12 Actors Who Played Santa Claus on Screen: Tom Hanks, Billy Bob Thornton, Tim Allen and More

Credit: Columbia Pictures

12 Actors Who Played Santa Claus on Screen: Tom Hanks, Billy Bob Thornton, Tim Allen and More

Ho ho ho! Some stars have taken on the ultimate challenge of spreading Christmas cheer by portraying the most iconic holiday figure — Santa Claus. While all actors find themselves donning a red suit and white beard in their roles as Santa, Billy Bob Thorton had the unique task of playing a naughty version in the 2003 film Bad Santa. The Arkansas native admitted in October 2019 that he turned to method acting for the infamous scene where his character, Willie, gets drunk before reporting to duty as a mall Santa. “I was drunk. It’s so obvious,” he told Entertainment Weekly at the time. “I drank about three glasses of red wine for breakfast. That was just an appetizer. Then I switched over to vodka and cranberry juice and then I had a few Bud Lights." Thorton added, “By the time I got to that scene there I barely knew I was in a movie. The fact of the matter is I was supposed to be standing on the escalator. It dumps me out and it literally woke me up and that’s what’s in the movie. And I get up, standing around because I thought I woke up in my house. And then I remembered what I was supposed to do. I was supposed to go there and fall down in all those gifts and be horrible in front of the kids.” Although the film is filled with crude jokes, Thorton believes Bad Santa has earned its place among other Christmas classics. “I think it’s the alternative to the real syrupy Christmas movies — I think people wanted that at the time and now, even more,” he told EW in October 2016. “There was that spot missing. I have people come up to me all the time and say to me, 'Every year we watch Miracle on 34th Street, It’s a Wonderful Life and Bad Santa. It’s become part of the box set.'” Tim Allen also played an unconventional version of Santa in the 1994 film The Santa Clause, where Scott (Allen) is tapped to take over as Kris Kringle after Santa Claus falls off his roof. The Home Improvement alum revealed in November 2018 that the movie almost had a more sinister premise. “The original Santa Clause is a little darker, written by two comedians, and I actually shot and killed Santa, in the original movie,” Allen explained on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. “He fell off the roof because I thought he was a burglar.” Scroll down to see the actors who've portrayed Jolly Old St. Nick below. [podcast_block]

Credit: Columbia Pictures

12 Actors Who Played Santa Claus on Screen: Tom Hanks, Billy Bob Thornton, Tim Allen and More

Ho ho ho! Some stars have taken on the ultimate challenge of spreading Christmas cheer by portraying the most iconic holiday figure — Santa Claus. While all actors find themselves donning a red suit and white beard in their roles as Santa, Billy Bob Thorton had the unique task of playing a naughty version in the 2003 film Bad Santa. The Arkansas native admitted in October 2019 that he turned to method acting for the infamous scene where his character, Willie, gets drunk before reporting to duty as a mall Santa. “I was drunk. It’s so obvious,” he told Entertainment Weekly at the time. “I drank about three glasses of red wine for breakfast. That was just an appetizer. Then I switched over to vodka and cranberry juice and then I had a few Bud Lights." Thorton added, “By the time I got to that scene there I barely knew I was in a movie. The fact of the matter is I was supposed to be standing on the escalator. It dumps me out and it literally woke me up and that’s what’s in the movie. And I get up, standing around because I thought I woke up in my house. And then I remembered what I was supposed to do. I was supposed to go there and fall down in all those gifts and be horrible in front of the kids.” Although the film is filled with crude jokes, Thorton believes Bad Santa has earned its place among other Christmas classics. “I think it’s the alternative to the real syrupy Christmas movies — I think people wanted that at the time and now, even more,” he told EW in October 2016. “There was that spot missing. I have people come up to me all the time and say to me, 'Every year we watch Miracle on 34th Street, It’s a Wonderful Life and Bad Santa. It’s become part of the box set.'” Tim Allen also played an unconventional version of Santa in the 1994 film The Santa Clause, where Scott (Allen) is tapped to take over as Kris Kringle after Santa Claus falls off his roof. The Home Improvement alum revealed in November 2018 that the movie almost had a more sinister premise. “The original Santa Clause is a little darker, written by two comedians, and I actually shot and killed Santa, in the original movie,” Allen explained on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. “He fell off the roof because I thought he was a burglar.” Scroll down to see the actors who've portrayed Jolly Old St. Nick below. [podcast_block]

Credit: Warner Bros.

Tom Hanks

This actor reunited with Cast Away and Forrest Gump director Robert Zemeckis for 2004’s The Polar Express, playing Santa Claus, the protagonist and various other characters in the CGI film.

Credit: Netflix

Kurt Russell

Not only did the Hateful Eight actor play Santa Claus in 2018’s The Christmas Chronicles, but his longtime partner, Goldie Hawn, played Mrs. Claus.

Credit: Walt Disney

Tim Allen

The Last Man Standing star played an ordinary joe who grudgingly takes on the gift-giving duties in 1994’s The Santa Clause and its two sequels.

Credit: Warner Bros.

John Goodman

This star of The Conners portrayed St. Nicholas in 2006’s The Year Without a Santa Claus. Fun fact: He also voiced Robot Santa in Futurama.

Credit: New Line Cinema

Ed Asner

The Mary Tyler Moore Show alum took on the role of Santa in 2003’s Elf … though it was really Bob Newhart’s Papa Elf who raised the titular Will Ferrell character.

Credit: Warner Bros.

Paul Giamatti

The Golden Globe winner played Santa in 2007’s Fred Claus, opposite Vince Vaughn as the character’s annoying big brother.

Credit: DreamWorks

Alec Baldwin

The 30 Rock alum voiced Nicholas St. North a.k.a. Santa Claus in 2012’s Rise of the Guardians, a 3D-animated hodgepodge of various fables.

Credit: 20th Century Fox

Richard Attenborough

Though he’s best known for his role in Jurassic Park, this Brit put his own spin on Kris Kringle in 1994’s Miracle on 34th Street.

Credit: NBC

Fred Astaire

The legendary actor and dancer portrayed nine different characters — Santa included — in 1979’s The Man in the Santa Claus Suit.

Credit: Columbia Pictures

Billy Bob Thornton

The Goliath actor put a dark twist on the character in 2003’s Bad Santa and reprised the role for a sequel 13 years later.

Credit: YouTube; Inset: Shutterstock

Bryan Cranston

The Breaking Bad alum voiced Santa in the 2001 animated special The Santa Claus Brothers, which featured Cranston's character choosing which of his three sons will take over the family business.

Credit: New Line/Kobal/Shutterstock

Patton Oswalt

The actor played a 3D version of a mall Santa in the 2001 movie A Very Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas.