Remember Bernard the Elf from 'The Santa Clause'? Here's What He's up to Now
"At the time I was 16, and I had just started acting."
Published Dec. 23 2024, 3:09 p.m. ET
Thirty long years ago, in 1994, a Christmas movie classic was born. Starring one of the most popular actors of the time, Tim Allen, The Santa Clause was a sarcastic, witty, and heartwarming movie that immediately took its place among the annual "must-watch" classics for most families.
While most people have caught up with Tim throughout the years, it leaves us to wonder: what are some of the other characters up to these days? Like Bernard the Elf, who took the world by storm with his boyish charm and spiral curls. So, what is Bernard up to these days? Here's what we know about his actor.
Here's what Bernard the Elf from 'The Santa Clause' is doing now.
The actor who played Bernard the Elf in the original The Santa Clause is David Krumholtz. At the end of 2024, David was 46 years old. He was just 16 when he starred alongside Tim Allen as the Big Guy in Red's most efficient helper.
These days, David has cooked up an impressive portfolio. He's still working in television and film and has a number of notable roles under his belt. Beyond that, he has made bit appearances in popular shows and movies such as ER, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, and Sausage Party.
He had a brush with thyroid cancer in 2011 but has been declared clear and has continued to work on some high-profile projects.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, David reminisced about his role as Bernard, sharing, "At the time I was 16, and I had just started acting. I didn't know what about me was interesting, but I did have this kind of wise-cracking Queens attitude, and for lines like 'Haven't you people ever heard of basting?' I guess that really worked."
You almost certainly recognize David from other works he's contributed to.
Work it did, although Bernard is far from David's only successful role. Even before starring in The Santa Clause, David had already appeared in the cult classic Addams Family Values, which hit the stratosphere in 1993, just before he would again repeat his major success alongside Tim.
Other projects David has worked on include Numb3rs, The Deuce, White House Plumbers, and even the critically acclaimed Oppenheimer.
He also returned to the Santa Clause world for The Santa Clause 2 and starred in 10 Things I Hate About You along with Heath Ledger, Julia Stiles, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Larissa Oleynik.
Of course, he isn't only racking up career accomplishments. Back on the home front, David married his wife, Vanessa Britting, in 2010, and they have two children together.
Luckily for fans, he made a brief appearance in the 2022 Disney+ mini-series The Santa Clauses, which is the Christmas miracle some fans hoped for.
Although he has a few more gray hairs in his beard these days — and, oh yeah, a beard — it's still easy to pick Bernard's quick smile on David's face.