How Will Ferrell and Molly Shannon Became Comedy Best Friends (and Made The Hawk)

How They First Met

It might sound like the start of a silly Saturday Night Live (SNL) skit, but it really happened: Will Ferrell and Molly Shannon met at a restaurant!

• Will was part of a famous comedy group in Los Angeles called The Groundlings in the early 1990s.
• Molly was working as a waitress right across the street.
• Molly says: “I worked as a waitress across the street. Will came over to my restaurant and that’s how we met.”
• Will adds that they were in the same comedy circles in LA, with lots of small shows and open-mic nights. That’s where Molly first performed her beloved SNL character, Mary Katherine Gallagher.

Important Point: Sometimes big friendships start in the most ordinary places—like a restaurant where one person is serving food!

From Waitress and Comedian to Comedy Legends

From those simple beginnings, Will and Molly became one of the best comedy teams ever.

• They were both cast members on SNL.
• They later starred in movies together like:
  • A Night at the Roxbury
  • Superstar
  • Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby
• Now, over 30 years later, they are back together in a new comedy series called The Hawk, made by and starring Will Ferrell.

What Is The Hawk About?

The Hawk is a funny show now streaming on Netflix.

• Will plays Lonnie “The Hawk” Hawkins, a flashy pro golfer trying again for a big golf prize (the Grand Slam) he failed to win 20 years ago.
• Molly plays Stacy, his long-suffering, estranged wife (meaning they are separated or not getting along) who wants to move on and stop living in his shadow.
• Lonnie, however, has other plans!

Important Point: Even though their characters fight a lot on screen, Will and Molly are real-life friends. Molly said “yes” to the show before there was even a script! Will just asked if she wanted to play his wife who is always yelling at him, and she said sure.

Why Will Wanted This TV Show

This is Will’s first time as the lead (main star) in a TV series. Why did he pick The Hawk?

1. He liked the idea of a longer show because you get to know characters better than in a 90-minute movie.
2. Golf seemed like a funny and weird game—people both love and hate it.
3. Most pro golfers rarely win, so they live with misery a lot—funny and interesting for comedy!
4. He thought showing the personal and family side of golf life would make a great funny group comedy.

Why Molly Said Yes

Molly’s reason was super simple:

• She loves working with Will.
• She calls him “the greatest” and feels lucky to be part of his success.
• For her, it was a dream come true.

What Makes Them Great Together

They’ve worked together for decades! Here is why they click:

• Both take acting seriously, even when being silly.
• Will is also a great writer and can fix a scene in 30 seconds.
• They trust each other completely.
• They play funny stuff like it’s real life—that’s what makes it funny!

Important Point: Being a “comedic actor” means acting like the silly thing is really happening. The laugh comes from the real-feeling situation.

Building the Character of Lonnie

Will has played many funny people (like Ron Burgundy and Ricky Bobby). What makes Lonnie special?

• Will can text ideas anytime, like “Lonnie should only drink white wine.”
• He added funny details, like Lonnie wearing a wristband for Lance Armstrong because he thinks Lance was treated unfairly.
• Will says the fun was in building the character piece by piece.

He also relates a little to Lonnie:

• They are both dads, but Lonnie is not a good one.
• Will wanted to play a narcissist (someone super into themselves) because he thinks our world has a lot of that right now.

Summary

Will Ferrell and Molly Shannon met by chance at a restaurant in the 1990s. They became SNL stars and movie buddies, and now team up again in The Hawk, a Netflix comedy about a golfer and his grumpy wife. Will loves the longer TV format and golf’s funny misery, while Molly just loves working with her friend. Their secret? Take the comedy seriously, trust each other, and play it real.

FAQ

1. Where did Will Ferrell and Molly Shannon meet?
They met at a restaurant in Los Angeles where Molly was a waitress and Will was a nearby comedian.

2. What is The Hawk about?
It’s a comedy series where Will plays a flashy golfer named Lonnie trying to win a big golf title, and Molly plays his estranged wife Stacy.

3. Is this Will Ferrell’s first TV lead role?
Yes! The Hawk is his first time as the main star of a TV series.

4. Did Molly read a script before saying yes?
No—she agreed to be in it before any scripts were even written, just because Will asked.

5. Why is Lonnie “The Hawk” a funny character?
He is a narcissist, a not-so-great dad, and a golfer who lives in misery but keeps trying, with weird habits like only drinking white wine.