Christmas Karma stars Leo Suter and Pixie Lott have said they embraced the "chaos" and "fun" while filming the upcoming musical comedy-drama.
Written and directed by Gurinder Chadha (Bend It Like Beckham, Blinded by the Light), the festive film is a unique and exuberant update of one of the greatest Christmas stories of all time - Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol - with The Big Bang Theory star Kunal Nayyar playing Mr Sood, the film's Scrooge equivalent.
Mr Sood is an immensely wealthy British Indian businessman whose riches have made him hardened and heartless. His overworked employees include the diligent, openhearted Bob Cratchit (Leo Suter), who has a big, loving family with his wife Mary Cratchit (Pixie Lott).
Speaking to RTÉ Entertainment, Suter, famed for his role in the historical Netflix drama Vikings: Valhalla, agreed that their on-screen children, including the brilliant Tiny Tim (Freddie Marshall-Ellis), provide the emotional heart of the film.
"I mean, all our kids did a wonderful job and you're right, they're the heart of Christmas Carol and that translates into Christmas Karma as well, I think. Christmas just sparkles in their eyes," he said.
"Working with Freddie was so much fun. I remember putting him on my shoulders for that big dance, A Gift Is Still a Gift, we had a blast together. I don't think I've worked with children before, I don't think I've had kids before in a TV or film thing. So that was quite..."
"Would you do it again?," his co-star Pixie Lott asked.
"It's chaos. It's absolute chaos," Suter laughed. "Because they're just having a nice time. They don't really mind about the cameras or that they're supposed to be looking sad or just having a nice meal. But yeah, it was good fun."
Singer and actor Lott said that taking part in Christmas Karma, which features an eclectic soundtrack of gospel, bhangra, carols, rap and classic pop songs, was a happy combination of two of her greatest loves - music and acting.
"It's everything I love, I feel like I secretly manifested it somehow because it is everything I love and I got to be a part of it," she enthused. "I loved every second of the filming. It feels like it was ages ago, so I can't wait for everyone to see it now."
With no previous musical experience, Suter, who played Nordic warrior prince Harald Sigurdsson in the Ireland-filmed Vikings: Valhalla, had his work cut out for him, but he welcomed the challenge.
"It was going to be nice to be doing something that I could one day show my children. I'm not running around bare-chested, killing pagans. So that was nice!", he said.
"The singing bit, I was really pleased that was going to be a part of things because Gary Barlow's written a wonderful song that I get to sing and Nitin Sawhney helped teach me guitar and figure out how to put it on the screen," Suter continued. "I was very well supported and we had a nice day in the recording studio singing together as well, which felt legit.
"I really enjoyed the singing and dancing because it's a chance to have fun as well. This film is so much fun and that's quite nice to be on a set and know that the primary goal is to have fun and make the audience smile."
And as a seasoned pop star, how did Lott rate his performance?
"I was judging with the red chair, pushed the button," Lott joked, before continuing: "I keep saying - his voice is amazing. And also the storytelling through the song, this song is so beautiful.
"I think it's my favourite song in the film. He was brilliant. So good in the recording studio and learnt the guitar especially for the song, for the filming."
"So you've got to do more music now," she added to Suter.
The starry ensemble cast includes Eva Longoria, Billy Porter and Boy George as the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future, while Hugh Bonneville plays Jacob Marley.
"These are icons, these are legends," Suter said. "When I was singing my song, Billy Porter was in the background dressed as the green Santa Claus, but crying - it touched him. So I knew it was working.
"Such an eclectic group of legends in their own right. So slightly scary, but also great fun."
"To be a part of the film with them is an honour," Lott agreed, saying the experience felt "really natural and special and fun".
"I loved doing my scenes with Leo, I loved hanging with Billy and Danny [Dyer] was brilliant. And obviously, Kunal is incredible in the film. And the kids are fantastic, that's who I kind of spent most of my time in my scenes with."
Since Suter shot both Vikings: Valhalla and the BBC crime drama Lynley in Ireland, we couldn't let him go without asking him how he thinks back on those experiences now.
"So fondly. This time last year I was living on Baggot Street in Dublin and I miss it, I had such a brilliant time out there," he said.
"I have lifelong friends and a community over there. So yeah, Ireland has my heart, for sure."
Christmas Karma is out in cinemas on Friday, 14 November.
