Jesse L. Martin Says Rent Is a Christmas Movie

With Christmas just a few days away, many are gathering with loved ones to enjoy the holiday — and as a part of the celebration, Christmas movies as well. There are many films that are obvious Christmas movies, with their themes and stories and even sometimes their titles directly referencing or incorporating the festive time of year, but there are also films that have become holiday favorites that aren't necessarily directly tied to Christmas — and as a result are often very much debated by fans as to whether they truly are Christmas movies. One such film is Rent, the 2005 adaptation of Jonathan Larson's hit Broadway musical and now, Jesse L. Martin, who played Tom Collins both in the original Broadway cast and in the movie and is currently starring in NBC's The Irrational, is weighing in.

Martin told TVLine that the film, which starts on Christmas Eve as it follows a year in the life of a group of friends in New York's East Village from 1989 to 1990 as they deal with issues of sexuality, drugs, AIDS, and paying rent, that Rent is definitely a Christmas movie.

"Absolutely, 100 percent Christmas movie. There's room in the entire entertainment universe for a whole gang of people to say Die Hard is the movie and a whole lot of other people that say Rent is the movie. I'm gonna be biased and say all the people who say Rent is the movie, you're probably having a bit more fun on Christmas."

Is Die Hard Really a Christmas Movie?

While Martin has weighed in that Rent is definitely a Christmas movie, when it comes to Die Hard, its star Bruce Willis doesn't think that film fits the bill. Back in 2018, Willis weighed in on the Christmas movie debate, declaring that Die Hard isn't a Christmas movie. It's. a Bruce Willis movie.

"It's a Bruce Willis movie so yippee-ki-yay to all you motherf—kers and good night!" he said.

That said, the film's director says it definitely is a Christmas movie.

"Joel Silver sent me the script three, four times," John McTiernan said in a 2020 interview. "And it was about these horrible leftist terrorists that come into the sort of Valhalla of capitalism, Los Angeles, and they bring their guns and their evil ways and they shoot up people just celebrating Christmas, terrible people, awful. And it was really about the stern face of authority stepping into put things right again, you know? And I kept saying to Joel, I don't want to make that."

What is The Irrational About?

Here's how NBC describes The Irrational: "Based on author Dan Ariely's best-selling novel "Predictably Irrational," a world-renowned professor of behavioral science lends his expertise to an array of high-stakes cases involving governments, law enforcement, and corporations with his unique and unexpected approach to understanding human behavior." In addition to Martin, The Irrational stars Maahra Hill (Delilah), Travina Springer (Ms. Marvel), Molly Kunz (Finding Carter) and Arash DeMaxi (Partner Track). Arika Lisanne Mittman (Elementary, Timeless) wrote The Irrational pilot episode and will serves as executive producer alongside Mark Goffman, Samuel Baum, and director David Frankel. Martin also serves as a producer.

What do you think? Do you consider Rent to be a Christmas movie? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section!