Fred Claus - John Michael Higgins interview
Interview by Rob Carnevale
JOHN Michael Higgins talks about the process of playing head elf Willy in Fred Claus, ruining a family Christmas and becoming the American Father Ted…
What was your best and worst Christmas?
John Michael Higgins: Well, I ruined Christmas one year. God, I hope I was younger than I was, but I came downstairs very excited and opened all the presents…. all the presents! And it wasn’t Christmas. I have no explanation, so all I can do at this point is apologise. It was in my grandma’s house and I was excited. But the thing was there was a drum roll for Christmas, like there always is, and I was supposed to get all excited about it. So, I was so excited that I ran downstairs and opened everybody’s presents at about 6am on December 24. My family came down ready to have their Christmas, and I had taken it from them. So that would be my least favourite Christmas, because I still remember it.
How did your son react to seeing you as this tiny elf?
John Michael Higgins: I have a three-year-old but I think I’m going to wait until next year. It’s weird enough seeing myself as three foot eight, much less for him seeing his Daddy. So, I think we’re going to wait on that one [smiles].
Were you on set for the whole film?
John Michael Higgins: I was on set all the time. In fact, I had to shoot the movie three times. So Vince and I would play around and improvise and you had to be on the set for that. It was like trying to recreate lightning in a bottle too because Vince and I got going on something and had a really good time. And then months later I have to try to remember what it was like when Vince and I were going at it and match someone else. So, [it’s like] I’m chasing that guy’s performance, who originally was chasing my performance, it was like a house of mirrors. It was a very difficult job.
What are your favourite Christmas films?
John Michael Higgins: I remember praying that we could get the rabbits ears [aerial] just right when Rudolph was on. For 22 minutes every year Rudolph was on and that was it, so if we didn’t get the rabbit ears going Christmas was ruined. Again. But in all seriousness the Chuck Jones version of How The Grinch Stole Christmas is my favourite – I actually think that it’s not just the best Christmas movie ever made but maybe the best movie ever made. That’s about 22 minutes of the best possible filmmaking. There’s not a single frame of that that doesn’t work, it’s those three giant talents – Dr Seuss obviously, Boris Karloff and Chuck Jones. My God, to put those three guys in a room together, it’s the best Christmas gift that the world has ever gotten I think.
Are you hopeless when it comes to Christmas shopping?
John Michael Higgins: Well, I learned this from my father, who’s very good at it. I do all my Christmas shopping within a couple of hours on the morning of December 24. You go to one store and do it all, and it should be within two hours. It should happen and be over with, basically within two hours. And it’s over. I’ve been doing that for a while. But I’m notoriously difficult to buy for.
What’s in the future for you?
John Michael Higgins: Well, I currently have a beard because I’m shooting the new Jim Carrey movie. Jim wants me to have a beard – maybe I look too much like Jim without it! And you’ll be either pleased or horrified to learn that I’m the American Father Ted, which will be happening in January. That should be interesting.
Where’s your Craggy Island?
John Michael Higgins: It’s not a Craggy Island, I think what they’re doing – before they change their minds – is a down on its luck fishing village in New England. We’re just short of doing accents, because if an American hears an accent on television they bound toward the television to turn it off. They can’t turn it off fast enough. I was saying: “Is Father Ted gonna work?” The English have a very robust history of being unkind about religion, and we don’t have that in our country, we’re frightened of it. But I’ll be Father Ted, so we’ll see how it goes.
b>Read our review of Fred Claus
b>Read our interview with David Dobkin