Behind the lovelorn couple bumbling about in the very Duluth-y holiday movie "Merry Kiss Cam" sits a superstitious superfan clawing at his maroon Bulldogs' cap — his limp hockey hair hanging past his ears.
Benny Elledge, who plays Derrick Dubonnet, barely needed to act in the role. While he attended the University of Minnesota Duluth as a theater student, he didn't have free time to spend in the stands at sporting events. But the highs and lows of fandom come easily to him. For better or worse, he's a huge Minnesota Vikings fan.
The movie about an artist and bar owner whose Jumbotron moments seem to make or break the Bulldogs' hockey season was filmed in Duluth this past spring. Now screening on Hulu, it offers local vistas, name-drops local brands — and in some cases featured actors with Duluth ties.
Elledge, who provides most of the comedy in the rom-com, takes digs at the referees and coaxes the kissing couple. Originally from Brooklyn Park, Elledge currently lives in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he co-owns a production studio. He was in the Broadway production of "Waitress" and appeared in "Blue Bloods," "Gotham" and "Taxi Brooklyn."
Q: When did you graduate from the University of Minnesota Duluth?
A: Graduate is a big word. I exited the premises around 2006-ish. I wouldn't say I have a degree per se, but I did learn some. I was up there five years. I attended school for a fair amount of that. I probably should have left with multiple degrees.
Q: And were you a Bulldogs hockey fan while you were at UMD?
A: Yeah, definitely. I will say, being in theater was kind of like being an athlete. We had a bunch of classes and we were always in productions. As soon as school was over, we were always at rehearsals. We never got to go to any sporting events — we had a crazier schedule than they did. I never even went to a football game.
Q: Was it hard for you to slip into the role of a superfan?
A: It was very easy. I'm a die-hard Minnesota Vikings fan and as many of your readers know, that's a very, very difficult thing to be and it has been for all of everyone's life — however old you are. In fact, I had numerous friends after the movie say, "I felt like I was just watching football with you.'" It was a lot of standing in "surrender cobra." Do you know what that is? It's when you stand with both of your arms above your head and just look dejected.
Q: How did you end up in this movie?
A: It actually had nothing really do to with being from Minnesota — the Minnesota part was a coincidence. I am good friends with the girl who is the lead, Katie Lowes. I was in "Waitress" on Broadway for two years. She came in and did a stint for a few months. We became friends. She randomly called me one day and said, "They're looking for someone for this role and I think you'd be hilarious. I told the director about you and she's going to call you." Then she said, "Do you know where Duluth is?"
Q: What was your first viewing of "Merry Kiss Cam" like?
A: I thought it was lovely. I thought it was exactly what it was going to be. I watched it with my girlfriend. I went home for Thanksgiving. I was in Minneapolis and we were going to have a little watch party. We got up and my mom was like, "I was up early at 8 a.m. and I watched your movie." Then my sister texted me and said, "Mom said she watched the movie already. Well, I'm going to watch it, too." The watch party was ruined.
