▁Richard ▁in ▁Old ▁School ▁( 2 0 0 3 ). ▁The ▁film ▁" bel ongs ▁to ▁Mr . ▁Fer rell ," ▁declared ▁The ▁New ▁York ▁Times , ▁which ▁described ▁how ▁he ▁" uses ▁his ▁h il ari ous , ▁anxious ▁ze al ot ry ▁to ▁sell ▁the ▁part ." ▁Old ▁School ▁was ▁a ▁success , ▁and ▁Fer rell ▁received ▁an ▁MTV ▁Movie ▁Awards ▁nom ination ▁for ▁Best ▁Com edic ▁Performance . ▁ ▁The ▁title ▁role ▁in ▁El f ▁( 2 0 0 3 ) ▁followed , ▁as ▁did ▁another ▁MTV ▁Movie ▁Awards ▁nom ination . ▁Fer rell ▁continued ▁to ▁land ▁comedy ▁roles ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁and ▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁in ▁films ▁such ▁as ▁Mel inda ▁and ▁Mel inda , ▁An ch orm an : ▁The ▁Leg end ▁of ▁Ron ▁Burg und y , ▁Star sky ▁& ▁H utch ▁ear ning ▁himself ▁a ▁place ▁among ▁Hollywood ' s ▁F rat ▁Pack . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 5 , ▁Fer rell ▁earned ▁. ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 6 , ▁Fer rell ▁star red ▁in ▁Str anger ▁Th an ▁F iction ▁and ▁T alla de ga ▁N ights : ▁The ▁Ball ad ▁of ▁R icky ▁Bobby . ▁Both ▁received ▁critical ▁and ▁box ▁office ▁success . ▁Fer rell ' s ▁performance ▁in ▁Str anger ▁Th an ▁F iction ▁introduced ▁aud ien ces ▁to ▁the ▁dram atic ▁potential ▁of ▁Fer rell ' s ▁acting ▁tal ents , ▁while ▁T alla de ga ▁N ights ▁was ▁his ▁highest ▁gross ing ▁live -