Chad Michael Murray, renowned for his roles in beloved holiday films, has stepped into the spotlight once again. The 45-year-old actor features in a cheerful new advertisement for Sonic, promoting their festive Santa Slush Float. In this light-hearted campaign, Murray portrays a variety of quintessential small-town characters, such as a Christmas tree farmer, a baker, and a woodworker. These roles are reminiscent of the types seen in many romantic comedies where high-powered city dwellers return home to reconnect with their roots.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/CMM-x-Santa-Slush-2-110426-219f303a05204a7682072d185aa91686.jpg)
Murray expressed his delight with the concept during an interview, citing it as a clever nod to common tropes found in Christmas films. “I thought it was brilliant just to play on all the tropes that we see time and time again,” he remarked. The actor added that he found the script “absolutely hysterical,” particularly enjoying a line about a pie shop owner being crucial to the town’s economic vitality.
In preparation for his roles, Murray approached the project with a unique method. He revealed that he indulged in a binge-watch of Christmas films and treated himself to plenty of cookies, enhancing his festive spirit before filming began. “I went total method on that one,” he quipped, highlighting the fun he had immersing himself into the character of a small-town resident. He cheekily noted the difficulty of saying “Sonic Santa Slush Float” multiple times quickly, hinting at the entertaining bloopers that were likely to emerge from the shoot.
As a devoted father of three—one son and two daughters—with actress Sarah Roemer, Murray finds great joy in forming cherished family traditions during the holiday season. He reminisced about the simple pleasures that come with this time of year, such as walking through festive shops, experiencing the dazzling lights of New York City, ice skating, and sharing hot cocoa.
Christmas Eve holds a special place in his heart, a time when he and his family gather to bake cookies together and watch a classic Christmas film. “That moment for me, that’s in my soul, it makes me feel so full of love,” he stated, conveying the importance of such family bonding experiences.
Reflecting on his acting career, Murray recalled some of his notable works in holiday-themed films, including “The Merry Gentlemen,” where his character interacts with a former big-city dancer attempting to save her family’s small-town venue. He fondly described the experience as one of the most enjoyable moments of his 27-year career, playfully noting how the film’s unusual premise of an all-male revue added a layer of fun to the narrative.
Murray’s nostalgia for holiday cinema appears to extend beyond his own work, as he acknowledged a collective longing for the romantic comedies of the late ‘90s and early 2000s. “I think we all miss the early aughts, late ‘90s rom-coms, right?” he commented, suggesting that his current work aims to recapture some of that magic and energy for a new audience.
The new Santa Slush Float, which combines cherry and vanilla flavours, is now featured on Sonic’s winter menu and is available at participating locations across the United States, offering a sweet treat to accompany Murray’s festive antics. As he embraces the holiday spirit both on-screen and at home, he exemplifies the joy and warmth that comes with the season.
In an age where holiday films are abundant, Murray’s reflections and whimsical portrayal of small-town charm through the Sonic campaign seem poised to resonate with viewers searching for a touch of nostalgia in their holiday fare.
About the Author
