Home Alone (as well as the sequel) is an endearing Christmas movie that has become a classic, and embedded itself into the hearts of moviegoers everywhere. Which is why when it was announced that Disney+ would be rebooting Home Alone, fans of the originals had questions and opinions about revisiting the series.
Regardless, while the original Home Alone cast will always have a special place in my heart, including those pesky wet bandits, the new Home Alone has an impressive cast. Home Sweet Home Alone boasts a talented cast of characters from all over the comedic world. Here’s where you might have seen them before.
Ellie Kemper (Pam)
The first half of the burglar duo in Home Sweet Home Alone is Pam, played by the wonderful Ellie Kemper. This actress, who’s been around for some time in both TV and film, has had quite the career.
In terms of TV, Ellie Kemper has had big roles in sitcoms like The Office, and her Primetime Emmy-nominated Netflix original series, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. She’s also done some voicework in television as well, in Sofia the First, American Dad!, and others.
In movies, Kemper has appeared in several comedy films, as part of the Bridesmaids cast, 21 Jump Street, and voicing characters in movies like The Lego Batman Movie and The Secret Life of Pets. After her starring role in the new Christmas movie, I can’t wait to see what she does next.
Rob Delaney (Jeff)
The second half of the burglar duo in the new Home Alone movie is Jeff, the husband to Pam. Played by Rob Delaney, the actor has had a prominent career in television, but has also appeared in several films.
Delaney co-created the British television series, Catastrophe, and starred as Rob Norris. He also appeared in several other shows, such as Cougar Town, Birdgirl, the sketch comedy series Key & Peele, and many others.
Delaney has also appeared in several films, including the superhero movie, Deadpool 2, The Hustle, Bombshell, Tom & Jerry, the Christmas film, Last Christmas, and many others.
Archie Yates (Max Mercer)
Every Home Alone movie needs a kid who's home alone and left to defend himself and his home, and in Home Sweet Home Alone that’s Archie Yates, playing Max Mercer,
As a young actor, Archie Yates doesn't have quite as many credits as some of his cast mates, but his one film credit thus far is a big one - playing Yorki in the Academy Award-winning film, Jojo Rabbit, directed by Taika Waititi. After Home Sweet Home Alone, Yates is going to be in a couple upcoming projects, so it’s only a matter of time before we see this talented actor again.
Aisling Bea (Carol Mercer)
And then there’s always the mother that is trying to get home. Enter Carol Mercer in Home Sweet Home Alone, played by Irish comedian, Aisling Bea. While Bea is mainly known for her hilarious stand-up, she’s appeared in plenty of television shows prior to her role in Home Sweet Home Alone.
She’s had recurring roles in shows like The Savage Eye, Cardinal Burns, Dead Boss, Trivia, The Fall and many others. She also had a role in British sitcom, Trollied, as Charlie, and starred as Aine in This Way Up, a British comedy-drama that is a Hulu original series.
Kenan Thompson (Gavin)
Playing Gavin in Home Sweet Home Alone is Kenan Thompson, and anyone who knows comedy should know his name. Kenan Thompson is known for his comedic talents as the longest current member on the sketch comedy series, Saturday Night Live, which he has been on for eighteen seasons.
Other than his long stint on the legendary late-night sketch comedy series, Thompson has appeared in plenty of other television shows and movies. In terms of TV, he started off his career as part of All That, and then moved onto his own show, Kenan & Kel alongside fellow child star, Kel Mitchell. He’s also had several guest roles in shows like the fantasy series, Sabrina, The Teenage Witch, Nature Cat, Psych, and many others. Currently, he has his own sitcom, called Kenan.
With movies, Thompson has been in a variety of films, like Good Burger, Love Don’t Cost A Thing, Fat Albert, and had a voice role in The Smurfs Series, among other movies as well. His latest additions to his resume is Hubie Halloween alongside Adam Sandler, and the newest children’s movie, Clifford the Big Red Dog.
Timothy Simons (Hunter)
Playing Hunter in Home Sweet Home Alone is Timothy Simons, who has had a long career in both movies and television. In movies, he’s appeared in the coming of age scary movie, Goosebumps, Yes, God, Yes, The Hustle alongside Anne Hathaway and Rebel Wilson, and the Hulu original film, Happiest Season.
Simons has spent a good amount of his career in television, showcasing his talents. His most prominent role was playing Jonah Ryan on Veep on HBO for several seasons, and voiced Huginn on Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Simons also currently voices Drew Pickles in the Rugrats reboot on Paramount+.
Pete Holmes (Uncle Blake)
The role of Uncle Blake is played by Pete Holmes, a funny comedian. While Home Sweet Home Alone certainly isn't Pete Holmes' first feature film (you may recognize his voice from The Secret Life of Pets 2, for example) much of his acting (and writing) work over the years has been on the small screen.
He was a writer for the sitcom, Outsourced, voiced Toby in Ugly Americans, guest starred on John Oliver’s New York Stand-Up Show, played Teri Gargantuan on Mighty Magiswords, starred as Pete in the web series, Crashing, and more.
Devin Ratray (Buzz McCallister)
I’m sure that name probably looks familiar to you, and you’re not wrong. Devin Ratray played Buzz McCallister from the first two Home Alone films.
While Ratray is arguably known the most for his role as Buzz in the first two Home Alone films, the actor has had quite the career in both TV and film. Ratray appeared in Dennis the Menace, Surrogates alongside Bruce Willis, the Academy Award-nominated Nebraska, Hustlers, and many others.
In television, Ratray had recurring roles in Agent Carter, Mosaic, the Amazon original series, The Tick, Chicago Med, and many others. He’s also appeared in plenty of guest roles too, in shows like The Good Fight, Girls, Elementary and more.
Ally Maki (Mei)
Playing Mei in Home Sweet Home Alone is Ally Maki, who’s appeared in both movies and TV since her debut. For movies, she’s had roles in films like the dance movie, Step-Up 3D, Geography Club, and the fourth entry in the Toy Story series as Giggles.
In television, she’s been active since she was very young, starting off with guest roles in shows like That’s So Raven, ER, My Wife and Kids, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and more.
Later on, she had recurring roles in Privileged, and 10 Things I Hate About You based on the movie of the same name, a main role in Wrecked, a recurring role in the Netflix series, Dear White People, a recurring role in Marvel’s Cloak & Dagger, and several others. It’s crazy how much she has done on television, and hopefully soon we’ll get to see more of her.
Chris Parnell (Uncle Stu)
Last up, we have Chris Parnell as Uncle Stu. Chris Parnell was a cast member of Saturday Night Live from 1998 to 2006, so he got his start in comedy. During his long career, you’ve surely seen him in a couple of television shows or movies.
In terms of films, Parnell has appeared in the Anchorman films alongside Will Ferrell, Hot Rod, Paper Man, Labor Pains, 21 Jump Street, The Five-Year Engagement, The Hotel Transylvania series, Sisters, Goosebumps, I Am Woman, and so many others.
Besides his time on Saturday Night Live, Chris Parnell has had a great career in television. He played Dr. Leo Spaceman, a part of the 30 Rock cast in a recurring role, and had a main role in the comedy, Happy Together. Parnell was also the narrator and various voices for WordGirl, voiced Cyril Figgis and Buck Henry in the adult animated comedy, Archer, played Fred Shay in Suburgatory, and currently voices Jerry Smith in the Dan Harmon series, Rick and Morty on Adult Swim.
This doesn’t even include his many guest appearances and other recurring voice roles in shows like Family Guy, American Dad! and more. Dang, talk about a heft resume.
Talk about an incredible cast list with plenty of comedic prowess. I’m sure that soon, we’ll get to see some of these actors in some really cool projects post-Home Sweet Home Alone.
And if you're a Disney+ subscriber, be sure to check out our list of the best Disney+ movies.
