In his latest comedy, You’re Cordially Invited, Will Ferrell stars alongside Reese Witherspoon as two sworn enemies caught in an escalating wedding disaster. However, it wasn’t just the onscreen tension that had Ferrell on edge—there was also the prospect of coming face-to-face with a real alligator.
Ferrell, known for his penchant for physical comedy, was offered a chance to film a scene where he would snuggle a real alligator. But when the idea was pitched, the actor had an immediate response: “Absolutely not.”
The scene in question comes during a chaotic sequence in which Ferrell’s character, Jim, attempts to unleash an alligator in the hotel room of his rival, Margot (played by Witherspoon). The alligator was meant to serve as a comedic weapon in the ongoing battle between Jim and Margot, who each booked the same wedding venue for different family members on the same weekend. As tensions rise, the two characters escalate their feud from passive-aggressive maneuvers to full-blown warfare.
While Ferrell did not interact with a real alligator on set, director Nicholas Stoller revealed to Entertainment Weekly that a video from an animal handler offered a solution: a “docile alligator” that Ferrell could hold and snuggle for the scene. The suggestion was quickly shot down. “We were like, ‘Absolutely not. That’s not happening,’” Stoller recalled.
Instead, an animatronic alligator was used for the scene. According to Stoller, there was some concern that the robotic reptile might not look realistic enough. “What’s funny is when you look at videos of alligators swimming around, they just look fake,” Stoller said. “They look like logs. That’s one of the ways they trick prey and stuff.” To address this, the filmmakers made the animatronic gator’s movements more fluid, giving it more “slithers” than an alligator typically has to ensure it looked natural on camera.
The alligator sequence is just one example of Ferrell’s tradition of battling wild animals in his films. From his tussle with a bear in Anchorman to his run-in with a raccoon in Elf, Ferrell’s characters have a long history of physical confrontations with wildlife. Reflecting on this recurring theme, Ferrell laughed, “I didn’t realize that. I just knew it needed to be insane. It just seemed like the peak of craziness to me.”
Stoller, who is also known for his work on films like Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Get Him to the Greek, said that pairing Ferrell and Witherspoon in a film was a dream come true. “I’ve been obsessed with both actors my whole career,” Stoller explained. “I dug in and started to create the characters and the story and the specifics of it.” The result is a comedy that is both absurd and surprisingly heartfelt.
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In addition to the alligator drama, You’re Cordially Invited features a quirky subplot involving Nick Jonas, who plays a temperamental pastor hired to officiate the weddings. Stoller noted that Jonas’s casting was a nod to the contrasting personalities of the two families involved in the double wedding. While one wedding is more traditional and elegant, the other is youthful and laid-back. “It seemed fun to have a super handsome priest,” Stoller said of casting Jonas, who is a friend of Ferrell and his producing partner, Jessica Elbaum. Jonas was reportedly excited about the role, adding another layer of charm to the film.
Another memorable moment comes during a wedding rehearsal, where Ferrell’s character, Jim, performs a duet with his daughter Jenni (Geraldine Viswanathan) to the Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers hit “Islands in the Stream.” The choice of song, which has romantic undertones, leads to awkward laughs as guests squirm at the father-daughter performance. Stoller explained that the song was chosen early in the scriptwriting process and stuck because of its odd balance of innocence and suggestive lyrics. “It’s a very innocent song. You have to believe a father and daughter would sing it,” Stoller said. “But it’s also very sexual. So it’s a funny combination.”
Both Ferrell and Viswanathan provided their own vocals for the song, as did Witherspoon for a mid-credits duet. The musical moments add another layer of humor to a film already filled with outrageous gags and slapstick humor.
You’re Cordially Invited, streaming now on Prime Video, combines these wild moments with a heartfelt exploration of family dynamics, rivalries, and the chaos of wedding planning. It marks the first collaboration between Ferrell and Witherspoon, and while their characters might not get along, the chemistry between the two stars is undeniable.
In an era where audiences crave both heart and hilarity, You’re Cordially Invited delivers in spades, with Ferrell and Witherspoon proving that, even in the middle of wedding chaos, they make an unstoppable comedic duo.