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During their iconic scene in the film Step Brothers, do Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly actually sing and play the drums? Many stars are multitalented, and can possibly sing, dance, act, play an instrument, etc. Some celebrities will even learn new skills for certain performances. Many celebrities will even continue with a newfound talent, such as music or dance, because they develop a real interest and love for it.
While not all celebrities are actually performing on-screen, even when it looks like they are, some stars actually use their own talents for certain roles. Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly are seen singing and playing the drums in Step Brothers. Do John C. Reilly and Will Ferrell actually sing and play the drums during their iconic scene in the 2008 comedy film Step Brothers?
Will Ferrell Helped Choose The Song For The End Performance
Some celebrities have even been able to have successful careers in more than one area. For example, some stars are famous singers and/or musicians as well as actors, and have been able to sell-out tours as well as win Oscars. Others have used their multiple talents on some of their projects.
Will Ferrell actually did his own singing for the film Step Brothers. In an interview with The Ringer, director Adam McKay discussed developing Ferrell’s singing performance and choosing the song for the end of the film.
“We had the idea that [Brennan] was afraid to sing. That made us laugh. When you’re a kid, you quietly think you’re the greatest in the world… And then you also think maybe you can’t do it all.”
“We set him up that he’s afraid to sing, and when he does sing he’s not that great but they act like he’s amazing. And somehow through the story we ended up at this point where he should really sing. He should really discover his full breadth of who he is and kind of just unleash this vulnerable yet beautiful song.”
“It must’ve been Ferrell who came up with it. I’m pretty sure he said, ‘Do you know this song?’ And I was like, ‘Vaguely.’ And I seem to remember him playing it and me being like, ‘Oh my God, this is perfect.'”
Ferrell has also been known to sing in several of his other films, including Elf, Stranger Than Fiction, Old School, and Anchorman: The Legend Of Ron Burgundy.
John C. Reilly And Will Ferrell Actually Sing And Play The Drums During Their Iconic Scene In Step Brothers
Although some celebrities aren’t actually singing, playing an instrument, etc., in some of their films or shows, many others actually are. Some have talents, such as singing or dancing, that they are able to use when working on a certain project.
For the film Step Brothers, Will Ferrell (Brennan) and John C. Reilly (Dale) perform an iconic music scene in which Ferrell sings an aria as Reilly performs alongside him on drums. Instead of having others perform for them while they pretend to lip-sync and play, the two Talladega Nights: The Legend of Ricky Bobby actors are actually performing the song themselves.
During an interview with Consequence, Reilly discussed playing drums in the hilarious comedy about two men refusing to grow up. When the Chicago actor was asked if “he really played the drums in Step Brothers, he revealed, “Yeah! Not very well, but I played the drums.”
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He added, “I played drums in another movie years ago called Georgia that I made with Jennifer Jason-Leigh and Mare Winingham; I was in John Doe’s band. We recorded the music live.”
In Step Brothers, Ferrell and Reilly play Brennan Huff and Dale Doback, respectively. Both are grown men who still act like teenagers. At a crucial point in the film, the band hired to perform The Catalina Wine Mixer (now a real thing) leaves, and the two give a stunning performance of Por Ti Volare. According to Screen Rant, “Por Ti Volare is a Spanish cover of Andrea Bocelli’s Con Te Partiro.”
Other celebrities are big fans of the film, and the comedy duo’s epic end performance. According to IndieWire, Marion Cotillard, revealed to W Magazine that she tears up every time she watches their performance.
“It might sound weird but I always cry at the end of Step Brothers. I’ve seen the movie ten times, and it still touches me at the end, when Will Ferrell sings. You don’t expect to cry watching that type of comedy, but I always do.”
Ferrell and Reilly’s rendition of Por Ti Volare is truly iconic, with Ferrell giving a genuinely beautiful performance singing, and Reilly’s drums seeming like the perfect instrumental accompaniment for their piece.
Could John C. Reilly Play The Drums When He Was Cast?
Many celebrities throughout the years already have, or have learned new skills, such as playing an instrument or dancing, in order to fully get into a role they’re playing.
Like Will Ferrell, John C. Reilly is a multitalented celebrity. The Sisters Brothers actor is a versatile actor, able to sing, play the drums, and play the guitar. He also has the ability to slip into a variety of roles ranging from comedy to drama.
According to Fuel Rocks, Brendan Benson, guitarist and lead singer for The Raconteurs, a band Reilly has worked with and contributed to, said of the actor abilities, “he’s not just some actor who decided to play the drums. He’s actually a really great drummer.”
According to Cracked, the plot line involving Dale not wanting anyone to touch his drums was based on something that actually happened in Reilly’s life. He revealed, “One of my brothers had a drum set and was sensitive about anyone touching it. Still haven’t talked to him about it, by the way. I better make that call.”