Christmas movies are a rare genre in that, even when they're corny and bad, they're still good. And people often watch their favorites *at least* once a year. That's probably why many Hollywood stars clamor to snag a role in anything holiday-related, including these A-list celebs you might have forgotten about.
Columbia Pictures
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John Krasinski in The Holiday
A year after breaking out as Jim on The Office, John Krasinski appeared in The Holiday as one of Amanda's (Cameron Diaz) overworked employees who can't believe she's taking a vacation.
Archive PhotosGetty Images
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Rita Wilson in Mixed Nuts
In this crazy chaotic comedy that focuses on Christmas Eve at Steve Martin's character's suicide prevention hotline, we'd be lost without Rita Wilson's antics as Catherine.
20th Century Fox
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Kieran Culkin in Home Alone
Although it's his older brother who stars in this holiday classic, Kieran Culkin appears in Home Alone as one of the many children in the house who are fighting over pizza and Pepsi.
Miramax Films
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Eugene Levy in Serendipity
They say when destiny has a sense of humor you get serendipity. The fate of two people hoping to connect was all in Eugene Levy's hands when he played a very important salesman in this Christmas love story.
New Line Distribution
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Peter Billingsley in Elf
Christmas movie worlds collided when fans realized that Peter Billingsley, a.k.a. Ralphie from A Christmas Story, played an elf at the North Pole in Elf.
Universal
6 of 40
Billy Bob Thornton in Love Actually
You're not meant to like the smooth-talking, entitled President of the United States in Love Actually, but you can appreciate Billy Bob Thornton for choosing the iconic role.
20th Century Fox
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Arnold Schwarzenegger in Jingle All the Way
Let us not forget that The Terminator...we mean, Arnold Schwarzenegger...was the star of a Christmas movie back in 1996. He played a businessman on a quest for a sold out toy on Christmas Eve. Yes, it's worth a watch.
Jan Thijs/Santamax Distribution
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Christina Hendricks in Bad Santa 2
Christina Hendrix joined the holiday debauchery that was Bad Santa 2, playing the head of a charity organization. It was as raunchy as you would expect.
Walt Disney Productions
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Jessica Biel in I'll Be Home For Christmas
Jessica Biel was at the height of her 7th Heaven fame when she played Jonathan Taylor Thomas's love interest in I'll Be Home for Christmas. It is peak '90s and as amazing as it sounds.
20th Century Fox
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Kristin Chenoweth in Deck the Halls
The singer/actress took her pipes off Broadway to grace us as Danny Devito's wife, Tia Hall, in Deck the Halls. We say, the more Chenoweth, the better. (More on Kristin Davis later.)
20th Century Fox
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Sarah Jessica Parker in The Family Stone
What would the holidays be without a little familial strife? Sarah Jessica Parker joined an all-star cast in TheFamily Stone to make us feel better about our own dysfunctional family.
Warner Bros.
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Beverly D'Angelo in National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
Whether she's playing Barb on Entourage or Stella Rose in Netflix's Insatiable, D'Angelo will always be Ellen Griswold in our hearts.
Dogstar Films
13 of 40
Paul Rudd in 200 Cigarettes
This dark comedy, which centers around a group of 20-somethings on New Year's Eve in New York City, is now a cult classic. Rudd steals the show as the heartbroken Kevin.
Columbia Pictures
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Ed Burns in The Holiday
He's not in the film for long (Cameron Diaz's character breaks up with him in the opening scene of the movie), but he's important, because it's Ed Burns' character that sets the entire plot of The Holiday in motion.
Zade Rosenthal/ Revolution Studios
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Dan Aykroyd in Christmas With the Kranks
Dan Aykroyd plays an uptight neighbor competing against Tim Allen and Jamie Lee Curtis throughout the holiday season in Christmas With the Kranks. Classic.
Darren Michaels/ New Line Productions
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Neil Patrick Harris in A Very Harold & Kumar 3-D Christmas
Why wouldn't Neil Patrick Harris perform a song and dance number while wearing a top hat and holding a giant candy cane in A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas?
Universal
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Taylor Momsen in How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Before she roamed the Upper East Side on Gossip Girl, Taylor Momsen was the adorable Cindy Lou Who in How the Grinch Stole Christmas.
Mazur / Kaplan Company
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Dan Stevens in The Man Who Invented Christmas
He may have left Downton Abbey, but Dan Stevens wasn't done with period dramas just yet. His role as Charles Dickens in The Man Who Invented Christmas is memorable, mostly due to his drastic hair change for the role.
Hollywood Pictures
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Peter Gallagher in While You Were Sleeping
Okay, so he's in a coma for most of the movie, but Peter Gallagher was dreamy enough to cause Sandra Bullock to lie about an engagement, so we have to give him some credit.
Archive PhotosGetty Images
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Liev Schreiber in Mixed Nuts
Before he played the tough guy on Ray Donovan, Liev Schreiber's first movie role was as Chris in Nora Ephron's Mixed Nuts.
Walt Disney Productions
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Jonathan Taylor Thomas in I'll Be Home For Christmas
Jonathan Taylor Thomas was one of the biggest heartthrobs of the '90s, so his role as cool-guy Jake in I'll Be Home For Christmas had tweens everywhere swooning when it premiered.
Archive PhotosGetty Images
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William Frawley in Lemon Drop Kid
You're probably familiar with William Frawley as Fred on I Love Lucy, but before his days on TV, the actor starred opposite Bob Hope in the gangster Christmas movie, Lemon Drop Kid.
Walt Disney Productions
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Martin Short in The Santa Clause 3
Martin Short rolled into the North Pole as Jack Frost in The Santa Clause 3—and brought some mischief along with him.
Miramax Films
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John Corbett in Serendipity
Why is it that John Corbett's characters never win at love? In 2001, Corbett starred as Kate Beckinsale's character's boyfriend in Serendipity, but it didn't pan out well for him.
Paramount Pictures
25 of 40
LL Cool J in The Last Holiday
The rapper turned actor took his crush on Queen Latifah's character in The Last Holiday to the next level when he trekked all the way to the Alps for her—now that's holiday love.
Fotos InternationalGetty Images
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Whitney Houston in The Preacher's Wife
Legendary singer Whitney Houston returned to the big screen after her 1992 debut in The Bodyguard with a Christmas film. Houston stole the show alongside Denzel Washington in the remake of the 1947 film, The Bishop's Wife.
Inferno Distribution
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Anna Faris in Just Friends
We've all made the mistake of bringing the wrong person home for the holidays. Anna Faris is the epitome of this in Just Friends, in which she played Ryan Reynolds's character's crazy pop star girlfriend.
20th Century Fox
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Dylan McDermott in Miracle on 34th St (1994)
Dylan McDermott spread the Christmas cheer as he wooed Dorey Walker and her 6-year-old daughter Susan, and served as Kris Kringle's defense attorney.
Paramount Pictures
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Bill Murray in Scrooged
Only Bill Murray could deliver a hilarious modern day version of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol and have it be completely ridiculous and brilliant at the same time.
Warner Bros.
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Tom Hanks in The Polar Express
Academy Award-winning actor Tom Hanks was tapped to voice the conductor when Warner Brothers decided to bring the classic holiday book The Polar Express to life in 2004.
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