streaming on Max.
