The Real-Life Partners Of Elf's Leading Ladies

When it comes to Christmas movies, there's nothing quite like "Elf." Sure, there are holiday classics like "Miracle on 34th Street" and "It's a Wonderful Life," but the heartwarming story of Buddy the Elf heading to New York City from the North Pole and eventually finding love never fails to bring on the Christmas spirit. Played by Will Ferrell, he stars alongside Zooey Deschanel and Mary Steenburgen, who both learn to love the holidays and believe that Santa truly does exist through Buddy's unfailing optimism.

While Ferrell and Deschanel's chemistry in "Elf" was undeniable, the "Anchorman" star was married to actor Viveca Paulin at the time of filming, and they are still going strong. Meanwhile, Deschanel was with AFI bassist Hunter Burgan for a brief time before splitting in 2003. And, while Steenburgen and Michael Cahn's characters were married to each other, you might be surprised to learn which famous face she's been with for decades. Here's everything to know about the leading ladies of "Elf" and their real-life partners.

Zooey Deschanel is a twee trailblazer who brought her dainty, retro aesthetic into Jovie in "Elf." After dating several famous faces, marrying and later divorcing filmmaker Jacob Pechenik, the "New Girl" star found love again with "Property Brothers" star Jonathan Scott in 2019 while appearing on "Carpool Karaoke." Although there are some strange things about Deschanel and Scott's relationship, such as a fast and furious start to their romance, the two are still happily paired up as of 2025.

Scott and Deschanel bought a house together in 2020, and as a testament to their strong union, got through renovating the Los Angeles property together. "Eight months into our relationship, I already knew Zooey was the yin to my yang, the PB to my J. We were on parallel paths toward the happiness we'd been seeking our whole lives," the "Property Brothers" star gushed in an issue of Reveal (via People). The couple didn't just stop at one house — that same year, they bought a gorgeous, two-story apartment in New York City, which they also renovated together. Luckily for Deschanel, Scott is quite an expert in construction, and she told Architectural Digest in a feature story, "He won't stop until everything is perfect," says Deschanel. "And anything I can think of, he can execute." She and her fiancé have been engaged since 2023 and have yet to set a wedding date, but they're clearly still very much in love. On August 13, Deschanel shared an Instagram pic of herself smooching her man. "I love him. Like... a lot. Happy Anniversary."

Mary Steenburgen and "Cheers" star Ted Danson have one of the longest-running relationships in Hollywood. The two actors met in the early '80s during an audition, but it wasn't until a decade later that they landed a role together in "Pontiac Moon." Both were fresh off divorces, with Steenburgen recalling to People, "I wasn't ready for anything like a relationship. We just kept working together and becoming better and better friends." After being unable to deny the chemistry between them, Steenburgen and Danson got back into dating after their respective divorces.

It's not just their marriage that has withstood the test of time. Steenburgen and Danson's acting careers are still thriving, with the two starring in Season 2 of "A Man on the Inside" together. When asked how it felt to play love interests as a married couple, Danson shared on Today that he gets to "fall madly in love with her on camera." As for the secret to three decades of marriage, the "Three Men and a Baby" star answered, "Mary Steenburgen. That's my secret." He added, "And laugh a lot. We do laugh." There couldn't be a cuter couple in Hollywood than this pair.