Guardians Of The Galaxy Holiday Special Cast & Cameo Guide

Warning! This post contains SPOILERS for The Guardians of The Galaxy Holiday Special.

As Marvel Studios' second Special Presentation, The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special brought the magic of Christmas to the MCU with much of the returning cast and several guest cameos. Chris Pratt returns as the leader of the eponymous Guardians of the Galaxy, Peter Quill, a.k.a. Star Lord, whose friends set out to save Christmas after hearing a tragic retelling of how Yondu once ruined the festive holiday. With Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 set to release in 2023, Christmastime was perhaps the perfect opportunity to reintroduce the rag-tag team, whose last appearance in the MCU came during the divisive Thor: Love & Thunder.

The story of The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special primarily follows Mantis and Drax, who journey to Earth to retrieve legendary movie star Kevin Bacon as a surprise Christmas present for Peter. Some exciting new information is revealed, confirming that Mantis is in fact Peter's half-sister, since Ego had fathered both. This only motivates her more to bring Christmas cheer to her brother, though they both soon realize that the best present either could have received was a real family. As well as the main cast from previous Guardians of the Galaxy films, there are several cameos throughout the Holiday Special, here is a complete breakdown of the cast.

Chris Pratt as Peter Quill, a.k.a. Star Lord

In The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, Chris Pratt makes his sixth appearance as Peter Quill, who was abducted from Earth as a child and raised with the Ravagers. The Holiday Special confirms that Peter, along with the other Guardians, have bought Knowhere, a Celestial's severed head, from the Collector, which creates the perfect setting for their Christmas extravaganza. Aside from Guardians of the Galaxy, Pratt is probably best known for his roles in the Jurassic World franchise as Owen Grady and as the lovable goof, Andy Dwyer, in NBC's Parks and Recreation. He is set to make his next appearance in the MCU during 2023's Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.

Pom Klementieff as Mantis

Mantis laughing in The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special

A member of the Guardians with empathic powers, the group found Mantis living on Ego's planet during Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, and adopted her into their family after taking down the evil Celestial. The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special reveals that Mantis is actually Peter's half-sister, a secret only her and Drax know, which makes her more determined to make Christmas the most perfect occasion for Peter. Klementieff's breakthrough came with 2013's Oldboy, and she has seen a rapid rise in success since then with projects such as Newness, Ingrid Goes West, and Black Mirror.

Dave Bautista as Drax the Destroyer

Dave Bautista always brings a huge amount of comedy to his performance as Drax the Destroyer, a no-nonsense warrior whose species takes everything completely literally. Drax teams up with Mantis during The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special to abduct Kevin Bacon as Peter's Christmas present, and becomes incredibly attached to an inflatable elf stolen from Bacon's front yard. It's been teased that Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 could be Drax's last adventure, so now is the perfect time for him to get some Christmas joy. Bautista has also appeared in films such as Spectre, Blade Runner 2049, Army of the Dead, and Dune.

Sean Gunn as Kraglin Obfonteri

Kraglin is one of the newest members of the Guardians, joining the team after his Ravager gang's decimation and Yondu's emotional death in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. It's revealed in the Holiday Special that he still hasn't quite mastered the art of controlling Yondu's flying arrow, but he is the one who persuades Kevin Bacon to stay on Knowhere and spread the Christmas cheer. As well as his role as Kraglin, Sean Gunn (director James Gunn's brother) also performed the motion capture for Rocket. He's known primarily for his work with Marvel Studios, but also played in DC's sandbox as the Weasel in The Suicide Squad.

Kevin Bacon as Kevin Bacon

Kevin Bacon is one of Peter Quill's personal heroes, with the latter paying particular attention to Bacon's role as Ren McCormack in Footloose, which sees him unite a town through the power of dance. This inspires Peter to use dance to distract Ronan in Guardians of the Galaxy. Initially terrified of the aliens showing up at his door, Bacon soon realizes that he's in no danger and agrees to spread some Christmas joy on Knowhere, performing "Here It Is Christmastime" with the band. Some of his best known work is perhaps JFK, A Few Good Men, Apollo 13, and Mystic River, though Bacon has had a long and incredibly lucrative film and television career.

Who Plays The Band In The Guardians Of The Galaxy Holiday Special?

With a couple musical numbers, The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special needed a professional band to properly bring the Christmas cheer. The Old 97's appear as the alien band on Knowhere, who serenade Peter with the new Christmas classic, "I Don't Know What Christmas Is (But Christmastime Is Here)," and perform the final number with Kevin Bacon. Formed in 1992, the Old 97's have had an incredibly successful career, with twelve studio albums, and two full EPs, and now acting as an alien band in the MCU.

The Guardians Of The Galaxy Holiday Special Supporting Cast & Cameos

Karen Gillan as Nebula: Nebula has officially joined the Guardians after being changed by her experiences during Infinity War and Endgame, with Karen Gillan reprising her role. Gillan is perhaps best known for her role as Amy Pond on Doctor Who, but has also appeared in films such as Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, and its sequel, The Next Level.
Bradley Cooper as Rocket: Bradley Cooper has a relatively small role in the Holiday Special, though Rocket does finally get his hands on Bucky's vibranium arm (somehow). Cooper reprises his role from previous MCU projects, though is also known for starring in films such as A Star is Born, Nightmare Alley, and Silver Linings Playbook.
Vin Diesel as Groot: Vin Diesel portrays a more grown-up Groot than what was previously seen during Infinity War and Endgame, who seems overjoyed at hearing live music on Knowhere and gifts each of the Guardians wood sculptures of their Christmas adventure. Diesel is perhaps best known for starring in the Fast & Furious franchise.
Michael Rooker as Yondu Udonta: Michael Rooker reprises his role of Yondu during animated moments of the Holiday Special, which feature flashbacks to Peter's childhood with the Ravagers, and the origin story for Yondu's obsession with dashboard trinkets. Rooker is known for his role as Merle Dixon on The Walking Dead, but has also had a lucrative film and television career with titles such as Mallrats, Jumper, and The Suicide Squad.
Maria Bakalova as Cosmo the Spacedog: After previously making an appearance in the Collector's museum during Guardians of the Galaxy, Cosmo the Spacedog now has a voice, performed by Maria Bakalova. Bakalova is famous for films such as Borat Subsequent Moviefilm and Bodies Bodies Bodies, and will also reprise her role of Cosmo the Spacedog in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Cosmo has been confirmed to be an official member of the Guardians team.
Kyra Sedgwick: Kevin Bacon's real-life wife, Kyra Sedgwick, voices herself over the phone to Bacon at multiple points during the Holiday Special. Sedgwick is known for her roles in Something to Talk About, The Edge of Seventeen, and as Madeline Wuntch in Brooklyn Nine-Nine.
Flula Borg: Flula Borg has a brief cameo as a bartender at the bar that Mantis and Drax visit on their search for Kevin Bacon. Borg is perhaps best known for his role in Pitch Perfect 2, but has also appeared in The Suicide Squad, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and The Good Place.
Don McLeod: McLeod can be seen very briefly as a human statue during The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special. The Canadian actor most famously played T.C. Quist in The Howling, and his brief cameo is very fitting of James Gunn's horror love.
Mark Hamill: Some fans believe that Mark Hamill may have a very brief cameo during the Holiday Special as a Ravager, though he is reminiscent of Santa Claus himself. Hamill can be seen swigging from a bottle of booze and hiccuping in a blink-and-you'll-miss-it moment. Hamill is most famous for his starring role as Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars franchise.