Nutcrackers’ True Story Inspiration & The Janson Brothers Explained

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Warning! This article contains spoilers for Nutcrackers.

The Janson brothers, who play the young leading cast members in Nutcrackers, played a crucial role in defining the movie’s real-life narrative foundation. Directed by David Gordon Green, best known for his work in horror flicks like 2018’s Halloween and 2023’s The Exorcist: Believer, Nutcrackers is another addition to 2024’s holiday movie roster. With Ben Stiller as its lead, the movie follows the story of a man whose life takes an unexpected turn when he is forced to become a caregiver for his orphaned nephews.

Although the Ben Stiller character initially struggles to keep up with his rambunctious siblings and finds it hard to adapt to his new role as a primary caregiver, he eventually grows attached to the four young boys as they, too, become more accepting towards him. Like a typical Christmas movie, Nutcrackers pleases viewers with relatable familial themes and drama. Since many aspects of its narrative feel realistic, several viewers may be curious whether it is based on a true story.

Nutcrackers Isn’t A True Story, But The Movie Was Inspired By The Real Janson Brothers

The Real Janson Brothers Play Junior, Justice, Samuel, & Simon, Respectively

While many viewers may be able to relate to Nutcrackers‘ primary characters and story beats, the movie’s storyline is not rooted in realism. However, many aspects of the film were inspired by the real Janson siblings, who portray the central Kicklighter brothers in its story. Homer, Arlo, Ulysses, and Atlas Janson, who play Justice, Simon, Junior, and Samuel, respectively, in Nutcrackers, did not have acting experience before they starred alongside Ben Stiller in the movie.

Ben Stiller in Nutcrackers in front of a red background with musical notes

Nutcrackers Soundtrack Guide: Every Song & When They Play In Ben Stiller’s Christmas Movie

Nutcrackers, a brand-new Christmas comedy starring Ben Stiller, is now streaming on Hulu, and these songs are all featured in the movie.

However, as the backstory behind how David Gordon Green cast them for the roles reveals, the director saw something in them that not only encouraged him to cast them in his film but also influenced the creative direction he wanted to take. Many production and behind-the-scenes details from Nutcrackers highlight how Green made the Janson brothers an active part of the filmmaking process, ensuring that their natural dynamics are reflected on the screen. Even in the early stages of Nutcrackers‘ development, the siblings played a key role in shaping the film’s foundation.

Why The Janson Brothers Were Cast To Play The Kicklighter Boys In Nutcrackers

Director Green Found Them To Be Perfect For His Film

Ben Stiller facing Ulysses Janson, who holds a knife up, while two boys watch in the background in Nutcrackers

In an interview (via IndieWire), David Gordon Green revealed that he first met the Janson brothers when he visited rural Ohio and met a friend he had not seen in college. The friend, Karey Williams, had collaborated with the director on an early movie project before leaving the filmmaking business and embracing her life as a farmer. When he finally met her and her children after years, he could not help but envision filming a movie on their farm while featuring the children as the secondary protagonists.

…Nutcrackers
is also dedicated to the Janson brothers’ late dog, who passed away during the movie’s production but makes a brief appearance in its early arcs.

With these early seeds of ideas, director Green eventually went on to develop Nutcrackers, which not only stars the Janson brothers but also features their mother’s farm and the many animals living in it. As many viewers may have noticed, Nutcrackers is also dedicated to the Janson brothers’ late dog, who passed away during the movie’s production but makes a brief appearance in its early arcs. After deciding to have the Janson brothers as the cast members of his film, Green reached out to Ben Stiller and told him how they would be onto “something special” if they captured the brothers’ magnetic personalities with a camera.

How The Janson Brothers’ Real Life Influenced Nutcrackers

The Brothers Are All Trained Ballet Dancers

Nutcrackers‘ plot is fictional. However, it realistically captures the Janson brothers’ personalities and their ballet skills. Green even visited their ballet school and cast some of their friends for the movie. As many sequences in Nutcrackers reveal, all four Janson brothers are well-trained ballet dancers, and the oldest brother, Homer, has been training in the dance form for close to seven years. Green even asked the middle child, Ulysses Janson, what his version of the ballet for the movie would be.

Nutcrackers Key Facts Breakdown
Directed By	David Gordon Green
Written By	Leland Douglas
Rotten Tomatoes Critics’ Score	34%
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score	59%
Running Time	104 minutes

When 10-year-old Ulysses responded by calling it “The Nutcracker’s Mustache,” the movie’s filmmakers could not help but name the production after the creative title. While opening up about her experiences during Nutcrackers‘ filming (via Screen Rant), Linda Cardellini, who plays Gretchen in the Ben Stiller Christmas movie, recalled how “it really felt like a family.” She added that apart from the Janson brothers, even their mother, father, and grandmother were there during Nutcrackers‘ production.

Nutcrackers is a family drama film by director David Gordon Green and starring Ben Stiller. Stiller plays Mike, who, after his siblings pass away in a tragic car accident, heads to the heart of Ohio to care for his nephews in the aftermath. Though initially hesitant, Mike realizes they may be the family he’s always needed.

Director: David Gordon Green
Release Date: November 29, 2024
Writers: Leland Douglas
Runtime: 104 Minutes

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