Honestly, if you haven't sat down with a cup of cocoa to watch the Eloise at Christmastime cast do their thing at the Plaza, you're missing out on peak holiday vibes. It’s one of those movies that just feels like a warm hug, but when you actually look at who was in it, the talent is kinda insane. We’re talking Broadway legends, Oscar winners, and a kid lead who actually held her own against Julie Andrews. That's no small feat.
Most people remember the bright pink hallways and the chaos, but they forget how stacked this lineup really was. It wasn't just a "TV movie." It was a masterclass in whimsical casting.
The Eloise at Christmastime Cast: More Than Just a Kids' Movie
At the center of it all is Sofia Vassilieva. She was only about ten or eleven when they filmed this, playing a six-year-old, and she nailed that specific "precocious but not annoying" energy. Most child actors go too big, but Sofia made Eloise feel like a real kid who just happened to have the run of the most famous hotel in New York.
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She didn't just disappear after the credits rolled, either. You’ve probably seen her as Ariel DuBois in Medium or in the tear-jerker My Sister's Keeper. She even showed up recently in The Little Things and has a recurring role in the 2025 series Duster. She grew up to be a serious actress with a linguistics degree from Columbia, which is very Eloise of her, if you think about it.
The Legendary Nanny
Then you have Julie Andrews. I mean, it’s Julie Andrews. She plays Nanny with this perfect mix of "I’m tired of your nonsense" and "I will protect you with my life." By 2003, she had already done The Princess Diaries, so she was in her peak "Queen of Disney" era.
What most people get wrong is thinking Nanny is just a repeat of Mary Poppins. She’s not. Nanny is way more eccentric. She swigs eggnog, she’s a bit of a klutz, and she has that hilarious "rawther" catchphrase. Watching her and Sofia together, you can tell they had real chemistry. They filmed Eloise at the Plaza and Eloise at Christmastime back-to-back in Toronto and New York, and that bond really shows on screen.
The Broadway Connection
If you’re a theater geek, the Eloise at Christmastime cast is basically a treasure hunt.
- Gavin Creel (Bill): The late, great Gavin Creel played Bill, the room service waiter. He was the heart of the movie’s romantic subplot. He was a massive Broadway star (he won a Tony for Hello, Dolly!), and his voice in this movie is just butter. It’s still incredibly sad that we lost him in late 2024 to cancer.
- Sara Topham (Rachel Peabody): She played the hotel owner's daughter and Bill's lost love. She’s another stage powerhouse who brought a lot of grace to what could have been a flat character.
- Christine Baranski (Prunella Stickler): She is the absolute queen of playing the "villain you love to hate." As the event planner from hell, she’s sharp, terrifying, and hilarious.
- Jeffrey Tambor (Mr. Salomone): As the hotel manager, his "love-hate" dynamic with Eloise is one of the funniest parts of the film. He and Baranski actually both appeared in the 2000 How the Grinch Stole Christmas too, so they have that shared holiday movie DNA.
Why the Supporting Players Matter
The movie wouldn't work without the people in the background. Kenneth Welsh played Sir Wilkes, the grumpy old man with a secret heart of gold. You might recognize him from Twin Peaks, which is a wild jump from a Disney Christmas movie, but that’s the level of acting we’re dealing with here.
Then there’s Debra Monk as Maggie and Victor A. Young as Mr. Peabody. Every character, down to the elevator operator Max (played by Cliff Saunders), feels like they belong in Kay Thompson’s original world.
Behind the Scenes Facts You Probably Didn't Know
A lot of people think the whole thing was filmed at the actual Plaza Hotel. While they did shoot some exteriors and the iconic entrance on 59th Street, a huge chunk of the "Plaza" was actually a set built in Toronto.
The attention to detail was wild. Director Kevin Lima (who also did Enchanted) was obsessed with making sure the movie looked like the illustrations by Hilary Knight. They even put mistletoe on the pug’s collar because that’s how it was in the book.
The film actually won an Emmy for its music, which makes sense when you have Gavin Creel singing Sondheim’s "Together Wherever We Go." It’s rare for a made-for-TV sequel to get that kind of prestige, but this cast really elevated the material.
Where is the Cast Now?
Life moves fast. Sofia Vassilieva is still acting and winning awards on the indie circuit (like Best Actress at the First Glance Film Festival in 2023). Julie Andrews is... well, she's an icon. She’s been doing voice work for the Despicable Me franchise and Bridgerton as Lady Whistledown.
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Sadly, we’ve lost a few key members. Kenneth Welsh passed away in 2022, and as mentioned, Gavin Creel’s passing in 2024 hit the theater community hard. Watching him as Bill now feels a little bittersweet, but it’s a beautiful reminder of his talent.
Actionable Next Steps for Fans
If you want to dive deeper into the world of the Eloise at Christmastime cast, here is what you should do:
- Watch the "Making Of" Featurette: If you can find the old DVD or a clip on YouTube, the behind-the-scenes footage of Julie Andrews and Sofia Vassilieva is pure gold.
- Listen to the Soundtrack: Specifically, find Gavin Creel’s version of "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" or "Winter Wonderland." It’s essential holiday listening.
- Check out Sofia’s Newer Work: Watch Lissa's Trip (2023) to see how much the little girl from the Plaza has grown as a performer.
- Read the Original Book: Kay Thompson’s Eloise at Christmastime is actually very different from the movie (the movie added the whole matchmaking plot), but the "rawther" spirit is exactly the same.
The cast of this movie turned a simple children’s story into a legit holiday classic. Whether it’s your first time watching or your twentieth, there’s always some small detail in a performance—a smirk from Baranski or a wink from Andrews—that makes it worth the rewatch.