The holidays are officially over, but there’s plenty of joy to look back on. While many of us celebrated the winter holidays over the last few weeks, for kid actor Ewan Wood, Christmas in particular was a much longer celebration. Filming in Winnipeg, Manitoba, in December 2023, Ewan and the cast of The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, adapted from Barbara Robinson’s 1972 novel of the same name, began their Christmas 2024 celebration a year in advance. Check out our full interview with Ewan for a look inside the longest (and probably most chaotic) Christmas ever.
Showstopper Magazine Online: Tell us about your character in The Best Christmas Pageant Ever.
Ewan Wood: My character Leroy Herdman is a mischievous little kid. All he wants to do is eat yummy snacks, play tricks on people and basically cause mayhem!
SMO: Have you read the book the film is based on?
Ewan: Yes, I have. My copy of the book is actually in my desk at school.
SMO: How do you relate to Leroy Herdman?
Ewan: Well, just like Leroy, I am always on the lookout for snacks, and I can also be a little bit mischievous, but not Leroy level mischievous.
SMO: What was it like to join such a large fictional family?
Ewan: It was a super fun experience. When all of us kids met up for the shoot, we just clicked straight away. Even though I’m an only child in real life, it was fun to have brothers and sisters, even though they were Herdmans.
SMO: If you could get each of the Herdmans a Christmas gift, what would you give them?
Ewan: Imogene – definitely a new pair of earrings
Ralph – a different color beanie
Claude – probably some glasses that aren’t held together with tape
Ollie – a collar and a leash for his cat Spike
Gladys – a Viking helmet and wooden sword
…and Leroy would love a big bag of candy
SMO: What is it like to film a Christmas movie? Is there anything people might not expect?
Ewan: First off, the director, Dallas Jenkins, wanted guaranteed snow. Because of that, the film was shot in Winnipeg, Canada and if you haven’t been there in the Winter, I can tell you it’s really, really cold and snowy! You might be surprised to learn, though, that despite all the ice and snow, some of the snowballs we were throwing in the movie were actually made out of Oreo cookies and crushed-up ice. They smelled great, but we weren’t allowed to eat them.
SMO: What do the holidays mean to you?
Ewan: For me, the holidays are all about having the chance to spend time together as a family. We like to go away for a few days after Christmas as well which is a nice way to finish off the year.
SMO: What do you have in store for 2025?
Ewan: I will be appearing in a long-running and much-loved Canadian television series which is airing in January. I am also in two short films slated for release on the festival circuit and I’m in a movie with Johnny Knoxville. Apart from that, I’m hoping to have some more great opportunities to look forward to in 2025.
SMO: Is there anything else you want people to know about you or your work?
Ewan: I’m a huge dog person and I’ve got two awesome hunting dogs of my own. They are like family to me. I’m also really excited to keep working as an actor and to help support the film industry, and I can’t wait to see where it takes me.
