*“Candy Cane Lane” is a holiday comedy starring Eddie Murphy as Chris, who inadvertently creates Christmas chaos as he embarks on a mission to outshine his neighbors in the annual Christmas home decoration contest. Little does he know that a mischievous elf named Pepper, played by Jillian Bell, has plans to spice things up.
Upon striking an unwitting deal with Pepper, Chris inadvertently triggers a magical spell that brings the 12 Days of Christmas to life, turning his quaint town into a festive battleground.
Now, in a race against time, Chris, his wife Carol (Tracee Ellis Ross), and their three children must navigate through the chaos, break Pepper’s spell, and save Christmas for the entire town.
As the holiday chaos ensues, we are also introduced to a “Dickensian village” that is inhabited by a miniature ornamental crew, portrayed by Nick Offerman (Pip), Robin Thede (Cordelia), and Chris Redd (Gary).
Our recent interview with the film’s stars, Bell, Redd, and Thede, shed light on the behind-the-scenes antics and the role of improv in the movie. With such a comedic powerhouse at the forefront, it’s no surprise that moments of spontaneity found their way into the final cut, adding an extra layer of laughter to the already hilarious script.
Redd and Thede shared that although their characters weren’t live-action, they still got to be on set with the actors to deliver their lines.
“It was fun. But calling it a studio is a little ambitious,” shared Redd. “It was a talent trailer next door to the stage. But it was so cool. We could see each other’s faces and play off each other. And then everybody could hear us and see what was going on on set, too. But even before that, they would bring us in to let us vibe out with the cast and run the scene a bunch of times with us there. And then, when they got tired of us improvising, they got us out to the booth and shoot what they needed to shoot. And then we would be able to jump in. So it was just that I’ve never felt more free on a production that I didn’t make myself. To be able to make creative choices. And that freedom just made it a lot more fun.”
“The way they set it up with us rehearsing in person,” added Thede. “And sometimes, if our characters weren’t on camera, we would be on set doing our lines with the actors. It was really smart in the way that they set it up. And our booths were just outside the stage. It wasn’t, you know, or wherever we were shooting. But some days, we would just come to set to lend our voices to feel a part of the scene.”
When the topics turned to improv on set, Redd said, “Yeah, I think most of the inappropriate jokes were me.”
“Candy Cane Lane” is streaming now on Prime Video.
Jill Munroe is a Los Angeles-bred entertainment journalist, producer, and host. Listen to her live, weeknights, 9 PM-Midnight on KBLA Talk 1580. You can follow her on all social media @StilettoJill or check out JillMunroe.com
RELATED NEWS ON EURWEB: Eddie Murphy & Director Reginald Hudlin Reunite for Christmas With ‘Candy Cane Lane’ | WATCH
We Publish News 24/7. Don’t Miss A Story. Click HERE to SUBSCRIBE to Our Newsletter Now!
