Forgotten Stars in Classic Christmas Movies: See Who Appears in ‘The Grinch’, ‘Elf’, & More

By:

Elissa Anderson, Vivian, Jessica Acosta

December 25, 2024 11:00AM EST

NEW YORK - DECEMBER 16: ***EXCLUSIVE*** Actress Zooey Deschanel walks in Midtown Manhattan during a break in the filming of the movie "Elf" December 16, 2002 in New York City. (Photo by Mario Magnani/Getty Images)

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Your favorite Christmas classics might have some beloved Hollywood stars hiding in plain sight! Click through to see the stars you forgot were in Christmas movies like Elf, How The Grinch Stole Christmas, Love, Actually and more.

Your favorite Christmas classics might have some beloved Hollywood stars hiding in plain sight!

The best movies that we watch every holiday are actually full of surprise appearances by major stars! Did you know that The Big Bang Theory’s Johnny Galecki played Rusty in ‘National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation’, or that January Jones had a small role in ‘Love, Actually’?

Take a look at our gallery to see 14 stars that you definitely forgot starred in some classic Christmas movies you love to watch every year!

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Taylor Momsen in ‘How the Grinch Stole Christmas’

Taylor Momsen in ‘How the Grinch Stole Christmas’ — Did you know that Taylor Momsen, famous for her role as Jenny Humphrey on Gossip Girl and fronting the band The Pretty Reckless, got her start as Cindy Lou Who in How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)? At just seven years old, Taylor starred alongside Jim Carrey in this beloved holiday classic.

In a December 2020 interview to celebrate the film’s 20th anniversary, Taylor reflected on why The Grinch continues to resonate with audiences:

“I think that people love The Grinch just simply because the core of the story is so sweet and it’s so heartwarming and it has such a good message. That no matter what age touches your heart, I think that that’s an amazing thing to be a part of.”

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Miley Cyrus in ‘The Night Before’

Miley Cyrus in ‘The Night Before’ — Seth Rogen‘s hilarious 2013 film The Night Before stars Rogen, Anthony Mackie, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt as they attempt to find the hottest Christmas Eve party in town. The film features a surprise cameo from Miley Cyrus, who delivers a memorable performance.

However, despite her festive cameo, Cyrus has admitted she’s not exactly a fan of Christmas. She’s shared that her family’s holiday gatherings often end in “fistfights,” with everyone eventually retreating to their rooms and exchanging “apology texts.”

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Michelle Monaghan in ‘Kiss Kiss Bang Bang’

Michelle Monaghan in ‘Kiss Kiss Bang Bang’ — Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is a comedy-crime film starring Robert Downey Jr., Val Kilmer, and Michelle Monaghan. The story follows a New York thief who ends up in Hollywood, mistaken for an actor, and finds himself caught in a murder investigation.

Considered one of Monaghan’s breakout roles, she shines alongside her co-stars, particularly Downey Jr., with sharp comedic timing and seductive charm.

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Jessica Biel in ‘I’ll Be Home for Christmas’

Jessica Biel in ‘I’ll Be Home for Christmas’ — Before becoming a major Hollywood star, Jessica Biel had a memorable role as the love interest, Allie, in the 1998 holiday comedy I’ll Be Home for Christmas. She starred opposite Jonathan Taylor Thomas, playing a key part in the heartwarming and comedic plot about a young man trying to make it home for Christmas.

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Rita Wilson in “Mixed Nuts”

Rita Wilson in “Mixed Nuts” — Rita Wilson brought her charm to the 1994 holiday comedy Mixed Nuts, where she played the role of Grace, a quirky and lovably neurotic woman caught up in a chaotic Christmas Eve at a struggling suicide prevention hotline. Her comedic timing and heartwarming performance added to the film’s offbeat holiday spirit.

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Billy Bob Thornton in ‘Bad Santa’

Billy Bob Thornton in ‘Bad Santa’ — Billy Bob Thornton delivered a hilariously irreverent performance as the crude, alcoholic mall Santa, Willie T. Soke, in Bad Santa (2003). His darkly comedic portrayal of a disgruntled, down-on-his-luck Santa has since become a holiday classic, known for its sharp humor and unapologetic take on the season.

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Jonathan Taylor Thomas in ‘I’ll Be Home for Christmas’

Jonathan Taylor Thomas in ‘I’ll Be Home for Christmas’ — Jonathan Taylor Thomas starred as the mischievous yet lovable Jake Wilkinson in I’ll Be Home for Christmas (1998), playing a college student who faces a series of hilarious obstacles while trying to make it home in time for Christmas dinner. This role solidified JTT’s status as a 90s teen heartthrob while adding a dose of holiday fun to his acting career.

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Francia Raisa in ‘Christmas Bounty’

Francia Raisa in ‘Christmas Bounty’ — Francia Raise was the star of the 2013 movie Christmas Bounty. The movie followed a bounty hunter-turned-teacher trying to keep her past a secret from her fiancé.

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January Jones in ‘Love, Actually’

January Jones in ‘Love, Actually’ — Honestly, who wasn’t in ‘Love, Actually’? ‘Mad Men’ star January Jones had a small part in the 2003 film as one of the cute American girls Colin meets at a bar in Wisconsin and tries to shoot his shot with.

Apparently, January improvised many of her jokes during the shoot. Script editor Emma Freud tweeted about the production in 2015, sharing, “January Jones wrote half of her lines. She was sooooo funny when we filmed that scene.”

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Brenda Song in ‘The Ultimate Christmas Present’

Brenda Song in ‘The Ultimate Christmas Present’ — Brenda Song is a Christmas movie veteran. She starred in the 2000 Disney Channel movie The Ultimate Christmas Present. The movie was about the chaos that ensues after a girl steals a weather machine from Santa Claus so her town could have a snow day.

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Zooey Deschanel in ‘Elf’

Zooey Deschanel in ‘Elf’ — Who knew that getting rid of bangs would make someone look so different? Without her trademark hairstyle, Zooey Deschanel is practically unrecognizable in 2003’s ‘Elf’. She plays Jovie, Will Ferrell‘s (reluctant) friend who learns to believe in Christmas cheer again.

It was a break-out role for Zooey, who revealed she was fresh from dropping out of college when she read the script in the early 2000s. She told ‘The Kelly Clarkson Show’, “I was only 21 when I made that movie. I remember sitting—I was at my parents’ house because I basically just dropped out of college to be an actor—and I remember sitting at my parents’ house reading that script and laughing out loud. Since then, I’ve seen that that’s a good sign.” The star added, “Will Ferrell is just so perfect in that movie.”

12 of 24

Bryan Cranston in ‘Twas The Night’

Bryan Cranston in ‘Twas The Night’ — Bryan Cranston may be known for his edgier roles, but he was a delight in the Disney Channel Original Movie ‘Twas The Night. The 2001 flick was about how a mischievous 14-year-old boy and his irresponsible uncle almost ruin Christmas when they decide to take Santa’s new high-tech sleigh for a joyride.

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Michelle Tratchenberg in ‘The Christmas Gift’

Michelle Tratchenberg in ‘The Christmas Gift’ — Michelle Tratchenberg has been in several Xmas features. Along with 1998’s Christmas In My Hometown, she’s appeared in Black Christmas, The Christmas Gift, and Richie Rich’s Christmas Wish.

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Sarah Jessica Parker in ‘The Family Stone’

Sarah Jessica Parker in ‘The Family Stone’ — After the major success of ‘Sex & The City,’ Sarah Jessica Parker took her talent to the big screen. She appeared in the underrated 2005 holiday film ‘The Family Stone.’

Though the film is beloved, SJP admitted she hasn’t studied it much. Talking to Vulture in 2018, she told the reporter, “You probably know the movie better than I do, I’ve only seen it once.” Asked about her own holiday favorites in the same interview, the mother-of-three confessed, “We don’t watch a lot of movies at Christmas. It’s very strange. I didn’t grow up watching movies at Christmas. At Christmas, we always went to whatever the big movie was, as a family.”

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Anna Faris in ‘Just Friends’

Anna Faris in ‘Just Friends’ — Ryan Reynolds stars as a former fat kid who becomes successful and hot in ‘Just Friends’ (2005), and with that comes a celebrity hookup. Anna Faris was the unhinged pop star, Samantha James, who just wouldn’t leave him alone.

Anna joked about a potential ‘Just Friends’ follow-up in 2015, telling Refinery29 she would “love to” reprise her role. “I loved getting to be so obnoxious, like unapologetically obnoxious in that movie,” Faris explained.

“And getting to wear those crazy costumes and getting to be awful. It’s such a release to play a character who’s atrocious.” Faris was happy to reminisce over the film. “It was so fun, and I love that it’s sort of found a following.”

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Arnold Schwarzenegger in ‘Jingle All The Way’

Arnold Schwarzenegger in ‘Jingle All The Way’ — Arnold Schwarzenegger had quite the film career before becoming Governor California.

He starred in the 1996 film ‘Jingle All The Way’, about two rival fathers battling for a coveted Turbo-Man action figure during a frantic Christmas Eve shopping spree in Minneapolis, Minnesota. ‘Jingle All The Way’ was inspired by the frenzy over toys like the Cabbage Patch Kids and Power Rangers in the 90s.

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Thomas Brodie-Sangster in ‘Love, Actually’

Thomas Brodie-Sangster in ‘Love, Actually’ — Liam Neeson‘s adorable, lovestruck son in 2003’s ‘Love, Actually’ was…actually… Thomas Brodie-Sangster. The future ‘Game of Thrones; star trends every year when people find out that he was just 5 years younger than star Kiera Knightly!

Thomas looked back at the role with People magazine in Oct. 2020, explaining how he didn’t initially realize he’d be joining such an A-list cast. The movie also featured Emma Thompson, Hugh Grant, and Colin Firth, just to name a few.

“I remember already having the part and going into the read-through and not knowing who else was in it. I’d just go, ‘Oh, it’s another job. Great. I’m on another job.’ And then all these faces started walking in through the door and I realized that this is probably quite big.”

He went on, “I felt a bit embarrassed, I asked [a runner], ‘Is this coming out in the cinema?’ And he’s like, ‘Yeah.’ I was like, ‘Really? Oh, wow.’ I had no idea what it was and then they walked me through to the room and I was sat down with maybe 50 very high-profile amazing actors all around this table. It was only then that I realized what I was apart of. All the way up until that point I had no idea whatsoever.”

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Alia Shawkat in ‘Deck The Halls’

Alia Shawkat in ‘Deck The Halls’ — Alia Shawkat from ‘Arrested Development’ played Matthew Broderick and Kristin Davis’ teenage daughter, Madison, in the 2006 comedy ‘Deck the Halls’. Despite her dad feuding with Danny Devito, she becomes friends with his daughters. Alternate titles for the film included ‘All Lit Up’ and ‘Wreck the Halls’, according to TooFab.

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Johnny Galecki in ‘National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation’

Johnny Galecki in ‘National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation’ — It’s a hilarious running gag in the National Lampoon movies that Chevy Chase‘s son, Rusty, is always replaced by a new actor. In 1989’s ‘Christmas Vacation’, a young Johnny Galecki gets that honor.

The ‘Big Bang Theory’ star looked back on the role with Rolling Stone in 2020, saying, “This was such a seminal part of my career, and understanding of comedy and life in general. I remember practically every day.”

Since he was so young, Johnny said people he knows well are still surpirsed to learn he’s in the movie. He told Rolling Stone, “What’s even funnier is that people that I’ve known for 10, 15 years still to this day say to me, ‘Oh my god, you’re in Christmas Vacation?’. There’s a big difference between 14 and 39. I’m able to look at it with very grateful eyes.”

20 of 24

Tim McGraw in ‘Four Christmases’

Tim McGraw in ‘Four Christmases’ — Tim McGraw tried his hand at acting by playing one of Vince Vaughn‘s dopey brothers (Jon Favreau was the other) in ‘Four Christmases’. The role in the 2008 movie inspired him to lose 40 pounds!

Tim admitted he’s never seen the movie in a Dec. 2021 interview with KMLE in Phoenix, Arizona. telling the station he can’t stand to watch himself during an unhealthy period of his life. “I’ve never seen ‘Four Christmases’. Never seen it,” he said. “I saw the trailer and I’m like, ‘Oh, I’m never, I can’t look at myself like that for an hour and a half, two hours, heck no.’ I don’t even like to hear myself, much less look at myself.”

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Queen Latifah in ‘Last Holiday’

Queen Latifah in ‘Last Holiday’ — Talk about an underrated gem. Queen Latifah was the star of ‘Last Holiday’, a sweet 2006 comedy about a woman who believes she’s dying and decides to live life to the very fullest. Trust us: it has a very happy ending!

Queen Latifah said she related to her character in a Jan. 2006 interview with CBS, saying, “That’s probably what many people would do if they found out they only had a few weeks left to live.” She continued, “Many of us are kind of just living in fear or not taking advantage of those dreams we always had or not telling the people that we love, that we love them. So it’s just like you wonder, ‘What would you do if you only had a few weeks left to live?'”

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Lauren Graham in ‘Bad Santa’

Lauren Graham in ‘Bad Santa’ — Lorelai who? While she was in the midst of playing a wholesome mom on ‘Gilmore Girls’, Lauren Graham surprisingly starred in the raunchy 2003 comedy ‘Bad Santa’. She played Billy Bob Thornton‘s sometimes girlfriend Sue.

Lauren explained what was relatable about the bawdy Xmas flick in 2004, saying, “I think a lot of people relate to it, to its negative view of the holidays. I mean, Billy Bob’s guy embodies every piece of resentment we have to the enforced jollity, all wrapped up into one.”

“He’s just wonderful – somewhere under there is some kind of warmth, that’s what makes the film work. It makes it OK that he’s angry and awful and mean. Do I hate Christmas? I fall somewhere in between. I enjoy it, but I also get the movie’s misanthropy. I don’t like sentimental films. The sense of humor here is very dark. But it works.”

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Dan Stevens in ‘The Man Who Invented Christmas’

Dan Stevens in ‘The Man Who Invented Christmas’ — After garnering incredible recognition on ‘Downton Abbey,’ Dan Stevens was ready for the silver screen. He played Charles Dickens in the 2017 film ‘The Man Who Invented Christmas,’ about the real-life author who wrote ‘A Christmas Carol.’

Dan talked about Dickens’ legacy with The Guardian in Dec. 2007, saying while he wasn’t a saint, the project tried to focus on his lighter moments “I think it being a Christmas film, we wanted it to be fairly full of laughter,” he said.

“I don’t wish to take anything away from the man, and therefore you have to address the dark side of his nature and his work. There were moments when he was bleak and depressive. But I think there were moments when he was great fun to be around, very silly and playful.”

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Zooey Deschanel on the set of “Elf”

Zooey Deschanel on the set of “Elf” — NEW YORK – DECEMBER 16: ***EXCLUSIVE*** Actress Zooey Deschanel walks in Midtown Manhattan during a break in the filming of the movie “Elf” December 16, 2002 in New York City. (Photo by Mario Magnani/Getty Images)

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