Will Ferrell Admits He Was 'So Embarrassed' By His Real Name Growing Up: 'It Wasn't My Choice'
During a recent episode of Christina Applegate and Jamie-Lynn Sigler's 'MeSsy' podcast, Will Ferrell shared that while he was known as Will throughout his childhood, his "official legal name is John Ferrell."
Will Ferrell's legal first name isn't Will, and this fact bothered him every new school year during his childhood.
While discussing the 20th anniversary of 'Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy' on Tuesday, Ferrell, 56, admitted how he felt embarrassed when people addressed him as John, his legal first name, while he was growing up.
When Applegate, 52, asked Ferrell, who became famous as a 'Saturday Night Live' cast member in the 1990s, if he always enjoyed being part of groups during his youth, he recalled feeling that being funny was an easy way to make friends.
"This is a minor thing in terms of — it's not really even trauma — but I remember feeling so embarrassed because my real name is John, John William Ferrell, so first day of school, I'd be John. The teacher would be like 'John Ferrell?' and it was so embarrassing to me to have to say, 'Here, but I go by Will, I don't go by John.' "
Ferrell recounted how he endured the first week of each school year waiting for teachers to remember he went by Will, describing it as "excruciating."
"It wasn't my decision," he explained when Applegate inquired about his dislike for the name John. "My parents named me John, but they called me Will. I grew up as Will, but on a rule sheet, my legal name is John Ferrell."
"I don't know why that was so embarrassing to me to have to explain 'I'm actually Will,' " he reflected.
Ferrell and Applegate famously shared the screen in the 2004 satirical comedy 'Anchorman,' set in a fictional 1970s San Diego news station. Ferrell played the lead role of anchorman Ron Burgundy, while Applegate portrayed Veronica Corningstone, a new team member who becomes his love interest.
