Funnyman Will Ferrell is convinced he deserves an Oscar nod for his new Spanish-language movie Casa de mi Padre - because he had to improvise in a foreign tongue.

The Old School star studied Spanish intensively for 23 days before filming began and insists he should be rewarded for his efforts.

Ferrell tells Entertainment Weekly magazine, "It was a 23-day Spanish fever dream. I'm so glad I did it. People keep asking me, 'Did it cut down on your ability to improvise?' I'm like, 'Hell, yes!'

"I was just trying to make sure my Spanish (was good). There's no question I should be nominated (for an Oscar) just based on the degree of difficulty."

Ferrell admits that before he signed on for the film, in which he plays an incompetent Mexican rancher, his Spanish was limited to what he learned in high school - and that was not good.

He adds, "I was fired in my senior year by my Spanish teacher."