Chris has two passions in life. The first is his family, and the second, Christmas. Or more precisely, Christmas decorations. In the neighborhood, there is a competition every year for the best decorated property, and Chris is very competitive. Very competitive, and very detailed. In fact, unlike his neighbors who are focused on industrial glitz, Chris makes his own ornaments like a goldsmith. However, after being kicked out, he desperately needs the prize money. So here he is, accepting a magical helping hand from a fallen elf. It’s bad for him. At a press conference, Eddie Murphy discusses his new holiday comedy: Candy Cane Lane (Christmas at Candy Cane Lane).
“I’ve been in the business for forty-seven years. I started at 15 […] And it turns out that I always wanted to make a real Christmas movie,” confides the star during the virtual event at which The duty has assisted.
“You know, the kind of film that we watch as a family every year, like a ritual, and that we never get tired of watching again. I said to myself that this film could be like that, the kind of one that I myself take so much pleasure in watching again with my own family. »
Written by Kelly Younger (Muppets Haunted Mansion), the film is directed by Reginald Hudlin. For the record, he and Eddie Murphy had already collaborated in 1992 on one of the coolest, and most unloved, productions in the actor’s filmography: the romantic comedy Boomerangwhich notably revealed Halle Berry.
“Between Reginald and me, on the set, it was immediately the same dynamic as thirty years ago, on Boomerang. The difference is that we’re a lot slower now,” jokes Murphy.
In Candy Cane Lane, the latter gives the answer to Tracee Ellis Ross. The star of the series Black-ish and the movie The High Note plays Carol who, unlike her recently fired husband Chris, has just obtained a promotion.
Judging from the knowing teasing exchanged between the two playing partners in conference, the experience was pleasant. Regardless, for the actress, agreeing to participate in the film was a no-brainer.
“Christmas, antics and Eddie Murphy? I’m on board! But seriously, this film is about love, about family, has a positive message… And then, what’s special about it Candy Cane Lane, is that it’s not just a Christmas comedy, but a Christmas adventure comedy: there’s a lot of action. So it’s funny, it’s exciting, and it’s hilarious. »
Flowers under the mistletoe
As for working with Eddie Murphy, it was everything Tracee Ellis Ross hoped for, and more.
“If Eddie is so hilarious, it’s because in every scene he tries to be real, rather than being funny. One thing you should know is that Eddie is an incredibly generous actor. In comedy in particular, it’s very valuable. He is always in the moment with you; it is anchored with you. He’s not preparing his response or trying to outshine you: he’s listening and living the moment with you. You can feel this connection. »
The main person is just as quick to throw flowers at his co-star, who possesses some of his favorite professional qualities.
“Tracee is not only a good actress, but she loves to improvise and is always ready to make the scene better. And she’s not afraid of anything: if it’s to improve the scene or make it more authentic, she’s up for anything,” sums up Eddie Murphy.
Regarding the use of improvisation, Reginald Hudlin confirms:
“It wasn’t just about the actors knowing their lines: there was a lot of improvisation, because Eddie is prodigiously good at that. Tracee too. As a result, there was quite a bit of “freestyle” comedy. Like jazz improvisation, but with jokes […] It was a little crazy at times, but we got there. »
Quite nice, quite funny