Disney is ringing in the holiday season with the Home Alone sequel, Home Sweet Home Alone, which premieres on the streaming service on November 12. The movie follows Max (Archie Yates) as he protects his home from burglars played by Ellie Kemper and Rob Delaney. The supporting cast includes Aisling Bea, Pete Holmes, Kenan Thompson, Chris Parnell, and Ally Maki.
Maki spoke with Screen Rant about updating a holiday classic, her own traditions, and working with Home Sweet Home Alone's funny cast.
Screen Rant: I want to ask you because the number one question people are going to ask is, "Why touch a classic?" How do you respond to that, and what was it about this movie that really caught your attention?
Ally Maki: I totally get that, because I'm one of those people that is one of those diehard fans. I grew up on Home Alone and Home Alone 2.
When this project was going around, and when I got the script, I was thinking, "Well, what are they going to do?" And five pages in, I was like, "I am in. I get the tone. I get what they're trying to do."
Mikey Day and Streeter Seidell, I think, were the perfect people from SNL to take this on. Because it is a little tongue in cheek; they're bringing those Easter Eggs in, but it's certainly its own thing. And that's what I think is so fun. They have elements where I think the classic fans are gonna be like, "Ahh, that!" and then new things where, I think, the next generation is gonna be like, "Ooh, this is our own thing."
I think Dan Mazer also did such an incredible job in that way. His background of doing Borat and Ali G really gave it that that freedom and hilariousness that I think this movie brings.
I agree with you; it wasn't really what I expected. I didn't know that Mikey and Streeter had written it, but then you see all these comedic legends popping up throughout the movie. What was that like on set? It was people popping in every single day?
Ally Maki: Literally every day. One day, it'd be like, "Oh, there's Kenan! And there's Chris Parnell!" And obviously, Ellie and Rob are such joys; I love them both so much, and they were the perfect people to bring these new robbers to life.
It was just such a dream. And like I said, I think Dan Mazer really set that tone of, "We're going to have fun, and for everybody's character, I want you to go and live and breathe that and be able to improv and bring whatever you want to it." That was so much fun. We did a lot of impromptu stuff, like the song I sang. He was always talking about how it was in his vision, and then towards the end of it - I think they were even writing some of the song the day of. We just did it on the fly, and it was so fun.
I think you might be the secret sauce, because, with Toy Story 4, people were like, "No, Toy Story 3 is perfect." And you did the 10 Things I Hate About You series. And then they work.
Ally Maki: Oh my gosh! I just keep saying, my 14-year-old self is like, "What's happening?" Toys Story 4 and Home Alone? What's happening? It's so cool for me. They're very full-circle moments.
If you had to tackle another reboot from our youth, which one would you pick?
Ally Maki: What's funny is it's already happening, but Hocus Pocus. I'm just saying, if I could, I would be part of Hocus Pocus 2. Because that's iconic too.
Let's put that out there because I think there's still time for that.
Ally Maki: Hey, guys! Keep it going, you know.
There are some references that really pay homage to the original Home Alone, which I love. Did you have a favorite moment in the movie where you're like, "Oh, that's awesome?"
Ally Maki: There was a couple. Obviously, having Buzz [McCallister] there is just like, "What world are we living in? This is so awesome." I didn't get to meet him, but just even seeing him in the movie or hearing people talk about him being on set was like, "Buzz is here? That's so cool."
And I think there's a reference to Little Nero's pizza, which is iconic. All the things! I just feel there are little subtle things that are really smartly done, even what Aisling was talking about with the jacket. That homage to the tan jacket. So many fun things.
What was with the milk? Is that something from the original, or was that just so much milk?
Ally Maki: What's funny is we had a whole thing we improv'd. This is when Tim [Simons] and I were going off about milk and soy milk and almond milk, and I don't know, there was a lot of talk about milk. I will have to ask Dan about that.
For anyone who doesn't know that you voice Officer Giggle McDimples, do you think we could get Toy Story 5? Do you have a dream story for Giggle McDimples?
Ally Maki: Can you imagine how fun would that be? I feel like it also leaves it in a really great place to see where they go from here, with the fair and the night circus. I don't know! I would love that.
I keep saying to anyone, "I will reprise Giggle any day, anytime. I'll leave a message on your voicemail. Whatever you want, I'll bring her back to life." But, yeah, she's awesome.
This movie is definitely gonna get everybody into the holiday spirit. What are your favorite and least favorite holiday traditions? What does your holiday season look like?
Ally Maki: My family always has a big party with all the extended family, and my grandma set this tradition where we always end the night by singing "The 12 Days of Christmas." We huddle into groups, and each person has their thing. So, it's like, "You're the turtle doves and you're the five golden rings." It becomes this group singing thing, and everyone tries to outdo each other. That's definitely a tradition within my family.
Beyond that, the worst tradition? I was always someone that hated eggnog. I just couldn't get behind it. But I think as I'm getting older, my palate is changing. I'm like, "You know what? Eggnog kind of slaps. Eggnog's pretty good."
We mentioned all the amazing legends that came in and out of the set. Do you have a most memorable interaction that you had while filming this movie?
Ally Maki: I would say just meeting and working with Ellie Kemper is such a dream, just because seeing her as such a hilarious woman in comedy is so inspirational. And she's also just an awesome person. We really connected and bonded, weirdly, over salads.
If you ask her about it, just be like, "What's the salad that you and Ally ate?" We just had this salad that we were obsessed with, and we'd always text about, "What salad did you get today?" It sounds so lame, but she's just relatable in that way. She doesn't take herself that seriously. I really enjoyed working with Ellie a lot.
You two are so funny in this movie. Ellie barely has to do anything, and I'm cracking up.
Ally Maki: That's the thing: she would just say anything, and I'm like, "Ellie, you're so funny!" She's one of those people that's effortlessly [funny]. She could say anything or say nothing at all, and she's hilarious.
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