Arthur Christmas is one of the most delightfully charming and whimsical Christmas movies ever made and one that is incredibly rewatchable. The characters are full of personality, the plot is forward-thinking, and the actors who provide the voices really do bring their best to the performances.
It's a truly star-studded affair in this festive treat, with some huge Hollywood names being involved in the project. However, as is the case with any animated movie, while the voices are certainly recognizable, it can sometimes be tricky identifying exactly who is who. So, where do people know the cast of Arthur Christmas from?
Ashley Jensen - After Life
Ashley Jensen is a brilliant comedic actress and someone who is best known for her work with Ricky Gervais. Whether it be as part of Extras, or more recently, After Life, she brings great comedy to each. After Life has proven to be a huge hit for Netflix, although it is certainly miles away from Arthur Christmas in terms of the target audience.
However, even in After Life, which does touch on some very serious topics, Ashley's character, Emma is quite a positive person. This is just like Bryony in Arthur Christmas, who is the wrapping elf that helps Arthur throughout the movie.
Bill Nighy - Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest/At World's End
Bill Nighy is one of the major names that is involved in this movie, and he plays the character of Grandsanta. He pushes for the old-school sleigh and reindeer style of delivering the presents. He's someone who has no problem calling out others, particularly Steve, which leads to a lot of comedy.
Bill is well-known for his role in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, particularly the second installment where he takes on the role of Davy Jones. Of course, just like Arthur Christmas, his face isn't showcased in that either, but his iconic voice brings a very different side of him in that role, which is far more menacing.
Marc Wooton - Nativity!
Marc Wooton does an amazing job as the character of Peter, who is one of the elves within Arthur Christmas, working as Steve's assistant. He is one of the most memorable supporting characters due to some of the hilarious one-liners he brings as he desperately tries to please Steve.
Outside of this voicework, Marc Wooton is best known for being involved in another Christmas movie, which actually turned into a franchise, Nativity! Wooton plays one of the lead roles as Mr. Poppy in these hilarious and family-friendly movies, alongside David Tennant.
Laura Linney - Ozark
Laura Linney actually takes on the voice of the computer in Arthur Christmas, which gives information to Steve throughout the movie. He pushes the technology for Santa to use, and Laura is the voice behind this creation.
Of course, away from this festive movie, Laura is best known for being one of the lead characters in the incredible Netflix series, Ozark, on which she plays the ruthless Wendy Byrde, one of the most dominant female figures in television history.
Jim Broadbent - Moulin Rouge!
Jim Broadbent really does have the perfect voice for Santa Claus, as it is so warm and inviting. He takes on the role in Arthur Christmas, and he is both jolly, and a little old and tired at the same time, which brings some nice layers to his character.
However, his performance in the incredible musical, Moulin Rouge! couldn't be any more different if it tried. Here, Jim Broadbent is far more over the top as he plays Harold Zidler, where he gets to sing the classic, "Like A Virgin."
Eva Longoria - Desperate Housewives
Eva Longoria doesn't have one of the biggest roles in Arthur Christmas, but her voice is certainly very recognizable when it pops up. She has one of the least festive roles in the movie, as she plays Chief De Silva, who is actually in charge of blowing up Santa's sleigh, believing it to be a UFO.
Of course, Eva is notorious for being part of Desperate Housewives, where she was one of the lead roles as Gabrielle Solis. She was a huge part of the series and helping to make the show the hit that it would become.
Ramona Marquez - Outnumbered
The character of Gwen is a small, but an important one in Arthur Christmas. She is the child that the whole plot is focused upon, as it is her present that is forgotten through Steve's technological advancements, which sets Arthur off on his journey.
Ramona did a great job in this role, making Gwen incredibly sweet and kind. But the role she's known best for is as Karen Brockman in Outnumbered. She's an incredibly sassy young girl in that show and brings some of the funniest lines to the series.
Imelda Staunton - Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix
The two characters in question here couldn't be further apart from each other if they tried, which really showcases the brilliant range that Imelda Staunton has as an actress. In Arthur Christmas, she plays Mrs. Claus, who is incredibly kind, soft-spoken, and generous to her family.
Yet in the Harry Potter franchise, Imelda Staunton plays arguably the most hated villain in the story. While Lord Voldemort is the main villain, fans tend to dislike Dolores Umbridge even more because of the way she tortured the students, and the sick pleasure she seemed to get from it.
Hugh Laurie - House
While there isn't really a villain in this movie, out of all the characters, Hugh Laurie's Steve would best fit that slot. He tries to modernize everything to do with Christmas, and while it's seen as a triumph at first, it quickly becomes clear that it wasn't, and that Steve doesn't really care about the children that much.
Hugh plays the role brilliantly, bringing the right level of arrogance, while still managing to have likable qualities. However, he is best known for being the lead character of the popular series House, where he plays Dr. Gregory House.
James McAvoy - X-Men Franchise
James McAvoy takes on the lead role in Arthur Christmas, playing the titular character of Arthur. He does a great job of bringing a real sense of youthful joy and enthusiasm to the role, despite the fact that the character is playing is much younger than he actually is.
Away from this animated movie, McAvoy has been involved in some huge projects, with his role as Professor X in various X-Men movies being the most well-known. Taking on the younger version of the character that Sir Patrick Stewart did such a fine job with was certainly a daunting task, but McAvoy certainly proved himself worthy throughout.