Andy Samberg and Elle Fanning star in Hellmann’s Super Bowl ad

Hellmann’s is bringing humour and music to this year’s Super Bowl with a new commercial starring Andy Samberg and Elle Fanning. For its sixth consecutive appearance during the Big Game, the Unilever-backed mayonnaise brand is leaning into playful absurdity. Samberg portrays ‘Meal Diamond,’ a melody-making troubadour who convinces an entire deli to sing the praises of Hellmann’s in the catchy number ‘Sweet Sandwich Time,’ a playful nod to Neil Diamond’s ‘Sweet Caroline’.

Elle Fanning, who plays one of the deli customers, described the shoot as a fast-paced and challenging experience. “It was a nice challenge to work with Andy because he’s so incredible and fast paced, and you have to really up your game with him,” Fanning said. She added that the song, with its new sandwich-themed lyrics, is designed to be an earworm that brings people together.

The ad’s production involved some edible sacrifices, with several sandwiches swapped out during filming after heavy layers of Hellmann’s were applied. Fanning laughed recalling the turkey and tomato sandwiches, “They had like four or five of them in a row waiting for you.”

Despite her experience in major films like Maleficent and A Complete Unknown, Fanning said the Super Bowl ad came with its own pressures. “You know that everyone’s going to be watching it and then also you want to have a commercial that really stands out and is iconic in its own way and that people find funny or really touches them,” she noted.

Fanning is a self-proclaimed mayonnaise fan and hopes the commercial will inspire viewers to reach for extra Hellmann’s on their own sandwiches. She praised last year’s ad, which featured Ryan Reynolds and Billy Crystal revisiting When Harry Met Sally, but stressed that this year’s effort focuses on humour, music, and sandwich fun rather than competing with previous campaigns.