Nutcracker is a family drama film perfect for the holidays. Directed by David Gordon Green (best known for the new Halloween trilogy) and starring Ben Stiller, follows his character Mike, who travels to Ohio after his sister’s passing to care for his nephews while they wait for a foster family.
The four boys who star Nutcracker They are brothers in real life, experiencing their first acting job together, and the film was filmed in their house. Linda Cardellini, in turn, plays the social worker who tries to help them find a new home. Nutcracker begins streaming on Hulu on November 29th, just in time for the holidays.
TelaRant interviewed Linda Cardellini, Ulysses ‘Uli’ Janson, and Atlas Janson about their new Hulu film. The Janson brothers revealed what it was like filming on the family farm, while Cardellini discussed the challenges he faced. The trio also shared what they hope viewers take away Nutcracker and what your favorite Christmas traditions are.
It was a family affair at the nutcracker set
“When you were there on set, it really felt like a family, and it was people who really wanted to be there, working together.”
Screen Rant: What was it like filming at your house?
Ulysses ‘Uli’ Janson: It was an incredible experience seeing film cameras. We go to the cinema every Saturday, Sunday, sometimes even Monday, because there is no one there. So we had a lot of fun filming that. Everyone on set was friends with our moms, friends with David, so everyone knew each other. It was as if everyone was a family.
Atlas Janson: It was amazing to see film cameras and make our own film. And the family coming in, making movies was the most fun thing about doing it.
Screen Rant: Linda, what motivated you to want to be a part of this film?
Linda Cardellini: I love David. I think he’s a great director. He’s such a nice guy. Ben being in it, I think was really exciting. And then when I read the script, I thought, Wow, what a beautiful, sweet, sincere, funny script. I thought, how are they going to get all these actors to play brothers? I don’t see how this will work. How will they find the right people?
So when David explained to me that it was based on this family and told me about his friend Carrie and her children, I thought, oh, this feels so special. He said: I’m just making a little film that I want my kids to watch. I thought so too. I wish my daughter could watch this. And I love a Christmas movie. So it felt like something really special. When you were there on set, it really felt like a family, and they were people who really wanted to be there, doing work together, so much so that even their mother was there with them, of course, and their father, but also their grandmother was there .
Ulysses ‘Uli’ Janson: On our other side, our grandfather was actually the one who took care of the animals.
Linda Cardellini: I saw him fighting with the peacock at one point.
Screen Rant: The Christmas couch tradition in this movie is a lot of fun. Do you have any favorite Christmas traditions?
Ulysses ‘Uli’ Janson: That was actually my brother Homer’s toughest line, the Christmas couch family tradition – I can’t even say that slowly. You could hear him say it over and over again. And I’m trying to go to bed and I hear him saying over and over, Christmas couch.
Our grandmother always arrives at 7:30 in the morning and is in her pajamas. We would go downstairs and she would sit there in her pajamas, drinking a cup of coffee.
Linda Cardellini: Now that I have my own family, my parents come over and every morning it’s all of us at our house, which is cool because I was always traveling at Christmas, going to everyone’s house, and it’s nice to finally have that in my own home.
Atlas Janson: Well, last Christmas we made a giant igloo.
Ulysses ‘Uli’ Janson: We always make some kind of igloo. Last year we had snow. The other year we dug out all the ice because we have a creek that has this thick ice. So we were cutting little blocks of ice.
The Janson brothers had a hard time not laughing during takes
“We had to do five takes because my brother, Homer, was laughing in every take.”
Screen Rant: What was the biggest challenge for you in filming this?
Atlas Janson: It was hard not to laugh.
Ulysses ‘Uli’ Janson: It was hard not to laugh, because we would be standing there and then we would be watching. Afterwards, because every scene has that funny moment. In one part of the movie, I’m putting on lipstick and we had to do five takes because my brother, Homer, was laughing in every take. He was like, leave the room.
Linda Cardellini: I thought it was funny when we were at the end and we were watching, let’s say, the motorcycle go for a ride. But it was funny because I had these shiny studs on my boots and the chicken was very attracted to them. She kept pecking me during the scene. She kept pecking my feet. It didn’t hurt or anything, but it scared me.
Screen Rant: What do you hope families take away from this film?
Ulysses ‘Uli’ Janson: I feel like I hope they go through all the human emotions. Crying, laughing, having fun. You know that feeling when you’re in the sun and you think, Oh, that’s cool. I hope they feel that when they’re watching this film.
More About Nutcracker (2024)
Nutcracker follows puritanical, work-obsessed Mike (Stiller) as he is suddenly forced to care for his orphaned and rambunctious nephews.
Check out our others Nutcracker interviews here:
Source: Screen Rant Plus