No one script stories like Hollywood. But behind every crafted reality lies a microcosm, almost a lived-in reality, with its own rules, traditions, and truths, designed meticulously to bring imagination to life. It takes an entire village of creatives to transform this cinematic dream into a hard-bound on-screen reality, and despite this, the spectacle often blurs the lines between fiction and fact for immersed viewers. However, fresh off You’re Cordially Invited’s release, the stars of the show Reese Witherspoon and Will Ferrell, armed with a reality check, peeling back the curtain on the now-famous alligator scene.

Witherspoon and Ferrell recently got candid about what was scripted, and what was spontaneous.

Since the dawn of showbiz, Hollywood has undergone quite a transformative journey with no signs of slowing down now, thanks to technological advancements. However, when spectators caught up on the alligator scene in You’re Cordially Invited starring Reese Witherspoon and Will Ferrell, the doubts were too many if the actor gambled his life with a real man-eater. In a recent conversation on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, Ferrell unveiled having been offered the assistance of a real one, but he said, “Absolutely not.”

Ferrell adds that an animal handler sent them a video of a real alligator who Witherspoon comedically parodied for claiming it was very “docile” and could be hugged and held. However, recounting the scene where Ferrell thrashes the bone out of the animal, expecting such a level of tolerance, would be a fool’s errand. Although the handler suggested making it “real sleepy,” Ferrell was stringent on opting out of the do-or-die situation, going with an animatronic version instead.

Every Will Ferrell Movie Streaming on Netflix That You Need To Watch

That said, Will Ferrell and Reese Witherspoon also opened up about working with real animals for projects, and fair warning, some may even catch a few off-guard.

In their recent sit-in interview with Josh Horowitz on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, You’re Cordially Invited co-stars Reese Witherspoon and Will Ferrell unearthed the lesser-known fact about the alligator scene in the movie. But simultaneously, the stars also enlisted the animals they have worked with on sets of various projects. Witherspoon, who has been on a search drive for a mini-me, killed two birds with a stone, jokingly admitting having worked with “many animals.” 

Ferrell asked if Witherspoon was cool with riding horses. In response, she flexed her animal-whispering skills–horses, elephants, dogs, you name it. But Ferrell was not to be outshined. He casually dropped the most side-splitting anecdote of the conversation, recounting his Saturday Night Live sketch atop a donkey. Although Witherspoon had the upper hand, the last donkey laugh of the animal kingdom debate was by Ferrell.

What Is the Will Ferrell Netflix Documentary All About? Should You Watch It?

What do you think of Reese Witherspoon and Will Ferrell's fact-check about the alligator scene in You're Cordially Invited? Let us know in the comments below!