“Do you want me to make you some sandwiches?”
This is the line made famous by Brett Kelly, who played Thurman Merman in the 2003 cult classic, bad santa claus.
Now, almost 20 years after the film’s release, Kelly has opened up on the news.com.au podcast, I have news for youabout the film, his famous co-stars and what he’s up to now.
Billy Bob made the children cry
Kelly, now 29, said she enjoyed auditioning alongside Billy Bob Thornton for a role in the film, but revealed another child found the experience a little too full.
“I had heard that one of the kids ahead of me said he wasn’t doing too well and he broke down in tears,” Kelly said.
“I understand that some children are not able to understand this, when a man in his mid-50s starts to unload the most obscene insults you can imagine.”
Getting the role
Kelly was only eight years old when he beat Angus T. Jones (Two and a half men) for the role of Therman Murman.
But he almost lost the role due to a health problem.
“At one point, I wasn’t going to get the part because I had chicken pox and Billy (Bob Thornton) had never had chicken pox before,” Kelly said. “I broke out in these horrible rashes and they said, ‘Go home, we’re picking someone else.’
“That was a bit of a bummer at the time, but then, about a week later, the chicken pox passed and everything went back to normal.”
What Billy Bob was really like
Kelly has nothing but praise for Thornton, who played Willie Soke in the film.
“He was very, very warm and welcoming,” she said. “One of the nicest people, even today, I’ve ever worked with.
“On the weekends we went to his house and I spent time with his children and swimming in the pool.
“He was very welcoming and made me and my whole family feel at home the whole time we were shooting.”
Hhow it changed his life after the movie
bad santa claus was a hit when it came out, but surprisingly, Kelly said her life hardly changed after the film’s release.
“We never moved to LA,” he said. “Every time I worked, I would come home (to Vancouver) and basically go back to my normal life.
“Of course, you have things where people recognize you and some people say lines and things like that – it’s all very surreal and it never becomes so normal.
“But for the most part, I was very lucky to get to have a pretty normal life and then I parachute into those moments where you’re in a movie with Billy Bob or something.”
People on the line are still yelling at him
When asked which line from the movie people still shout at her, Kelly said, “Oh, it’s the ‘fix yourself some sandwiches,’ definitely.”
“I don’t understand it so much anymore, but whenever I was younger, and definitely around Christmas time, that one was running around a lot,” he said.
“I’ll probably be hearing it for a long time, but to get to be a part of something that people really know and remember, it’s amazing, so it never gets old.”
Bad Santa brags
Despite starring in one of the most iconic Christmas movies of all time, Kelly said I have news for you who has never been tempted to mention his leading role in an attempt to pick up women.
“Anyone who approached me, it was always like 25-35-year-old men,” he said. “That was the downside.
“It wasn’t exactly the kind of people you use pickup lines with, at least for me.”
What he is doing now
“I’m still living in Vancouver and right now I’m working on a series called Family LawKelly said.
“It’s about a family law firm in Vancouver and… I think the second season is airing now or soon in Australia. [on 9 Now].”
Bad Santa 3?
Kelly reprized his role as Thurman Merman Bad Santa 2 which was released in 2016, but he doubts there will be a Bad Santa 3.
“I would be very surprised at this point,” he said I have news for you.
“I think we were all very surprised that we ended up doing Bad Santa 2 after how many years it was, so I guess I’ll never say never, but I don’t see it in the cards anytime soon.”