‘Elf’ Star Faizon Love Arrested in Florida

Michelle Stein June 18, 2026, 10:35 am

What To Know

Actor Faizon Love, known for his role as the Gimbel’s manager in Elf, was arrested in Tampa, Florida.
The arrest is reportedly related to a paternity case.
Love has appeared in Friday, The Replacements, and Step Up: High Water.

Elf star Faizon Love was recently arrested in Florida.

On Tuesday, June 16, the actor who played a Gimbel’s manager in the Christmas movie starring Will Ferrell was booked into the Orient Road Jail in Tampa, TMZ reported.

Love was booked on two charges of contempt of court, according to jail records obtained by Entertainment Weekly. Reportedly, he is being held at the Hillsborough County Jail without bond.

Per The U.S. Sun, the arrest was connected to a paternity case involving the actor. Love allegedly failed to pay 250,000 in child support owed to a woman named Tiffany Lee.

In Elf, Love starred in a memorable scene alongside Ferrell, during which the former (in character as a Gimbel’s manager) announced, “OK, people. Tomorrow, 10 a.m., Santa’s coming to town!”

“Santaaaa!!” Buddy the Elf (Ferrell) shrieked. “Oh, my God. Santa here? I know him!”

Another Elf scene starring Love happened when he asked Buddy, “Why are you smiling like that?” To that, Ferrell’s character replied, “I just like to smile; smiling’s my favorite.”

“Make work your favorite — that’s your favorite,” the department store manager instructed. “Work is your new favorite.”

In yet another quotable moment, the manager told Buddy, “There’s no singing in the North Pole,” to which the elf insisted, “Yes, there is!”

Aside from his role as the sergeant-style manager in Elf, Love appeared in films like Friday (1995), The Replacements (2000), Just My Luck (2006), and more. More recently, he played Santa Charles in the 2022 film Santa Games and Al Baker in 30 episodes of the series Step Up: High Water.