Will Ferrell: ‘I know I can commit to a role better than anyone else’

Will Ferrell is about to play one of the most extreme characters of his career.

Enter Lonnie Hawkins, with an orange tan worthy of Donald Trump, bleached blonde curls to match and a smarmy bravado as he swaggers onto the golf course.

‘I really wanted to play someone who was the most extreme narcissist ever,’ Will tells Metro while discussing his new Netflix golf comedy series The Hawk.

‘I know I’ve dipped my toe in that pool many a time. In some ways Lonnie is the most extreme in that role, only because I feel like right now we are in the golden age of narcissism.’

Will is no stranger to taking on self-centred personas, with characters such as Ron Burgundy, Chaz Michael Michaels and Mugatu coming to mind. But it seems that Lonnie might tip the scales over the edge. 

‘There are so many narcissists through our political spectrum, through our entertainment, social media zeitgeist, everything, and so I think while this show is really fun and funny and irreverent, we’re kind of commenting on all that at the same time,’ he shares.

The Hawk follows golf legend Lonnie on his quest to complete the coveted Grand Slam by winning one final major tournament – but there’s a chance his own egotism could get in the way of achieving his desperate goal.

It feels odd hearing the 58-year-old actor speak in a more serious manner. I’m used to watching him descend into shrill screams over Santa Claus when I put on Elf every Christmas and bang on a cowbell in that infamous 2000 Christopher Walken SNL skit.

Being funny is no mean feat. The idea of getting up on a stage and trying to make a crowd of people laugh fills me with dread. But Will has never let his inhibitions – if he has any – get in the way.

Just a few weeks ago, he stripped down to his tighty whities for a Skims campaign, swinging his golf club and smirking into the camera as a voiceover in the advert declared: ‘Built for men who still know they’ve got it.’

So, where does he find this confidence and the ability to commit all guns blazing?

‘A couple of things. I kind of have this… it’s part of my DNA that I love sort of holding my hand over the flame for as long as I can before it starts to hurt,’ he explains. 

‘I knew starting out in comedy that I would probably come across other comedians who I thought, “Oh my gosh, they are just as funny as me, or they are way funnier.” But I made a promise to myself there will never be anyone that will out-commit to a premise, to a role in a way. 

‘That will be the one thing that I know I can do better than anyone, and that’s kind of what has governed everything I’ve done. I’ve just thrown myself and committed in such a way that I don’t think anyone can match me.’

Speaking to Will over Zoom, this statement could have come across as arrogant, but it doesn’t. It comes across as sincere, simply an astute observation about his strengths. 

He continues: ‘Besides, I think that’s our job as anyone in comedy; to do that thing that you, sitting at home, feel embarrassed for me. It’s a chance for the audience to go, “Oh my gosh, I can’t believe he’s doing that,” and it either makes you laugh or you look away, but that’s up to you. It’s just the only way I know how to do it.’

Looking at the way Lonnie lords himself over the golf course, the envy he feels towards his star golfer son Lance (Jimmy Tatro), and his fractured relationship with his ex-wife Stacy (Molly Shannon), some viewers might try to suss out if Will took inspiration from any real people when piecing together this supposed egomaniac.

‘I think it was no one in particular,’ Will admits when asked if that was the case.

‘It’s also an examination of pro athletes who refuse to recognise that their time is over, which can span any sort of occupation. There is a shelf life to what you can do in terms of your abilities. Of course, mine will never expire as an actor, ever, right?’

‘Right,’ I answer quickly.

‘Okay. Good. You had a weird look on your face,’ he quips.

‘I’ve seen a lot of athletes who have hung on too long, so that’s part of Lonnie’s journey. The competing with his son, who he’s both proud of, because it’s an extension of him, but he also resents. So all of those things, while they weren’t taken from anyone specifically, there are many stories like that.’

The Hawk premieres on Thursday July 16 on Netflix.