Elf star who played Buddy's younger brother looks unrecognisable 21 years after movie
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Elf is a beloved Christmas classic, with Buddy's endearing character and the heartwarming message of festive belief making it as popular today as it was 21 years ago. Since its release in 2003, it's fascinating to see how much the characters have grown - including little Michael, Buddy the elf's younger half-brother, portrayed by Daniel Tay.
Now aged 32, the former actor may be best known for his role as Michael Hobbs in the Christmas film, but life has changed significantly since Elf graced our screens. In the movie, Michael watches his father Walter (played by the late James Caan) navigate life as a cynical children's book publishing executive, while also discovering he is the younger half-brother of Buddy, a man who insists he's an elf.
This was Tay's first significant film role, and he also appeared in American Splendor as Young Harvey Pekar that same year. Despite having only a few roles, it's Elf that makes the former star a viral sensation every Christmas season. Although Tay is fondly remembered for his role in Elf, his acting career was brief. He soon left acting behind and graduated from Yale University with a degree in economics.
These days, Tay is almost unrecognisable from his acting days and is reported to be working as an SAT instructor, reports the Daily Record. According to the company's website, Tay spent time as a Teaching Assistant and Peer Tutor in the Department of Computer Science while at Yale. He was also a recipient of the Richard U.
Light Fellowship for his studies in Mandarin Chinese language. "He believes that teaching and learning are expressions of the basic human need for mutual understanding," it read. "With this in mind, he works with students to cultivate relationships based in clarity, humour, structure and respect.
