Top 10 Celebs You Forgot Were in Christmas Movies
#10: John Krasinski
“The Holiday” (2006)
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In 2006, John Krasinski was just a twentysomething who was having some minor success with “The Office.” When “The Holiday” premiered in December of that same year, “The Office” was midway through its second season. The mockumentary sitcom was decently popular, but Krasinski certainly wasn’t the household name he is today. It also didn’t help that Krasinski only had a very minor role in the rom-com, playing one of Amanda’s employees. Luckily for Krasinski’s career, “The Office” eventually took off and became one of the most popular comedies on TV, and his venture into directing bore fruit with 2018’s “A Quiet Place.” If “The Holiday” was released today, he would probably replace either Jude Law or Jack Black as one of the male stars.
#9: Neil Patrick Harris
“The Christmas Blessing” (2005)
The ‘90s and early 2000s were a tough time for NPH. “Doogie Howser” ended in 1993, and Harris floundered with mostly small roles in sporadic television shows and various made-for-TV movies. One of these was “The Christmas Blessing,” a CBS movie about a disillusioned doctor who returns to his hometown. The TV movie aired on December 18, 2005. Luckily, NPH was in the midst of his big career comeback. “How I Met Your Mother” premiered that past September and was earning about ten million viewers per week. The show reignited his dying star, and everyone quickly forgot about “The Christmas Blessing.”
#8: Christina Hendricks
“Bad Santa 2” (2016)
Hendricks received widespread praise for her role as Joan Holloway in “Mad Men.” Appearing in all seven seasons, Hendricks received six Emmy nominations for her work. She supplemented this with various movies, including “The Strangers: Prey at Night” and Nicolas Winding Refn’s “Drive” and “Neon Demon.” What most people don’t remember is her work in “Bad Santa 2,” and that’s because most people don’t remember “Bad Santa 2.” Hendricks plays Diane, the founder of a charity and the eventual sexual partner of Billy Bob Thornton’s Willie. Hendricks is excellent in the role, and she has great chemistry with Thornton. However, the movie didn’t do well, and it was quickly forgotten by the general public.
#7: LL Cool J
“Last Holiday” (2006)
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While widely known for his rap career, LL Cool J is quite a prominent actor as well, appearing in the likes of “Oz,” “Halloween H20,” and “NCIS: Los Angeles.” An oft-forgotten movie of his is “Last Holiday.” Released in 2006, the movie stars Queen Latifah as Georgia Byrd. Georgia is mistakenly told that she has just three weeks to live, so she decides to go on a luxurious trip through Europe. LL Cool J plays Sean Williams, one of Georgia’s co-workers and her eventual romantic partner. It’s a decent little flick, and Queen Latifah is her usual spectacular self in the lead role.
#6: Dan Stevens
“The Man Who Invented Christmas” (2017)
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Playing Charles Dickens should be the role of a lifetime. Unfortunately, “The Man Who Invented Christmas” sort of just came and went without much fanfare or attention. “Downton Abbey”’s Dan Stevens plays Dickens as he brainstorms and writes A Christmas Carol. Despite a strong premise and an excellent cast, including Stevens, Christopher Plummer, and Jonathan Pryce, “The Man Who Invented Christmas” received a limited release and grossed only $8 million. Even to this day, few people seem to have heard of it. With that said, the biographical drama is actually quite good and received strong reviews. Such is the way the movie industry goes.
#5: Jessica Biel
“I’ll Be Home for Christmas” (1998)
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This Christmas movie from 1998 stars Jonathan Taylor Thomas as a young man who must race from California to New York in order to be home for Christmas. Thomas was starring in the last season of “Home Improvement,” and Jessica Biel was starring as Mary Camden on The WB’s “7th Heaven.” In “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” Biel plays Allie Henderson, Thomas’s girlfriend and road companion. It was Biel’s second major movie, following “Ulee’s Gold” in 1997. Biel proved herself a natural on the big screen, and her obvious talent heralded great things for her future. The movie quickly faded from memory, but Biel didn’t. She confidently finished out her time on “7th Heaven” and became one of the biggest actresses of the 2000s.
#4: Carrie Fisher
“It’s Christmas, Carol!” (2012)
Carrie Fisher was a legend of the screen, known for her work in the “Star Wars” franchise but also appearing in numerous beloved films, including “The Blues Brothers” and “When Harry Met Sally.” What some may not know is that Fisher was also a script doctor who worked on the screenplays of “The Wedding Singer,” “Hook,” and “Sister Act.” In 2012, she starred in a modern adaptation of A Christmas Carol. Airing on the Hallmark Channel, “It’s Christmas, Carol!” starred Fisher as Eve, the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future. It’s a cute enough movie, but one that didn’t receive a whole lot of attention.
#3: Danny DeVito
“Deck the Halls” (2006)
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In 2006, 20th Century Fox released “Deck the Halls,” a $50 million movie starring the likes of Matthew Broderick, Danny DeVito, Kristin Davis, and Kristin Chenoweth. The story concerns Broderick and DeVito as warring neighbors Steve and Buddy. Steve is known as The Christmas Guy around town, but Buddy quickly steals his thunder by decorating his house so elaborately and brightly that it can be seen from space. Steve grows irritated, and comedy shenanigans ensue. DeVito plays a conniving and mean-spirited man to utter perfection, and he utilized these talents throughout his iconic run in “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” - as well as many other productions. Everyone knows Frank Reynolds. Unfortunately, no one remembers Buddy Hall.
#2: Whitney Houston
“The Preacher’s Wife” (1996)
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When you think of Whitney Houston, what do you think of? Her angelic voice? “I Will Always Love You”? What you probably don’t think of is “The Preacher’s Wife,” a Christmas movie from 1996. That’s not to say that the comedy-movie is bad. Far from it. It’s a heartwarming tale filled with great actors, including Denzel Washington and Courtney B. Vance. Even Lionel Richie makes an appearance. But it was only a modest success, grossing nearly $50 million and eventually fading from the public consciousness. If anything, the soundtrack is more fondly remembered than the movie itself: earning an Oscar nomination for Best Music, Original Musical or Comedy Score and becoming the best-selling gospel album of all time, it sold over five million copies worldwide.
Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
David Hasselhoff, “The Christmas Consultant” (2012)
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Mandy Moore, “Christmas in Conway” (2013)
An ABC Film Starring Moore as a Live-In Hospice Nurse
Molly Ringwald, “Wishin’ and Hopin’” (2014)
A Christmas Story Starring Ringwald as a Substitute Teacher
Eugene Levy, “Serendipity” (2001)
A Rom-Com with Levy Playing a Bloomingdale’s Salesman
#1: Bryan Cranston
“‘Twas the Night” (2001)
Bryan Cranston is a legendary actor, known for playing Hal in “Malcolm in the Middle,” Walter White in “Breaking Bad,” and Nick Wrigley in “‘Twas the Night.” “Malcolm in the Middle” premiered in January of 2000, and earned Cranston popularity as a comedic actor. This success led him to the Disney Channel, where he landed the lead role in “‘Twas the Night.” The movie sees him playing a reckless uncle who takes his nephew on a joy ride in Santa’s sleigh and steals from unsuspecting houses. And you thought Walter White was a heartless villain. It makes for fun Disney fare, and Cranston is excellent as always. It’s no “Breaking Bad,” but hey, few things are.
