Zooey Deschanel says she remembers the late actor and comedian Bob Newhart as “kind and generous” from her time working with him on “ Elf .” Newhart died July 18, and the pair worked on the 2003 Christmas movie alongside Will Ferrell and James Caan. “I always say the best actors are very generous people,” Deschanel told Variety on the purple carpet at Sunday’s premiere of “ Harold and the Purple Crayon ” at The Culver Theater in Culver City.
“He was really such a kind and generous man and so funny, but not wrapped up in himself or anything. He was just kind, and sweet and wonderful to work with.” Although Ferrell recently said Caan didn’t enjoy his performance as Buddy the Elf on set until he saw the final cut of the film and called him “not funny,” Deschanel said she “probably wasn’t there for that part,” as they usually weren’t on set at the same time.
“Harold and the Purple Crayon” stars Zachary Levi, Deschanel, “Get Out” actor Lil Rel Howery, Benjamin Bottani and Tanya Reynolds. The live-action and partially animated movie follows Harold (Levi), who can make anything come to life by drawing it with his crayon inside of his book. Once his creator stops narrating his animated life, he journeys to the real world with his friends Moose (Howery) and Porcupine (Reynolds) to search for him.
The film is based off the 1955 children’s book of the same name by Crockett Johnson, and is directed by “Rio” creator and “Ice Age” direc.