The holiday season is approaching, and what’s a better way to kick it off than a Christmas movie for the entire family? Christoper “Ludacris” Bridges, Lil Rel Howery, and Madison Skye Valium star in new Disney + film Dashing Through The Snow.
“This is the official start of the season. We defrosted Mariah Carey, and the Christmas music is playing. We’re starting to see the decorations going up. Halloween is over. It’s go time. I think we’re dropping at the perfect time,” said Will Packer, one of the producers of Dashing Through The Snow.
This film is a funny and touching story that follows Eddie (Ludacris) and his daughter Charlotte (Madison) on a Christmas Eve adventure as they attempt to “help” Santa Claus (Lil Rel) on a secret mission. It turns out Eddie ends up receiving the most help as he remembers the joy and magic of Christmas.
“This is a film to remind you that you are not alone and that you can heal,” said Ludacris. Ludacris’ character experienced trauma as a child that caused him to dislike Christmas. Still, as a social worker for the police department and having a daughter who loves Christmas, he finds it hard to keep a cold heart during the holidays.
“In this movie, Santa is really a therapist,” said Lil Rel. “To have a Santa to be so personable and so real really makes this movie a classic.”
Lil Rel’s wittiness and humor explode throughout the film from the moment he meets Eddie. While Eddie finds it hard to believe that he’s Santa Claus, he can’t figure out how he knows important facts, such as his daughter’s name and what she wants for Christmas. From passing gas that smells like Cinnamon to sweating glitter, Lil Rel plays a black Santa Claus with all the magic and glamour one would expect.
“I remember the first fitting that I had, and I saw myself as Santa, and I was sending the pictures to my kids. I stared at it for a while like, ‘Wow, this is a big deal to me. I’m playing Santa Claus. Honestly, it’s a blessing,” said Lil Rel.
“I came on set just waiting to laugh. I was waiting for him (Lil Rel) to say anything. I’m sure some days my energy was so high it got on his nerves, but I was just so happy to be on set with him,” shared Ludacris.
Both Lil Rel and Ludacris also shared their love and admiration for Madison, who plays young Charlotte. “She was the glue,” said Lil Rel. “She was the heart of the whole film,” added Ludacris.
“We did a nationwide search; we looked at some amazing actresses for this role, and she beat them all out,” said Will Packer. The cast on set was so much fun because they got the assignment, they knew where they were trying to go, and they knew what they needed to do. We knew that we had a message that we needed to tell, but each and every one of them wanted to do it in a fun way.”
Dashing Through The Snow is scheduled to premiere on Disney+ on November 17, 2023.
