This Christmas, television audiences are in for a uniquely charming and hilarious treat as Kiefer Sutherland trades counter-terrorism for custard pies in the festive film 'Tinsel Town'. The 24 star makes a surprising and endearing move into comedy, playing Buttons in a pantomime production of Cinderella, complete with blue eyeshadow and a bellboy's hat.
From Jack Bauer to Panto Buttons: Sutherland's Comic Turn
Marking his first major foray into comedy, Sutherland stars as Bradley Mack, a washed-up Hollywood action hero. Fresh from phoning in his performance for the fictional Killing Time VII, Mack is furious to learn there will be no sequel. His formidable agent, played by Katherine Ryan, exiles him to the UK. Expecting to play Macbeth at Shakespeare's Globe, he instead finds himself in North Yorkshire, starring in a panto complete with singing sheep and an alcoholic Fairy Godmother.
The film boasts a stellar British ensemble cast. Rebel Wilson and Sir Derek Jacobi star alongside Sutherland, while Danny Dyer reportedly signed on the moment he learned he'd have a fight scene with the Hollywood veteran. The supporting cast includes Meera Syal, Alice Eve, Jason Manford, and Maria Friedman.
The Heart and Humour Behind the Festive Fun
While packed with slapstick and satire—the Ugly Sisters' costumes are by Kylie Minogue's designers, and Greggs sausage rolls were a set staple—Tinsel Town carries a deeper message. Sutherland describes it as a story of hope and redemption. "Life is tricky, life is hard and the character I play has not had the rigour to become a great actor, nor the discipline and care to be a good father," he explains. "But he’s not a bad person, he’s just behaving badly and there’s still a chance that... he can find his better self."
The script, co-written by Piers Ashworth (Fisherman's Friends), lovingly spoofs Hollywood, theatre, and action movie tropes without malice. It follows a classic redemption arc, exploring themes of ego versus humility and career versus community, all set against the chaotic, heartwarming backdrop of a traditional British panto.
A Love Letter to British Pantomime Tradition
The film pays affectionate homage to the peculiar British tradition of pantomime. For co-stars Sir Derek Jacobi and Meera Syal, panto holds personal significance. Sir Derek recalls being invited on stage during a 1948 production of Cinderella at the London Palladium as a ten-year-old, calling it the moment his "serious theatrical ambition started."
Rebel Wilson champions the film's cosy, festive spirit, comparing it to the wintery London of Richard Curtis films. "In the weeks leading up to Christmas, sit down with your family and friends and watch it," she advises. With its blend of snarky humour, tender moments, and a climactic court scene spoofing Sutherland's own action movie past, Tinsel Town aims to be a welcome addition to the Christmas movie canon, proving there's life—and laughter—beyond Hollywood for a faded action star.
