From Owning a Football Team to Studying at Yale: The Current Lives of the Elf Cast, Including a Heartbreaking Death

As we approach Christmas each year, many people start revisiting festive classic movies. One perennial favorite is Elf, a film that celebrates its 20th anniversary this year.

The movie is known for its protagonist, Buddy the Elf, a human brought up by Santa's elves who travels to New York City to locate his biological father.

First screened on 7 November 2003, the film gained such popularity that it spurred a Broadway musical and animated television program.

As part of this celebration, we explore what the actors of Elf have been up to, two decades after their initial big-screen appearance....

Buddy the Elf was portrayed by 56-year-old Will, who was a part of Saturday Night Live from 1995-2002 before being cast in the role.

Post Elf, Will featured in multiple films including Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, Step Brothers, and The Lego Movie. He continued with epic roles such as starring in Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga and Barbie.

Will's activities extended beyond performing, including working as an executive producer on the HBO series Succession, earning him two Emmy Awards. Additionally, he co-owns the football team Los Angeles FC and is married to actress Viveca Paulin, 54. The couple has three children, ages 19, 16, and 13.

The role of Jovie in Elf was enacted by an actress who shortly before had starred in the film Almost Famous. Following Elf, Zooey's flourishing career kept expanding with starring roles in Yes Man, 500 Days Of Summer, and Trolls.

An additional popular role for Zooey was Jess Day in New Girl, which aired from 2011 to 2018. Alongside her acting work, Zooey also ventured into music forming part of the duo She & Him, performing several film soundtracks. She is engaged to Property Brothers' Jonathan Scott, 45, and has two children with former husband Jacob Pechenik, 51.

Mary, 70, portrayed Buddy's stepmother Emily Hobbs in Elf. Before Elf, she had performed in films like Time After Time, Melvin and Howard, and Ragtime.

After Elf, Mary joined forces with Will again in Step Brothers and performed in other movies like The Proposal, The Help, and Nightmare Alley. She also appeared in Book Club and Book Club: The Next Chapter.

The 94-year-old actor who personified Papa Elf in Elf had his shows like Newhart and The Bob Newhart Show. However, he did not participate in many movies after Elf but was seen in Horrible Bosses in 2011 and the documentary Richard Pryor: Omit the Logic in 2013.

In television, he featured in Desperate Housewives, The Big Bang Theory, and Young Sheldon. He was married to the late Ginnie Quinn, with whom he had four children.

Daniel enacted Michael Hobbs in Elf and later performed in films like American Splendor and Brooklyn Rules. However, he distanced himself from the limelight recently, focusing more on voice acting in video games such as Grand Theft Auto IV.

He attended Yale University, studying economics and worked for a tutoring company preparing students for university entrance exams.

The legendary actor who died last year at 82 played Walter Hobbs, Buddy's biological father in Elf. Previous to Elf, he had been a part of movies like The Godfather and Misery.

Later, he was seen in Get Smart, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, Las Vegas, The Simpsons, and Family Guy.

The actor married four times and fathered five children. His son Scott, 47, became an actor like his father, acting in films like Ocean's Eleven. Notable personalities like Barbara Streisand, who worked alongside him on screen, paid tribute to James upon his demise.