‘Nutcrackers’ star Ben Stiller picks his favorite holiday movies

On November 29, 2024By Littum

The old Hollywood warning is clear: Never work with children or animals, because both will easily raise any star.

“Yeah, so it was making this movie opposite of it – it was working with children as well as animals,” says Ben Stiller of his new feel-good holiday film, “The Nutcracker” (streams Friday on Hulu).

But before the veteran actor (“Meet the Fockers”), director (“Tropic Thunder”) and producer (“Severance”) can continue, one of those child co-stars, Ulysses Janson, 11, intervenes.

“Yeah, they should say, ‘Never work with adults,'” says Janson, who goes by Uli.

Stiller shoots him a very wide-eyed Ben Stiller look. “I think you got something there kid.”

Join our Watch Party! Sign up to receive USA TODAY’s movie and TV recommendations straight to your inbox.

And so it goes for the next 20 minutes: effortless banter mixed with good-natured ribbing between the 58-year-old actor and two of his four young co-stars, who also include Homer Janson, 13, and twins Arlo and Atlas, 8.

That easy camaraderie leaps off the screen in “Nutcrackers,” a heartwarming vision from director David Gordon Green (2018’s “Halloween” reboot) that tells the story of career-obsessed Michael (Stiller) who must watch over his four rowdy and suddenly orphaned nephews as they await news of their placement in foster care.

The real-life brothers’ antics inspired Hulu’s new holiday movie ‘Nutcrackers’

The unique gift of “Nutcrackers” is that Green met the four Janson brothers while visiting an old college friend who had moved to his family’s farm outside of Wilmington, Ohio. Hanging out with his crazy and talented kids made the director believe he essentially had a movie ready to roll, actors and farm location already locked in.

Stiller recalls: “David called me and said, ‘Hey, I’ve got this holiday movie idea with these boys who live on a farm but have never acted, and we need to get some 35mm cameras and rock and roll. It starts in eight weeks, are you in?”

He admits that after reading the script, his first question “as a cynic was, is he doing some kind of parody of a holiday movie? But he wasn’t.”

Stiller was intrigued, thanks in part to his deep affection for a number of classic holiday dishes.

“I never thought, ‘Oh, I’m going to make a holiday movie,’ no, but I love them, from the Rankin/Bass animations (“Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”) to ‘It’s a Wonderful Life.’ and cars, ‘Polar Express,’ all movies that just get you in the spirit of things,” he says. “I also loved that this felt so organic—it wasn’t a big studio production.”

The Janson brothers went from acting neophytes to savvy professionals, says Ben Stiller

The four Jansons took to filming like ducks to water, Stiller says, no doubt reassured by the fact that their well-known family farm also served as the film’s location.

“I mean, these guys live in that house you see, so they were yelling cut, but the cats and the guinea pigs and the dogs and the goats, they’re all still there, wandering around,” Stiller says. “Sometimes things would happen and you didn’t even know if the cameras were rolling.”

‘Nutcrackers’: Watch Hulu’s trailer for Ben Stiller’s new holiday movie

Watch the trailer for Ben Stiller’s new holiday movie “Nutcrackers” (streaming on Hulu), starring four real-life brothers and first-time actors.

Homer Janson says he and his brothers were worried that once the shooting was planned, the quartet would have to spend hours cleaning up the yard. But the opposite was true, to their delight. “It had to look like four boys have lived by themselves in the place, so we made sure it did,” Homer says with a laugh.

It wasn’t long before the boys got the hang of making movies, from the perks (“It would be the free breakfast burritos every morning,” says Uli Janson with glee) to the language.

“At first we’d say, ‘Step on your brand,’ and they’d be like, ‘What’s a brand?’ ” says Stiller. “And then at the end, they say, ‘It’s a 30mm lens and he’s going to cover and get an over-the-shoulder (shot).’ “

Next for the ballet-dancing Janson brothers? A performance of ‘The Nutcracker’

Are there more plays on the way for the Janson brothers, who are also skilled ballet dancers as the “Nutcrackers”?

“Well, we’re actually rehearsing for a performance of the real ‘Nutcracker’ now, which will take place in the same local theater that you see in the movie,” says Homer Janson.

Stiller leans forward. “But I’m their manager now,” he says with mock seriousness. “I own their life rights; their parents sold them to me. You guys are okay with that, right?”

Home and Uli smile. Stiller feels like an old friend. The best thing about working with him?

“Ben is so sweet, he’s so amazing…” says Uli. “Go on, please go on,” Stiller continues.

OK, so what’s their favorite Ben Stiller movie?

“Well, Homer watched ‘Alex the Lion’ like 15 times,” says Uli, but Homer quickly corrects him: “You mean ‘Madagascar.'”

Stiller voiced the lion in the animated hit. He is quick on the draw. “Good, but it should have been called ‘Alex the Lion’, no doubt about it. Good point, Uli.”

For Homer, Stiller’s best includes “Tropic Thunder” and “Zoolander.” But he will soon add another film to the list after working with the star.

“The whole experience was so lovely working with Ben,” he says.

Stiller may be flattered, but then again, he just can’t help but go for a comedic jab.

“Well, first,” he says with a shrug. “But later, guys, admit it, things got tough there, we didn’t talk anymore. Things like, ‘Hey, why does Uli have a bigger trailer than me?'”

Stiller shoots his long-haired co-star a hard look. “Uli, man, I feel like success got to you.”

But Uli is too busy laughing to answer.