Is it really the holiday season without some good old-fashioned mayhem? Enter The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, a new family film that promises big laughs and plenty of heart. Starring Judy Greer and Lauren Graham, it follows the Herdmans, six of the worst kids in the world, who disrupt a town’s Christmas pageant.
Recently, I had the privilege of chatting with one of the Herdmans, played by Ewan Wood, about his role as Leroy, his love for snacks, his favorite on-set memory and more.
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Ewan Wood
This interview is condensed for length and clarity.
Melody McCune: We at Geek Girl Authority love a good origin story. How did you get into acting?
Ewan Wood: Well, it all started a long time ago. I was watching Netflix, and then my mom asked me, “Would you like to do what they’re doing?” They looked like they were having a lot of fun. So, I was like, “Yeah, I do.” Then, we got an agent, started filming commercials and slowly built up to TV and movies.
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
MM: Awesome. Let’s talk about The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. Can you tell me what it’s about and how you got involved with the film?
EW: The Best Christmas Pageant Ever is about the six of the worst kids in the entire history of the world. They are called the Herdmans. Leroy Herdman, the character I play, really loves snacks. Because I always steal this kid’s lunch, [he] tricks me by saying, “I can get all the snacks at church I want, and you’ll never come to church,” even though he doesn’t get the snacks at church. He made that up. Then, the Herdmans come to church looking for snacks, but instead, they get into this Christmas pageant. They learn about Christmas, and that’s pretty much the story.
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MM: Do you share any similarities with Leroy?
EW: I do. I just love snacks.
MM: Me too.
EW: And I can be mischievous, but not Leroy-level mischievous.
MM: What can audiences expect when they watch this movie?
EW: You can expect to see funny moments. There are some heartfelt moments near the end, but overall, it’s just funny. It’s a great family movie. A lot of my friends have seen it. Even though they’re not big into Christmas movies, they really liked it, which is great.
MM: Describe this movie using three words.
EW: Funny, amazing and family movie.
More Than Gifts
MM: Love that. What do you hope people take away from watching The Best Christmas Pageant Ever?
EW: A couple of things I hope people will take away from watching this movie is to see what kindness can do to people because it really helped the Herdmans. Also, Christmas isn’t just about giving gifts and receiving them. It’s more [than that]. And one last thing: I hope they just have an all-around good time when they leave the movie theater.
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MM: Do you have a favorite memory from shooting this film?
EW: There are so many good ones. But just to pick one — when all the Herdmans went to the Herdman house. Inside, it was this rundown old house that wasn’t nice. The crew crunched up Oreos and added fake snow. It looked like dirt. Basically, we had edible snowballs, but we weren’t allowed to eat them. We threw them at each other. And it was so fun.
MM: I bet. Have you watched anything fun lately?
EW: Let’s see … the movie was fun. That was one thing.
MM: I can’t wait to see it. Thank you so much, Ewan!
EW: Thank you, Melody!
You can follow Ewan on Instagram (@ewanmatthyswood). Be sure to catch The Best Christmas Pageant Ever in theaters nationwide.
Book Review: THIS CHRISTMAS
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What I do: I'm GGA's Managing Editor, a Senior Contributor, and Press Coordinator. I manage, contribute, and coordinate. Sometimes all at once. Joking aside, I oversee day-to-day operations for GGA, write, edit, and assess interview opportunities/press events.
Who I am: Before moving to Los Angeles after studying theater in college, I was born and raised in Amish country, Ohio. No, I am not Amish, even if I sometimes sport a modest bonnet.
Bylines in: Tell-Tale TV, Culturess, Sideshow Collectibles, and inkMend on Medium.
Critic: Rotten Tomatoes, CherryPicks, and the Hollywood Creative Alliance.
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