Eric Stonestreet was in his “element” playing Mad Santa in season 2 of Disney+’s The Santa Clauses, he exclusively tells J-14. The Modern Family actor also dished on how his part in the show panned out, fangirling over Tim Allen, season 3 and so much more! Keep reading to see our exclusive interview.
ICYMI, The Santa Clauses is a Disney+ series which serves as the fourth installment of The Santa Clause franchise, which includes the original 1994 movie starring Tim as the big man in red. While working on season 2 of the show, Eric said he was starstruck over the Home Improvement actor and really does view him as both Tim and Santa!
“I really did have that moment that I think every person would have,” Eric said of working with Tim/Santa, explaining that “just because he’s in the [acting] business,” doesn’t change the fact “that I have those fan moments as well.”
“He and I had lunch together one day and we’re just talking about life as Eric and Tim. And then three or four hours later, I’m in the North Pole in his office and I’m not staring at Tim Allen anymore. It’s not the same person,” he gushed. “And I realized that, what an amazing career. I really do think of him as two people. I don’t think of him as just Tim Allen or Scott Calvin. He is both.”
So, how did Eric’s part in the beloved franchise come to be? Well, that’s thanks to Jack Burditt, who was a writer on Modern Family and an executive producer on The Santa Clauses.
“Last season we were watching The Santa Clauses and I just sent him [Jack] a text,” Eric began, revealing he didn’t even realize the writer was working on the show at the time. “I didn’t know he was doing it, and then all of a sudden his name pops up at the end of the first credit or the beginning or wherever I saw it, I’m like, ‘I didn’t know you were doing the show,'” he recalled. “And he said, ‘Oh man, I didn’t know you were a fan. If something comes up in season two, we’d love to have you on.'”
Not only did Eric pretty much manifest his own role in season 2 of the Disney+ show, the actor also revealed he would be down to return for a possible season 3!
“Loved the original movie and then introduced the original movie to our boys that are 11 this year,” Eric said, referring to his fiancee’s twin sons, who became huge fans of the series. “One of the biggest regrets is they were out here while I was shooting it, and they couldn’t come to set because of that other stuff that happened a couple years ago. And I was so looking forward to them to be able to come to the North Pole, but it never worked out.”
“Hopefully they’ll get to maybe go next year if there’s a season three,” he teased. “I’m not saying I’m going to be on season 3, but if there is a season 3, I can repay them and take them to the set when they’re shooting season 3.”
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