She's a darn good actress, but there's only so muchMichelle Pfeiffercould do to get in the Christmas spirit during a sweltering Atlanta summer.
"When it's 110 degrees out, 90 percent humidity, all you're thinking about is why did I pick that wool sweater? How do I get cooled off so that my brain doesn't explode?" Pfeiffer laughs, describing her scorching time filming the holiday comedy"Oh. What. Fun." (streaming on Prime Videonow).
Certainly, things are much more festive on screen: The film stars Pfeiffer as Claire Clauster, a Texas mom who dreams of being a celebrated mother on her favorite daytime talk show. Not only do her husband (Denis Leary) and grown kids (Felicity Jones,Chloë Grace MoretzandDominic Sessa) forget to nominate her, though, they accidentally leave Claire behind on a family outing to a holiday dance performance that washeridea. A hurt Claire bolts for a solo road trip on Christmas Eve and leaves her loved ones to fend for themselves.
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"So many women, maybe all mothers, know what it's like to be the one who is keeping everything together, keeping everything running, keeping everything from derailing. We don't even think about it, we just do it," Pfeiffer says.
That led her to think about how there aren't anyChristmas filmsabout moms or women. "It's always about men, which is sort of odd," Pfeiffer says. "Women are really the glue to a lot of families, and moms go unappreciated and kind of unsung. I thought that was an interesting take."
The 67-year-old actress, whorecently became a grandmother, caught up with USA TODAY to chat about her upcoming Christmas film, "Oh. What. Fun.," and her holiday must-haves.
Question: Do you have a favorite memory of your mom from Christmases growing up?
Michelle Pfeiffer: We didn't grow up with a lot. Any gifts at all, honestly, we were grateful for. But when I was like 4 or 5, I remember my mother went out of her way to get me this one doll that I really wanted, and I didn't think that I was going to get it. I remember the look on her face when she saw the look on my face when I opened that gift. It just left a huge imprint on me.
Is "Oh. What. Fun." your first holiday film, or do you consider "Batman Returns" a Christmas movie?
Other people have asked me that. That never really occurred to me that "Batman Returns" was a Christmas movie, but it kind of is? So I guess this is my second.
What is your own personal recipe for a bona fide Christmas movie?
If there's a Christmas tree, that seems to be the criteria for people. (Laughs) The common theme is gratitude, really. Somehow over the holidays, by the end of it, you're feeling gratitude for something that you weren't, whether it's the gifts that you have in your life (or) the gift of another person in your life. It seems like that is the real spirit of a Christmas film.
There are quite a few references to other holiday classics in "Oh. What. Fun." For example, Claire's predicament is kind of a riff on "Home Alone." What is your personal favorite?
I love "It's a Wonderful Life." It's a beautiful film and always puts me in the feeling of Christmas. There's "A Charlie Brown Christmas," which we watched, of course, every year when the kids were growing up. (And) those weird little Claymation Christmas movies. Maybe we should watch those again this year because now my kids are adults, so we haven't really watched them in a while.
Cynthia Erivo takes flight again as the magical Elphaba in "Wicked: For Good." Check out our exclusive peeks at the anticipated movie musical sequel and all the other new films you need to see this holiday season in theaters and on streaming services." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
"Jay Kelly" (now in theaters, Dec. 5 on Netflix): A-list movie star Jay (George Clooney, far left) embarks on a reflective trip with his feisty publicist (Laura Dern) and loyal manager (Adam Sandler) in the meta dramedy." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
"Now You See Me: Now You Don't" (now in theaters): Justice Smith (far left), Ariana Greenblatt and Dominic Sessa play a trio of skilled illusionists recruited by Jack Wilder (Dave Franco) for a diamond heist in the magic-filled action threequel." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
"The Running Man" (now in theaters): In Edgar Wright's new take on Stephen King's dystopian thriller, a desperate father (Glen Powell) volunteers for the deadliest game show on TV where he'll win a billion dollars or die in the process." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
"Champagne Problems" (Nov. 19 on Netflix): Minka Kelly stars as an executive who ventures to France to acquire a popular champagne brand before Christmas and falls for the founder's son (Tom Wozniczka) in the holiday rom-com." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
"The Family Plan 2" (Nov. 21 on Apple TV): Ex-assassin Dan (Mark Wahlberg) and wife Jessica (Michelle Monaghan) have a planned European family vacation go awry when Dan's old enemy shows up in the action-comedy sequel." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
"Rental Family" (Nov. 21 in theaters): An American actor (Brendan Fraser, left) works for a company that hires him out to play roles in people's lives including as a journalist interviewing a Japanese film legend (Akira Emoto)." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
"Sisu: Road to Revenge" (Nov. 21 in theaters): Jorma Tommila reprises his role as a hard-to-kill ex-soldier who returns home and is pursued by the man who murdered his family in the action thriller sequel." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
"Train Dreams" (Nov. 21 on Netflix): The period drama stars Joel Edgerton as a reserved lumberjack who helps to build the American railroad and meets a colorful cast of co-workers, but his job keeps him from his wife and young daughter." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
"Wicked: For Good" (Nov. 21 in theaters): The closer of Jon M. Chu's two-part movie musical features Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande as fugitive witch Elphaba and her torn bestie Glinda, who must work together to save Oz." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
"Eternity" (Nov. 26 in theaters): In the fantasy romantic comedy, Larry (Miles Teller) arrives in the afterlife and waits for his wife Joan (Elizabeth Olsen) to decide where to spend eternity, but someone else has been pining for her, too." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
"Hamnet" (Nov. 26 in theaters): Director Chloé Zhao's family drama centers on William Shakespeare (Paul Mescal) and his wife Agnes (Jessie Buckley), who navigate domestic issues and a gut-wrenching tragedy." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
"Jingle Bell Heist" (Nov. 26 on Netflix): To get a fresh start in their lives, a retail worker (Olivia Holt) and repairman (Connor Swindells) plan on robbing the upscale London department store where they work in the holiday rom-com." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
"Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery" (Nov. 26 in theaters, Dec. 12 on Netflix): Ace detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig, left) helps young priest Father Jud (Josh O'Connor) when he's accused of murder in Rian Johnson's third all-star mystery." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
"Zootopia 2" (Nov. 26 in theaters): The Disney animated sequel catches up with Judy Hopps (voiced by Ginnifer Goodwin, left) and Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman), who are now partners in the police force investigating a mysterious snake." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
"Left-Handed Girl" (Nov. 28 on Netflix): Nina Ye (left) and Shih-Yuan Ma (in mirror) play sisters who return to Taipei with their mom after several years of living in the countryside and struggle adapting to a new environment in the drama." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
"The Stringer: The Man Who Took the Photo" (Nov. 28 on Netflix): The documentary investigates if Nguyễn Thành Nghệ (right, with daughter Jannie Nguyễn), a freelance photographer during the Vietnam War, took the famous "Napalm Girl" photo and not the long-credited Associated Press photographer." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
"Troll 2" (Dec. 1 on Netflix): In the monster movie sequel, returning heroes are forced to deal with a gigantic creature nicknamed "Megatroll" when it's awakened and goes on a destructive rampage across Norway." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
"My Secret Santa" (Dec. 3 on Netflix): The holiday rom-com stars Alexandra Breckenridge as a single mom in need of a job who disguises herself as a man to nab a seasonal Santa gig at a luxury ski resort and falls for the hotel manager." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
"Oh. What. Fun." (Dec. 3 on Prime Video): In the holiday comedy, a Texas mom (Michelle Pfeiffer) who lives for Christmas is accidentally left behind – "Home Alone" style – for an important event by her family." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
"Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw" (Dec. 5 on Disney+): Greg (voiced by Aaron D. Harris, left) and his dad Frank (Chris Diamantopoulos) bond while attending a wilderness camp in the latest animated comedy based on Jeff Kinney's popular books." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
"The Family McMullen" (Dec. 5 on HBO Max): Ed Burns (above center) returns to write, direct and star in a sequel to the 1995 indie cult classic, which brings a family back to its Long Island home for reunions and romance." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
"Five Nights at Freddy's 2" (Dec. 5 in theaters): Vanessa (Elizabeth Lail) and Mike (Josh Hutcherson) again have to deal with the murderous animatronic animals of Freddy Fazbear's Pizza in the horror sequel." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
"Merv" (Dec. 10 in theaters): When beloved dog Merv begins to show signs of depression after their recent breakup, Anna (Zooey Deschanel) and her ex take him to a pet-friendly beach resort in Florida in the holiday comedy." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
"Ella McCay" (Dec. 12 in theaters): Ella (Emma Mackey, right), who's named governor of her home state when her mentor steps down, gets advice from her Aunt Helen (Jamie Lee Curtis) in the James L. Brooks political dramedy." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
"Goodbye June" (Dec. 12 in theaters, Dec. 24 on Netflix): Kate Winslet marks her directorial debut and also stars in this emotional Christmas drama about siblings reuniting for one last holiday season with their dying mother." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
"Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour | The Final Show" (Dec. 12 on Disney+): A companion to a new six-part docuseries, the concert film captures the last show of Taylor Swift's record-breaking Eras Tour in Vancouver." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
"Avatar: Fire and Ash" (Dec. 19 in theaters): New antagonist Varang (Oona Chaplin) is the fierce leader of the Ash People in James Cameron's sci-fi adventure, which catches up with Jake Sully and his family on Pandora." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
"The Housemaid" (Dec. 19 in theaters): Based on the Freida McFadden novel, the psychological thriller stars Sydney Sweeney (left) as the new live-in housemaid for a wealthy wife (Amanda Seyfried) – a dream gig that turns into a nightmare." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
"Is This Thing On?" (Dec. 19 in theaters): The dramedy stars Will Arnett (center, with Bradley Cooper and Andra Day) as a middle-aged dad who finds a new and therapeutic hobby when he signs up for an open mic comedy night. " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
"The SpongeBob Movie: Search For SquarePants" (Dec. 19 in theaters): The animated comedy adventure finds SpongeBob (voiced by Tom Kenny, left) on a quest where he runs afoul of the villainous Flying Dutchman (Mark Hamill)." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
"The Plague" (Dec. 24 in theaters): Joel Edgerton (center) stars in the coming-of-age psychological thriller as a coach at a water polo summer camp where the youngsters bully and turn on each other, leading to a violent outburst." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
"Anaconda" (Dec. 25 in theaters): The action comedy stars Jack Black (center) and Paul Rudd as best friends who venture to the jungle in a mission to find a gigantic snake for a remake of their favorite movie." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
"Marty Supreme" (Dec. 25 in theaters): In the 1950s-set sports dramedy, Timothy Chalamet (right, with director Josh Safdie) stars as a shoe-selling ping-pong ace who dreams of becoming a world champion." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
"No Other Choice" (Dec. 25 in theaters): Park Chan-wook's darkly comedic thriller stars Lee Byung-hun as a guy in the cutthroat paper industry who attempts to take out his competition for a new job." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
"Song Sung Blue" (Dec. 25 in theaters): Based on a true story, the musical drama follows a Vietnam vet (Hugh Jackman) who meets another struggling divorced musician (Kate Hudson) and they form a popular Neil Diamond tribute band." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
"The Testament of Ann Lee" (Dec. 25 in theaters): The historical musical drama stars Amanda Seyfried (center) as Ann Lee, who found followers and critics alike as the leader of the Shakers religious movement in the 18th century." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> From 'Zootopia 2' to 'Knives Out 3,' exclusive peeks at the holiday season's top movies
Cynthia Erivo takes flight again as the magical Elphaba in "Wicked: For Good." Check out our exclusive peeks at the anticipated movie musical sequel and all the other new films you need to see this holiday season in theaters and on streaming services.
Is there anything else, like a beloved holiday decoration or song, that you need to really kick December into high gear?
My dad refused to buy a real tree. They were expensive, and they were going to die. It made more sense to get a fake tree that you could use year after year, and it didn't make a mess and all those things (Laughs). I really, really wanted a real tree, and we never got one. The tree part is really important to me (now), and I love the ceremony of decorating it as a family, breaking out the eggnog and having Christmas carols.
Also, revisiting old ornaments you haven't seen in a year. What got broken since the year before? I don't know how, but they always do.
As 2025 comes to a close, how have you changed in the past year?
I'm increasingly aware of how precious life is the older you get, and you lose people, and you start realizing how finite it is. So I am, naturally, just really relishing the moments and the time I have and friends and family and what really is meaningful. My perspective is sort of shifting. You talk about what is meaningful. It's another thing to really start to live it and have it sort of driving you instead of your brain driving that notion. It's kind of wonderful.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:'Oh. What. Fun' star Michelle Pfeiffer has a classic holiday fave
