Christmas: Actors Who Have Played Santa Claus
From Tim Allen to Billy Bob Thornton to Kurt Russell, a look at who has portrayed or voiced the iconic Saint Nick onscreen.
One of many remakes of the holiday classic (originally released in 1947), 1994’s Miracle on 34th Street centers on a man named Kris Kringle (Attenborough), whose insistence that he’s the real Santa Claus helps a young 6-year-old girl believe in the spirit of Christmas.
Tom Hanks in ‘The Polar Express’
Hanks voices Santa (and a multitude of other characters) in the animation about a skeptical young boy who embarks on a journey of self-discovery as he boards a magical train en route to the North Pole.
Mickey Rooney in ‘Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town’
In the stop-motion animated TV special, a mailman (voiced by Fred Astaire) answers children’s letters to Santa Claus (voiced by Mickey Rooney) by telling the origin story of Kris Kringle and how he came to be the legend of Sombertown.
Ben Affleck in ‘Reindeer Games’
Though Affleck doesn’t necessarily play Santa Claus himself, he dresses up as Saint Nick when his character, an ex-convict recently released from jail, becomes entangled in a plot to rob a casino on Christmas Eve.
John Goodman in ‘The Year Without a Santa Claus’
A live-action remake of 1974’s stop-motion special, NBC’s 2006 TV movie follows a discouraged Santa (played by Goodman) who becomes intent on skipping toy deliveries on Christmas until a young boy helps him rediscover the holiday spirit.
Kurt Russell in ‘The Christmas Chronicles’
In this 2018 Netflix comedy, Russell takes on a Santa Claus who has crashed his sleigh and lost all the Christmas presents. Together with the help of two children, he must collect them and deliver on a deadline. At the premiere, Russell dedicated the film to his father Bing Russell, “who was, is and always will be the greatest Santa Claus ever.”
Russell went back for a second outing in the sequel, The Christmas Chronicles 2.
Bill Nighy in ‘Arthur Christmas’
Arthur Christmas saw Nighy voice the role of a former Santa Claus who is rather disliking of the modern world. He emerges from retirement to help Arthur (James McAvoy) save Christmas. The 2011 animated film also featured the voices of Hugh Laurie, Imelda Staunton and Jim Broadbent.
William Shatner in ‘Gotta Catch Santa Claus’
This 2008 TV movie follows the story of a young boy who wants to prove that Santa Claus (Shatner) exists by capturing him. Meanwhile, an old enemy of Santa, LeFreeze (Cal Dodd), awakens with the same idea.
Lloyd Bridges in ‘In the Nick of Time’
After 300 years, Santa Claus (Bridges) is up for retirement in this 1991 TV movie from director George Miller. He has seven days to find a replacement, or the holiday tradition will be jeopardized.
