Tim Allen first stepped into Father Christmas’ boots nearly three decades ago in 1994’s The Santa Clause — and he’s full of joy that the Disney+ series has turned into a family affair.
In The Santa Clauses, the Home Improvement alum, 70, reprised his role of Scott Calvin (a.k.a. Santa Clause) — who is now a devoted family man to wife Carol (Elizabeth Mitchell), and his children, son Cal (Austin Kane) and daughter Sandra, portrayed by his real-life daughter Elizabeth Allen-Dick. (Eric Lloyd — who played Calvin’s son Charlie in the franchise’s first three films — made a guest appearance in season 1 but did not return for season 2.)
In an interview with Us Weekly, Allen admits working alongside the 14-year-old — who he shares with wife Jane Hajduk — has been an experience he’ll never forget. “It’s one of those moments that I’ll carry with me forever,” he shares. “To see the professional that she’s turned into, [she] treats everybody well, shows up on time, does her job, works long hours, [with] no complaints.”
“At times, I look over there and go, my kid is on this movie with me,” Allen continues, noting: “I’m so grateful.”
It wasn’t just Allen-Dick who joined in on the fun: Allen’s wife was also on hand to accompany the teenager to the set. “It was a new experience for both of them, and they just worked their butts off,” the actor adds. “It’s very impressive to watch.”
Season 2 follows Scott as he trains his son to be his Santa Claus successor — just as a naughty Mad Santa (Eric Stonestreet) and his sidekick, Kris Kringle Moreno (Gabriel Iglesias), arrive to turn things upside down.
Throwing a villain — and new characters, including the Easter Bunny (Tracy Morgan) — into the mix made season 2 “fun and exciting,” Allen says. “It’s a perfect holiday treat.”
The latest chapter also dives deeper into each member of the Calvin family and their dynamics — a fun process for Allen-Dick, who enjoyed developing Sandra’s storyline. “She’s getting older and trying to figure out what’s wrong with her,” Allen-Dick tells Us. “When she finds out she has powers that she can’t control, [she] struggles [with] not wanting to tell her parents, but she knows she has to.”
For his part, Allen is proud that Scott Calvin’s story stays as magical as ever. “The writers [turned this show] into a great way to entertain,” the Last Man Standing star adds. “I really appreciated how they did it.”
The second season finale of The Santa Clauses airs Wednesday, December 6 on Disney+.
With reporting by Travis Cronin
