40 Stars You Probably Forgot Were in Christmas Movies

(Image credit: Walt Disney Productions/New Line Distribution)

published 10 December 2019

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.

1/39

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.

2/39

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.

3/39

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.

4/39

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.

5/39

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.

6/39

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.

7/39

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.

8/39

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.

9/39

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.

10/39

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.)

11/39

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 The Family Stone to make us feel better about our own dysfunctional family.

12/39

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.

13/39

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.

14/39

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.

15/39

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.

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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?

17/39

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.

18/39

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.

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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.

20/39

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.

21/39

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.

22/39

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.

23/39

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.

24/39

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.

25/39

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.

26/39

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.

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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.

28/39

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.

29/39

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 (opens in new tab) to life in 2004.

30/39

Reese Witherspoon in Four Christmases

Reese Witherspoon shows us just how exhausting the holidays can be in Four Christmases, during which her and her partner, Vince Vaughn, visit both of their divorced parents on Christmas Day.

31/39

Jon Favreau in Elf

Jon Favreau made a cameo as Buddy the Elf's pediatrician in Elf—oh and he directed the whole thing too. No big deal.

32/39

Joseph Cross in Jack Frost

At the beginning of his acting career, Joseph Cross (Milk, Lincoln, Running With Scissors) was the star of Jack Frost—the Christmas film about a father who comes back from the dead as a snowman to make things right with his family.

33/39

Catherine O'Hara in Home Alone

Catherine O'Hara spends most of this classic film either blissfully unaware or freaking out over her missing son in Home Alone. Her role is nothing short of iconic.

34/39

Kurt Russell in The Christmas Chronicles

Kurt Russell took on the role of Father Christmas in the Netflix movie, The Christmas Chronicles—which was so popular a sequel is expected to be released in 2020.

35/39

Michelle Monaghan in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang

Despite Michelle Monaghan's festive get-up, the dark comedy Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, which takes place during Christmastime in Los Angeles, is anything but traditional.

36/39

Molly Ringwald in Wishin' and Hopin'

Molly Ringwald goes back to school, this time as the teacher, in Wishin' and Hopin'.

37/39

Natalie Wood in Miracle on 34th St

The original Miracle on 34th St starred the precocious Natalie Wood as Susan Walker.

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Julie Andrews in Eloise at Christmastime

Julie Andrews returned to her roots of playing a nanny (you know, like she did in The Sound of Music and Mary Poppins?!) in Eloise at Christmastime.

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Kristin Davis in Three Days

Kristin Davis worked on something a little more wholesome on the side while starring on Sex and the City. In 2001, the actress played an angel who helps save a marriage during the holidays in Three Days.