Andy Richter Says Selma Blair Almost Played Jovie in Elf With a Skateboard Scene

Andy Richter just shared a piece of Elf trivia that changes everything you thought you knew about the movie. He told Us Weekly that Zooey Deschanel told him Selma Blair was discussed for the role of Jovie before Deschanel was cast. Producers wanted whoever played Jovie to showcase a real talent, and since Blair was a serious skateboarder at the time, there was talk of having Jovie skate around Manhattan.

The what-if chain doesn’t stop there. Deschanel has said Katie Holmes was originally offered the part and that she landed the role after Holmes dropped out, with her singing background helping shape Jovie into the character fans love. Richter lays out all the casting stories, plus plenty of behind-the-scenes details, in his new book Elf Unwrapped: Behind the Scenes of a Modern Christmas Classic, out November 3 with a foreword by Will Ferrell. He even finished writing it in his Dancing With the Stars trailer after being voted off.

So the holiday classic we know was one of several possible versions, including one with a skateboarding Jovie. Which alternate Elf casting would you have wanted to see most?