In a surprising revelation, actress and singer Zooey Deschanel has disclosed that she was not the first choice for her beloved role in the Christmas film 'Elf'. The part of Jovie, the deadpan department store employee, was initially offered to her former co-star, Katie Holmes.
The Audition That Almost Wasn't
Deschanel, now 45, recounted the story on the podcast Call Her Daddy. She explained that when she met with director Jon Favreau for the 2003 film, he immediately told her a reading wasn't necessary. "He was like, 'Oh you don't need to read. We just offered it to Katie Holmes,'" Deschanel recalled. Her reaction at the time was a simple, "Oh okay cool."
The two actresses had recently worked together on the 2002 thriller Abandon, which performed poorly at the box office. Holmes, then 47, ultimately had to decline the role in Elf due to a scheduling conflict. This twist of fate led Favreau to call back Deschanel, who was just 21 and beginning her career.
How Music Shaped the Role
Deschanel believes the character of Jovie was tailored to fit the actress who eventually played her. "I think the character was kind of meant to be worked around whoever played her," she said. The filmmakers were aware of her musical talents from her cabaret act, where she performed jazz standards. This directly influenced the film, leading to the addition of three songs for her to perform.
These musical moments became iconic scenes, including the shower-set duet of 'Baby, It's Cold Outside' with Will Ferrell and her performance of 'Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town' in Central Park. Deschanel admitted she had no idea the film, which marked Ferrell's first leading movie role, would become a global phenomenon, earning $228.9 million worldwide.
Behind the Scenes Challenges and Praise
Deschanel shared fond memories of working with Ferrell, describing him as universally kind and fun. "Anyone who's worked with him, there's no bad experiences with him. He's so nice to everybody," she gushed. She particularly enjoyed filming the chaotic department store scenes for their "farcical energy."
The role came with a physical challenge. Deschanel had previously bleached her dark hair for an unproduced pop star project and was instructed to keep it blonde for Elf. Maintaining the look required eight-hour salon sessions and involved a disastrous experience with glued-in extensions. "I couldn't get them out... I ripped my hair out. I had short pieces," she lamented.
The critically-acclaimed holiday flick, which later inspired a West End Broadway musical, also starred James Caan, Mary Steenburgen, and Ed Asner, among others.
Addressing the 'Manic Pixie Dream Girl' Label
Deschanel also used the interview to critique the reductive term 'manic pixie dream girl', originally coined by a critic in 2007 to describe Katie Holmes's role in Pieces of April. The label was later applied to Natalie Portman in Garden State and many of Deschanel's own characters.
"It started to also feel like an insult," Deschanel stated. "This was a way to make this character that was meant to be highly three-dimensional... trying to make it one-dimensional."
On a personal note, Deschanel, who comes from a film industry family, is engaged to Property Brothers star Jonathan Scott. She has two children from a previous marriage.
