During a recent appearance on Today With Jenna & Friends, actress and singer Zooey Deschanel had the opportunity to reminisce about one of her most memorable film roles in the beloved holiday movie, Elf, starring alongside Will Ferrell.

Jenna Bush Hager shared with Deschanel that the 2003 comedy has become a cherished tradition in her household, regularly watched with her three children. “I’ve just watched it with my kids for what feels like the seventh time,” Bush Hager remarked, emphasizing the film’s enduring appeal. She likened Elf to timeless classics such as It’s A Wonderful Life, noting that these are “films that we go back to.”

Reflecting on her experience with the film, Deschanel recalled the early days of her career when she was just 21 years old upon joining the cast of Elf. “It’s funny,” she said, “because when I first read the script, I was still living at my parents’ house. I was so young then.”

Deschanel’s nostalgic look back highlights the film’s lasting legacy and its ability to capture the hearts of audiences across generations, securing its status as a modern classic in the realm of holiday cinema.

“It’s funny when I read the script, because I was only 21 when I made Elf. I remember reading the script at my parents’ house because I was still staying there. I was so young,” she admitted.

“I remember reading it and being like, ‘You know, if you hit it big being on a Christmas movie, it’s going to come back year after year,’” she recounted. And that certainly proved to be true!

While she “liked the idea” at the time, Deschanel said she could not have imagined the film would earn the legacy it has now.

“This is beyond my wildest imagination,” she admitted on Today.

Now, Deschanel is set to star in yet another Christmas romcom.

Merv is a new release on Prime Video starring Deschanel and Charlie Cox as a recently broken up couple that are forced to reunite when their beloved dog becomes depressed after their split.

As the official synopsis reads, “Hoping to shake Merv out of his funk, Russ takes him to Florida for a much-needed getaway—only for Anna to show up unexpectedly. As Merv slowly gets his groove back, turns out fixing their dog’s broken heart may lead to a few sparks of their own.”

Today with Jenna & Friends airs on weekdays at 10/9c on NBC.