Warning: There are major spoilers for Guardian of the Galaxy Holiday Special.
The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special dropped on Disney Plus on Friday and it has introduced fans to a fresh taste of familial love and emotional bonding. The plot revolves around the guardians Mantis (Pom Klementieff) and Drax (Dave Bautista) heading to Earth to present a special gift to Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) on Christmas and make it memorable for him.
The gift is none other than the actor Kevin Bacon who plays himself in the episode and of whom Quill is a great fan. Yes, it’s true that Bacon has made his major appearance in MCU and the fans couldn’t be more excited and eager to see him play himself on screen. This is not Bacon’s debut in the world of MCU as the actor is well-known for playing the antagonist Sebastian Shaw in X-Men: First Class.
In this special, the Footloose star isn’t either playing a hero or a savior that earned him excessive fame and attention among the characters. He is a prisoner captured by the iconic duo Mantis and Drax for delivery to their leader Quill as a Christmas gift much to his horror and disapproval that could be seen later in the episode.
A substantial portion of the story was shot in LA at what was presented to the viewers as Bacon’s sprawling mansion lined with all sorts of Christmas-themed toys like the elves and candy sticks. While Bacon was joyously relishing a classic Christmas movie, Mantis and Drax broke into the house, chased him down the street, and used their powers to drag him to Quill.
Amid the drama and the humor, fans are curious to know if the scene was filmed at Bacon’s real house. The answer is no as the structure and overall decoration of the house contradict the actor’s perception of the Holiday. The show’s director James Gunn — in an interview with Variety — spoke on this subject where he said,
“Kevin doesn’t like Christmas. That part was hilarious to me. I have Kevin showing up on set in what is supposed to be his house, and it’s filled with all these enormous inflatables. It looks like Santa Claus vomited all over the Bacon house, which looks nothing like Kevin Bacon’s house in any way. It’s so LA-looking, which is just not Kevin. But Kevin is this super nice guy. He’s so talented, so professional, so egoless, and just a really kind person. That part of the character is just like him”.
Despite the actor’s aversion to Christmas, the special episode was a breath of fresh air for Marvel fans who were waiting to see their favorite old heroes back on the screen and Bacon’s performance was positively received and critically acclaimed by all.
Guardian of the Galaxy Holiday Special is currently streaming on Disney Plus.