Will Ferrell claims he's a middle-aged version of One Direction.

The popular comedian feels akin to the British boy band because he has started to induce hysteria among teenage fans whenever he goes out in public. "We had gone out to dinner, and by the time we had left the restaurant, there was a mob of high-school kids outside. There was a panel that blocked part of the window and they were jumping up trying to look. I'm a 46-year-old version of One Direction. All five of them packed into one middle-aged guy," he joked, recalling one particular incident in Seattle.

The loud-mouthed star - who is returning to screens as hapless newsreader Ron Burgundy in the sequel to cult comedy Anchorman - insists he wasn't always so confident and used to be a painfully shy child: "I was extremely shy. I had to meet everyone and until I was comfortable with everyone. I didn't say a word. Once I got to speak, everyone saw my true colors. And it'd be like, 'Wait, you're funny!' It's not that I lacked confidence. I never felt the need to impress anyone, but I wanted to feel that I belonged."

Despite regularly being voted the funniest man in Hollywood, Will still doesn't feel like he belongs on the A-list and wonders whether it will all turn out to be a dream. "[I have] massive imposter syndrome. [I always] felt that I had snuck into this black-tie after-party, and at any moment I'll discover that I'm not only not meant to be here, but I'm also not wearing a tux. I'm wearing shorts," he said.