Fresh off accusations of Tim Allen being “so f—ing rude” on the set of The Santa Clauses by Happy Endings star Casey Wilson, another sitcom star is saying they would be open to tackling the role should Disney or anyone offer the Disney+ TV show to them. Modern Family’s Eric Stonestreet was asked about the possibility of taking on the iconic Christmas movies (and now streaming) role, and he’d be happy to do it… given the right circumstances. Honestly, I could see it.
Of course, Stonestreet would very much like to point out he’d rather do it as a successor with Allen’s blessing and only if the actor was done with the role. So while he's gunning for the gig, he also told ABC Audio he’d only say “yes” given the right circumstances.
Well, listen, I love playing in this world. And Tim Allen is Santa Claus for so many of us and will always be Santa Claus. But if [showrunner] Jack [Burditt], Disney and Tim or anyone asked if I was interested, my answer will always be yes to be in this world some way or somehow.
While the actor is mostly known for playing the jolly and over-the-top Cam during Modern Family’s run, if you haven’t seen The Santa Clauses, Stonestreet already has a prominent role on the series. He stars as Magnas Antas, an angry Santa Claus who dresses in a very old school manner, with velvet trim and a big, grey beard. Magnas was an OG Santa who switched headquarters to the North Pole but who eventually became angry and turned on humanity. There's much more to the story I won't spoil, but suffice to say, we know Stonestreet can pull off the Santa look.
Scott Calvin was originally a reluctant Santa too, and Eric Stonestreet previously said he had a solid plan for how to play his Santa Clauses redemption arc, telling the Los Angeles Daily News "it was fun to get the opportunity" to play a role like that and that he was going for "scary and intimidating" but also "fun, funny, lovable." Yet it was the chance of going toe-to-toe with Allen that really had the actor pumped for the role.
I had that moment with (Tim Allen) where we were at craft service, having pork chops for lunch, and then a few hours later, he’s Scott Calvin in the North Pole and I’m Magnus Antas. It was great working with him. He’s the OG, so I just loved sharing space and loved being a part of this world that he has created.
So while he's not masterminding a villainous takeover of the role, given what those of us with a Disney+ subscription saw from Stonestreet in Season 2, the actor certainly has the chops to play a more complicated Santa on the big or small screen. It’s also true that Stonestreet has a long-standing relationship with Disney and ABC, as that’s where Modern Family was also set up as a sitcom, so if Tim Allen were to step down, he might just be the ideal fit for the House of Mouse.
Allen’s been playing The Santa Claus role for nearly 30 years now. He also has already been thinking of ideas for The Santa Clauses Season 3, despite Disney not renewing the series yet. So, while he can reportedly be a bit of a "pissy Santa" on set, it doesn’t sound like he’s ready to hand over the reins just yet. But when he does, know that Eric Stonestreet is ready to pick up that mantle, that sack of presents and that beard.
