For a movie that has remained a holiday favorite for more than three decades, The Santa Clause isn’t exactly bringing David Krumholtz festive cheer anymore.
The actor, who played Bernard the Head Elf in the 1994 Christmas classic, revealed that the franchise now earns him only about “$150 bucks a year” in residual payments despite its enduring popularity.
“They’re minimal because the movie plays so much,” Krumholtz told Page Six at a May 26 press day for Are You Now or Have You Ever Been. “This is how residuals work: every time it plays, you make less. It’s a grade scale.”
Krumholtz, 48, appeared in the original The Santa Clause and its 2002 sequel. He later returned to the role in Disney+’s 2022 series, though he did not appear in the franchise’s third film in 2006.
The actor said the residuals were far more substantial when the film was newer. When Krumholtz first received residuals, “it was good,” he recalled.
Krumholtz previously reflected on his experience making The Santa Clause films during a 2024 interview with the Daily Beast. While he said he had a perfectly good time making the original movie as a teenager, he described the production of The Santa Clause 2 as considerably more difficult.
“I was such a mess,” Krumholtz said. “I really was. You know, there are scenes in that movie that I recall, like, ‘Oh, my god, that day, I was literally in a corner crying.’ And you would never know it. It’s a cheery Christmas movie. But I had a tough time on that movie.”
He cited Vancouver’s rainy weather and the logistical challenges of filming around child actors and Tim Allen’s demanding shooting schedule. Krumholtz said he often found himself filming scenes alone with tennis balls on sticks serving as stand-ins for other characters.
The veteran actor, whose credits include 10 Things I Hate About You, NUMB3RS, and the Harold & Kumar franchise, told Page Six that his biggest residual checks currently come from his appearance in Christopher Nolan’s 2023 blockbuster Oppenheimer.
When asked how much those payments amount to, Krumholtz initially laughed off the question.
“That’s none of your business! What kind of question is that?” he said before adding, “It’s $12.73. It’s enough to buy a hot dog in New York.”
