Will Ferrell: 5 Awesome Performances And 5 That Sucked

1. Ron Burgundy - Anchorman: The Legend Of Ron Burgundy (2004)

The decision to do interviews in character means Ron Burgundy has made more appearances this year than Ferrell himself. And with a title like Anchorman's, why not? The legend has become just as big (if not bigger) than the actor who brought him to our screens nine years ago. And those nine years have been nothing but kind to Mr. Burgundy; the film was a sleeper hit if ever there was one, and since the film's release, Anchormania has been growing and growing with no end in sight. The man who brings you the news so you don't have to get it yourself is everyone's favourite idiot, and he's going to be just that for quite some time. The reason for this movie's ascension to pop culture royalty is not only due to Ferrell's performance, but it certainly helped. Ron Burgundy is a man blinded by his own awesomeness, so concerned with staying classy in the face of adversity that you can't help but love him. Ferrell rams every phrase into your memory with a delivery that is undeniable; what's more, a large amount of it was improvised. He remains cool and collected while projecting himself as a force of nature. Ferrell not only makes the character live and breath, but gives it an automatic legend status, every second of which feels like the pinnacle of a career. When you think about Anchorman, a million quotes pop into your head, and most of them are courtesy of Ferrell's on-the-spot thinking and his character's oblivious, endearing stupidity. The fanaticism over Burgundy reached fever pitch in 2013, and Anchorman 2 has been one of the most anticipated releases all year. Regardless of the sequel's forthcoming success, it's hard to tarnish a legacy like this one. Ron Burgundy just is. He has many leather bound books. His apartment smells of rich mahogany. He rode a bicycle with Daft Punk through Amsterdam. And the man who played him is no less a legend for creating him this way. Or has he ruined his claim to greatness with some of his worse roles? Read on and you can be the judge...