There’s no place like home for the holidays! The Family Stone put a new spin on a popular Christmas movie trope and proved to be an underrated gem.
The film, which was released in December 2005, stars Sarah Jessica Parker as an uptight businesswoman who celebrates Christmas with her boyfriend’s eccentric family. Dermot Mulroney plays her beau, who plans to propose, while Diane Keaton, Craig T. Nelson, Rachel McAdams, Luke Wilson, Elizabeth Reaser and Tyrone Giordano portray the Stones.
Wilson revealed in December 2021 how the cast bonded prior to filming to seem like a realistic family.
“We definitely had rehearsals, which is kind of unusual in this day and age. And then we worked together on — some of us would go to sign language training together. Craig T., I remember doing it with those guys,” the Legally Blonde star exclusively told Us Weekly, referring to the skill the actors picked up to communicate with Giordano’s character, who was deaf. “We did wind up spending more time together and had a couple of nice dinners. It’s very helpful.”
Wilson noted that he was in awe of his castmates. “Diane — we all kind of admired her,” he recalled. “And in my mind, here’s Sarah Jessica and she’s sort of this icon of fashion and humor from Sex and the City and then here’s the original icon of fashion and humor — Diane. … And then Rachel McAdams was great. … I just remember those [days] being kind of exciting where you’re going to dinner alone meeting all these people. Some of them that you know and most of them you don’t, so you are a little bit uncomfortable walking in. And then I just remember the idea of leaving and saying like, ‘These people are great! I can’t wait to work with them.’”
The Stargirl actor confessed that he was not prepared for the movie’s staying power. “I consider that such hallowed ground, the holiday movies,” he explained. “I did watch that during the [coronavirus] pandemic. It was on one night and I watched it in its entirety, and I can see why families might kind of get a kick out of watching this all together just because it has so many different, likable characters. Even though it is a family that does have some turmoil in it and some heartbreak. I’m really happy about how well that’s done. … Diane, of course, she was kind of our leader on the movie. She would never say that, but everyone was so admiring of her.”
Mulroney, for his part, was also surprised by the film’s popularity.
“I did not see that coming. I knew we were making a brilliant film. Tom Bezucha wrote, directed, designed and just handcrafted this whole film. He’s just a brilliant director. So I knew we were in great hands and the cast is incredible. All of that,” the actor told Us in November 2021. “In several films, there’s just no way to even think forward to the future, how it would remain mature over time. So the few that I’ve been in that have that long life, it’s so satisfying. It’s incredible because that movie really is like a gift that keeps on giving every year and it brings so much joy and so much heart to people’s lives. It’s incredible. I knew we’d have it in that initial launch, but I never saw that it would remain. Whole families value that movie together. And to be part of something that has that kind of a human connection is remarkable. It doesn’t always happen.”
Scroll through the gallery below to see where the cast of The Family Stone is now.
There’s no place like home for the holidays! The Family Stone put a new spin on a popular Christmas movie trope and proved to be an underrated gem.
The film, which was released in December 2005, stars Sarah Jessica Parker as an uptight businesswoman who celebrates Christmas with her boyfriend’s eccentric family. Dermot Mulroney plays her beau, who plans to propose, while Diane Keaton, Craig T. Nelson, Rachel McAdams, Luke Wilson, Elizabeth Reaser and Tyrone Giordano portray the Stones.
Wilson revealed in December 2021 how the cast bonded prior to filming to seem like a realistic family.
“We definitely had rehearsals, which is kind of unusual in this day and age. And then we worked together on — some of us would go to sign language training together. Craig T., I remember doing it with those guys,” the Legally Blonde star exclusively told Us Weekly, referring to the skill the actors picked up to communicate with Giordano’s character, who was deaf. “We did wind up spending more time together and had a couple of nice dinners. It’s very helpful.”
Wilson noted that he was in awe of his castmates. “Diane — we all kind of admired her,” he recalled. “And in my mind, here’s Sarah Jessica and she’s sort of this icon of fashion and humor from Sex and the City and then here’s the original icon of fashion and humor — Diane. … And then Rachel McAdams was great. … I just remember those [days] being kind of exciting where you’re going to dinner alone meeting all these people. Some of them that you know and most of them you don’t, so you are a little bit uncomfortable walking in. And then I just remember the idea of leaving and saying like, ‘These people are great! I can’t wait to work with them.’”
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The Stargirl actor confessed that he was not prepared for the movie’s staying power. “I consider that such hallowed ground, the holiday movies,” he explained. “I did watch that during the [coronavirus] pandemic. It was on one night and I watched it in its entirety, and I can see why families might kind of get a kick out of watching this all together just because it has so many different, likable characters. Even though it is a family that does have some turmoil in it and some heartbreak. I’m really happy about how well that’s done. … Diane, of course, she was kind of our leader on the movie. She would never say that, but everyone was so admiring of her.”
Mulroney, for his part, was also surprised by the film’s popularity.
“I did not see that coming. I knew we were making a brilliant film. Tom Bezucha wrote, directed, designed and just handcrafted this whole film. He’s just a brilliant director. So I knew we were in great hands and the cast is incredible. All of that,” the actor told Us in November 2021. “In several films, there’s just no way to even think forward to the future, how it would remain mature over time. So the few that I’ve been in that have that long life, it’s so satisfying. It’s incredible because that movie really is like a gift that keeps on giving every year and it brings so much joy and so much heart to people’s lives. It’s incredible. I knew we’d have it in that initial launch, but I never saw that it would remain. Whole families value that movie together. And to be part of something that has that kind of a human connection is remarkable. It doesn’t always happen.”
Scroll through the gallery below to see where the cast of The Family Stone is now.
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Credit: Shutterstock (2)
Diane Keaton (Sybil Stone)
The actress’ career has not slowed down. She has since starred in Because I Said So, Mad Money, Morning Glory, The Big Wedding, Finding Dory, The Young Pope, Book Club and Love, Weddings & Other Disasters. In 2022, she joined You‘s Elizabeth Lail and Schitt’s Creek alum Dustin Milligan in the comedy Mack & Rita.
The Oscar winner previously dated Woody Allen, Warren Beatty and Al Pacino, but she has never married. She has two adopted children: daughter Dexter and son Duke.
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Sarah Jessica Parker (Meredith Morton)
Parker remained a leading lady in Failure to Launch, Divorce, I Don’t Know How She Does It and New Year’s Eve. She also reprised her role as Carrie Bradshaw in two Sex and the City movies and the HBO Max revival series And Just Like That, which debuted in December 2021. She cofounded her production company, Pretty Matches, in 2005 and launched her SJP footwear line in 2014.
The actress has been married to Matthew Broderick since May 1997. They are parents of son James and twin daughters Marion and Tabitha.
Parker sparked concern in September 2022 when she missed the New York City Ballet’s 10th Annual Fall Fashion Gala amid a family emergency. A rep later confirmed to Us that the actress’ stepfather, Paul Giffin Forste, died of an “unexpected and rapid illness” at 76.
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Rachel McAdams (Amy Stone)
McAdams has been selective about her roles, leading to parts in beloved projects such as The Time Traveler’s Wife, Sherlock Holmes, Morning Glory, About Time, Southpaw, True Detective, Spotlight, Doctor Strange and Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga.
The Mean Girls star shares two children with partner Jamie Linden, whom she began dating in 2016.
Credit: Shutterstock (2)
Dermot Mulroney (Everett Stone)
The actor has stayed busy with roles in Jobs, Enlightened, August: Osage County, Pure Genius, American Horror Story, Shameless, Cats, New Girl, Homecoming, Station 19, Arrested Development, Four Weddings and a Funeral and Hanna.
Mulroney married Tharita Cesaroni in 2008, and the couple welcomed daughters Mabel and Sally in 2008 and 2009, respectively. He also shares son Clyde with ex-wife Catherine Keener.
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Luke Wilson (Ben Stone)
Wilson went on to star in My Super Ex-Girlfriend, Blades of Glory, 3:10 to Yuma, Enlightened, The Skeleton Twins, Roadies, Zombieland: Double Tap and Stargirl.
His exes include Drew Barrymore and Gwyneth Paltrow, but he has not yet settled down.
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Claire Danes (Julie Morton)
Danes moved on to Homeland, Temple Grandin, Stardust and Me and Orson Welles. Throughout her career, Danes has collected four Golden Globe trophies and three Emmys. She starred alongside Lizzy Caplan, Adam Brody and Jesse Eisenberg in Hulu’s Fleishman Is in Trouble, which premiered in November 2022.
The actress married Hugh Dancy in September 2009. They welcomed son Cyrus in December 2012 and son Rowan in August 2018.
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Craig T. Nelson (Kelly Stone)
The actor has appeared on Parenthood, Young Sheldon, Blades of Glory, The Proposal, Grace and Frankie, Book Club and Incredibles 2.
Nelson shares three children — Tiffany, Christopher and Noah — with ex-wife Robin McCarthy. He has been married to Doria Cook since 1987.
Credit: YouTube; Picture Perfect/Shutterstock
Tyrone Giordano (Thad Stone)
Giordano appeared on CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, What About Brian, Girlfriends, All About Steve and The Next Three Days, but his last acting credit was in 2011. He is now the director of communications at Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C. and an advocate for Deaf people.
Credit: YouTube; JLN Photography/Shutterstock
Brian J. White (Patrick Thomas)
White expanded his resume with roles in Stomp the Yard, I Can Do Bad All by Myself, The Cabin in the Woods, Beauty and the Beast, Mistresses, Scandal, Chicago Fire, Ray Donovan, Bronx SIU, Ambitions and Monogamy.
The actor tied the knot with Paula Da Silva in 2010. Their daughter, Layla, arrived in 2014.
Credit: YouTube; Marion Curtis/StarPix for Sony Pictures Classics/Shutterstock
Paul Schneider (Brad Stevenson)
Schneider has appeared in Lars and the Real Girl, Bright Star, Away We Go, Parks and Recreation, Goodbye to All That, Rules Don’t Apply, Channel Zero, Tales From the Loop and NOS4A2.
The actor married Theresa Avila in April 2016, and they welcomed daughter Louisa in May 2020.
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