Ben Stiller's Cameo in Dear Santa: A Nod to His Past with Jack Black

Ben Stiller makes a fun surprise appearance in Dear Santa, but there's more to it than just a cameo. This isn't the first time Stiller has been part of a project involving Jack Black. Back in 2002, Stiller popped up briefly in Tenacious D's "Tribute" music video. Tenacious D is Jack Black's comedy rock band, and in the video, they have a run-in with the devil. Stiller's role in Dear Santa is much bigger, but both times he's part of a story involving a deal with the devil. Dear Santa is Stiller's second Christmas movie this year, the other being Nutcrackers on Hulu. It's a nice change for him, as he's been more behind the scenes lately. In Dear Santa, he shows up near the end but has a big impact on the story. Fans who know Jack Black's work outside movies will get a little extra from Stiller's role. The movie also brings in Kyle Gass, the other half of Tenacious D, but it's Stiller who's the real nod to Black's music. He's not playing the devil this time, though. That role went to Dave Grohl in the "Tribute" video, and some might think it would have been cool if Grohl showed up in Dear Santa too.