Kiernan Shipka recently recounted a memorable holiday mishap. At 24, Shipka vividly recalls a Christmas ordeal she shared while on the red carpet in Berlin for the November 3 premiere of her new film, Red One. “One night, I went out with friends and drank a bit too much, and the next morning I woke up with this huge bump on my nose,” she shared.
Illustrating the strange injury, she explained, “My nose actually went out a little, then curved back in.” As for how the mishap happened? Shipka admitted she’s not quite sure. “I might have fallen, but it’s unclear. It lingered for a couple of weeks. Definitely a Christmas to remember,” she joked.
Shipka recalls Christmas injury mystery ahead of Red One premiere
Reflecting on the experience, she added, “It’s all part of living and learning—and having a good time.” Red One, set to release on November 15, features the Mad Men alum alongside a star-studded cast including Dwayne Johnson, Chris Evans, Lucy Liu, Bonnie Hunt, and J.K. Simmons.
Directed by Jake Kasdan, with writers Chris Morgan and Hiram Garcia, this holiday action-comedy follows Santa’s high-tech present-delivery operation, which faces disruption on Christmas Eve due to Grýla, a vengeful medieval spirit portrayed by Shipka.
“This is my first time playing a true villain,” Shipka reflected. “It was daunting, but I drew inspiration from all sorts of places, just pulling ideas from random sources.”
J.K. Simmons, 69, also felt a bit daunted by his portrayal of Santa Claus. He told PEOPLE, “Santa has been portrayed by some really incredible actors, and I appreciated that this was such a unique take on the character.”
Known as Red One, Simmons hinted that this version of Santa might not fit the classic mold. “The script describes Santa as less than…jolly,” he shared. “That detail really helped me with the role.” Shipka praised Simmons as an “amazing” partner on set. “He’s so supportive. Honestly, this cast is full of heavyweights. I was just watching, observing, and learning from everyone.”
