The Big Picture

Ludacris and Lil Rel Howery are excited for a new generation to watch their holiday movie, Dashing Through the Snow. The actors discuss the challenges of filming in Atlanta and which scenes they were most nervous to film. They also discuss the importance of representation in film and television, streaming verus a theatrical release, and share their favorite holiday movies.

When it comes to Christmas, Disney+ is giving grown-ups a reason to believe in Dashing Through the Snow. Starring Chris Bridges, a.k.a. Ludacris, and Lil Rel Howery as Santa Claus, this new duo is taking viewers on a wild sleigh ride that’s sure to cure your Claus-trophobia.

In the movie, directed by Tim Story, Ludacris plays Eddie Garrick, a social worker who doesn’t like Christmas after a traumatic childhood experience. Unfortunately for Eddie, his daughter Charlotte (played by Madison Skye Validum) loves Christmas, and his ex-wife (Teyonah Parris) has requested he take her out for Christmas Eve. When the two of them meet up with a strange man claiming to be Santa Claus (Howery), they embark on a magical adventure that may just restore Eddie’s Christmas spirit.

While talking with Collider’s Steve Weintraub, Ludacris and Howery share why they’re excited for a new generation to be introduced to their work with Dashing Through the Snow, which scenes they were most anxious to film, and their favorite holiday movies to watch every year. Howery also shares what it’s like donning the suit and beard in the hot Atlanta summertime, but why this opportunity to play Saint Nick is so meaningful and why he hopes to join the long line of memorable Santas before him. Check out the full interview in the video above, or you can read the transcript below for all of this and what Ludacris knows about the next final installment in the Fast & Furious franchise.

Dashing Through the Snow A divorced social worker takes his daughter on a ride along with him on Christmas Eve. Release Date November 17, 2023 Director Tim Story Cast Ludacris, Lil Rel Howery, Teyonah Parris, Oscar Nunez, Ravi Patel Rating PG Runtime 92 minutes Main Genre Comedy Writers Scott Rosenberg
COLLIDER: I’m gonna give you guys credit. I think it’s the the best acting of both of your careers in this film because I did notice you were filming in Atlanta in the summer, pretending it’s Christmas.

LUDACRIS: Thank you, man. Yes, 100%. You’re very correct. We were very hot, especially Rel. I’m sure he can speak on being in a Santa outfit during the summertime in Atlanta. It deserves an award all by itself.

LIL REL HOWERY: Yes, it was very hot in that suit. I could only use the bathroom once a day.

Becoming Santa in Atlanta
Image via Disney+

Did you actually gain more respect for people who are doing superhero movies with the costumes they have to wear after doing this?

HOWERY: 100% because it’s the same thing. Some of those — I didn’t do it for me because I didn’t want to deal with it — they’ll put like a cooling thing in it. Some people have like a whole little system inside of that. I didn’t know that until I did Santa. I’m like, “Wow, this is like what the Marvel guys go through wearing these suits all day.” So yeah, I don’t know. I’m proud that I got through it, but it was some hot, very sweaty days.

Honest to god, Atlanta in summer, especially August, it’s like you need bonus pay. Anyway, I’m a fan of both of yours, but there’s going to be people who have never seen anything that you’ve done. For someone who’s never seen anything you’ve done before, what’s the first thing you want them watching and why?

HOWERY: Dashing Through the Snow.

LUDACRIS: Absolutely.

HOWERY: And that’s so interesting because this is a holiday movie, so it’s gonna be a lot of especially children who may not know who any of us is. We’re gonna be embedded in their heads from this point on as Santa Claus, as Eddie, telling this amazing story that is filled with heart, and it’s fun, and it’s funny. We had a screening yesterday, and watching the children react to the different parts of the movie was really special to watch. So I guess from this point on, I’m probably gonna walk the streets as Santa Claus. [Laughs]

LUDACRIS: He said it best. I think there’s no greater reward than being introduced to a whole new generation of fans that were not there before you did a project like this. So, I think that’s what’s exciting about continuing to get older and try to own our craft.

This Scene Made Ludacris Nervous
Image via Disney+

For both of you, when you were looking at the shoot, and you saw the schedule, what’s a day on the schedule that you had circled either because you were nervous to film it or because you couldn’t wait to film it?

LUDACRIS: I was nervous to film a scene where I actually had to kiss my onscreen wife at the time because I knew that my wife in real life and my kids were probably going to have some sort of issue with that. And lo and behold, we had a screening last night and my kids let the entire theater know that they had a problem with me kissing the wife on the screen. So yes, that was a good question.

HOWERY: They were like, “Oh no!”

LUDACRIS: “You gotta get him back, Mama!” [Laughs] Like, where is the revenge aspect coming from? Who am I raising right now? That’s the first thing that comes to your mind is, “You gotta get him back?” No. This is a job. This is what’s providing y’all’s school education right now. Me kissing this woman on screen is why you in school.

HOWERY: That’s so funny.

LUDACRIS: You don’t need to get me back.

HOWERY: Now the thing I circled on the schedule was the music number because that performance, that was a lot. That was the first time we did that, which is why I circled it because I’m like, “This is what you’re gonna get this, this day. You gonna get everything.”

LUDACRIS: There you go.

HOWERY: That’s it. [Laughs]

Streaming vs. a Theatrical Release
Image via Walt Disney

One of the things though about this, because it’s going to be on Disney+, is you don’t have to worry about the opening weekend box office numbers. Is that nice as an actor to not have to worry about the box office?

LUDACRIS: I actually wish this was in theaters so that we could look forward to the weekend box office numbers. I know so many people that, around this time, they’re literally wanting to jump straight into the holiday season, and I feel like we have something special because it really breaks away from the norm of all Christmas movies that I’ve ever experienced or seen. So it would have been interesting, but at the end of the day, we’re not complaining at all. We’re thankful for whatever we have, and to be on a platform like Disney+? Come on now. That’s everyone’s dream.

HOWERY: And I love that it’s streaming, too. The box office is so tricky now, and we just got off strike so, as you can see, some of the other movies had a hard time because they wasn’t able to promote it. So, honestly, this is weirdly perfect timing for us to be able to promote this movie, and it’s coming on Disney+. But I just would have been interested because even watching it in the theaters at the screening, it would have been fun because I think it is a theater movie because it is a big Christmas movie and there’s all these great things happening. But no, Disney+, thank you. We’re fine. Just watch it. Just make those streaming numbers go crazy.

LUDACRIS: There is a world where if this movie does well, and people continue to watch it after every Christmas, there could be a select limited run in the future of theaters. We need you guys to make that happen.

Why ‘Dashing Through the Snow’ Is an Important Holiday Movie

One of the things that I really am happy about is representation matters; honestly, there’s not too many times where there’s a Black Santa Claus in a movie. Often it’s portrayed by white people, and I’m just curious if you could talk a little bit about that, the importance of representation and being able to play Santa.

HOWERY: It’s a dream come true to play Santa. It’s so important just to see, and it’s not even just for our culture and just for Black people to see a Black Santa, but other cultures to see that Santa Claus and other characters, even when you see The Little Mermaid and there’s a Black girl. I don’t think we should have ever put a race on characters. Anybody should be able to play anybody, you know what I mean? That’s what I love about the Spider-Man world with Miles. That’s what it should be. These are just characters, so it should never be tied to a race. So, to be a Black Santa, it’s a beautiful thing. Hopefully, I get a chance to be in those long lines of Santas where I’m a memorable one because of that white and black beard. [Laughs]

How Does the ‘Fast & Furious’ Franchise End?
Image via Universal
 

Chris, this is gonna switch to something else, but I’m obviously a fan of a certain franchise. It’s had a lot of movies, and the last time I spoke to Vin [Diesel], he told me he knows how it all ends. Has Vin shared with you how it all ends or is he sort of like, “I’ll tell you when we’re filming the last one?”

LUDACRIS: No, he has not shared with me. These are things that everyone has to keep tight-lipped about. If you saw Fast X, it’s open-ended, so, yes, you are correct. And I don’t blame you for wanting to know, but I can honestly tell you, I’m not hiding anything from you or being political. I don’t really know how it ends. There’s so many characters and so many different things that have to synchronize and come together in order to make this the best ending that we could possibly make for this franchise to do it justice that there’s nothing I can tell you right now.

HOWERY: That’s crazy.

The thing about it is I’m a fan of Louis [Leterrier] and he did a miracle with the last one. Do you actually know when you’re filming the last one? Has anyone said anything, or is it just a hope for early next year?

LUDACRIS: It’s too early to tell because both these strikes just ended, so no one has said anything as of yet, my man.

Ludacris & Lil Rel Howery’s Holiday Movie Recs
Image via Warner Bros.

For both of you guys, is there a holiday film that you always like to watch during the holidays?

LUDACRIS: Oh, for me it’s National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, bro. I can watch that over and over again, man. Chevy Chase? Oh my goodness.

HOWERY: It’s a Wonderful Life is just a forever classic. It’s such a really good [movie]. You know what’s funny? So many different times I’ve watched it from enjoying it as a fan to then now being a person who’s in the film, it’s such a perfect movie. It’s a perfect movie. So, yeah, It’s a Wonderful Life.

Dashing Through the Snow is available to stream on Disney+ in the U.S.

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