‘The Santa Clause 3’: David Krumholtz Says Bernard’s Role Would Have ‘Scare[d] the Living Hell Out of Children’
The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause premiered 16 years ago, but many fans still ask one question: Where’s Bernard? The Head Elf, played by David Krumholtz, was missing from the Christmas threequel after previously appearing in The Santa Clause 1 and 2. Last year, Krumholtz admitted that he was supposed to be in the movie. Now, the actor has shared more about his would-be third time playing Bernard — apparently, it would have frightened young viewers.
Why isn’t David Krumholtz in ‘The Santa Clause 3’?
Krumholtz began his role as Bernard when he was just 16 years old in 1994. In the first Santa Clause movie, the wise-cracking Head Elf was in charge of helping Scott Calvin (Tim Allen) become the new Santa Claus. He returned in 2002’s The Santa Clause 2, but Krumholtz sat out of The Santa Clause 3. Many viewers were disappointed by his absence, as Bernard had become a fan-favorite character.
Krumholtz did have a role in The Santa Clause 3, but he backed out before filming began. In a 2021 interview with Vulture, he said the character felt “devalued.” He couldn’t bring himself to continue the role. The actor clarified his statement in a more recent interview with Time, revealing that he didn’t feel the offer to return was worth how busy he would be.
“I was really busy at the time doing [the TV show] Numbers and it was going to be really impossible to do both. They made my offer really late and it was just an insulting offer that I couldn’t bring myself to do given the circumstances. I was going to be working 20-hour days and burning the candle at both ends, and I was surprised by the economics behind the film at the time,” Krumholtz shared.
David Krumholtz reveals the ‘weird’ role Bernard almost had in ‘The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause’
In addition to discussing why he skipped the third film, Krumholtz revealed what his role would have been. For those unfamiliar with The Santa Clause 3, it follows Jack Frost (Martin Short) as he tries to take over the North Pole. He tricks Scott into giving up his role as Santa. Then, Jack turns the North Pole into a theme park and changes the spirit of Christmas.
“The script was weird,” Krumholtz continued. “There was originally a scene in it where Tim becomes Scott Calvin again, and he goes to a mall and he sees a mall Santa and the mall Santa’s elf is me. He comes up to me and he is like, ‘Bernard, what are you doing here?’ And I’m like, ‘Dude, my name’s Randy. Like, I’m not Bernard.'”
Krumholtz said he thought the scene would “scare the living hell out of children.” And though he wanted to continue the story with Bernard, it just didn’t feel right.
Who else is in ‘The Santa Clause 3’ cast?
Krumholtz missed The Santa Clause 3, but other cast members returned. Tim Allen, Elizabeth Mitchell (who played Mrs. Clause), Eric Lloyd (Charlie), Spencer Breslin (Curtis the Elf), Wendy Crewson (Laura), Judge Reinhold (Neil), and Liliana Mumy (Lucy) all reprised their roles.
Krumholtz’s Bernard does come back in Disney+’s The Santa Clauses to answer for his absence. In episode 5, the former elf reveals that he left the North Pole for an elf Rumspringa and met someone. He gave up eternal youth to spend his life with Academy Award winner Vanessa Redgrave.
The Santa Clause movies and The Santa Clauses are available to watch on Disney+.
