Kathryn Hahn Discusses Motherhood, Family Traditions, And Working With Her Idol In ‘A Bad Moms Christmas’

Kathryn Hahn knows a little something about being a mom — just ask her.

The 44-year-old actress and star of A Bad Moms Christmas, available now on Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital, dished in an exclusive interview with the Inquisitr about the hardships of being a good parent, sharing the screen with Susan Sarandon, and singing “Happy Birthday” to baby Jesus. The multi-talented comedian plays Carla, a woman who doesn’t have the easiest time in the world getting her life in order. Jeri Jacquin from Military Press recently raved over Hahn’s hilarious performance in the movie.

“Hahn as Carla is […] my favorite character of the three ladies. Probably because she doesn’t hold back much in the way of sarcasm and the joy of just loving life,” Jacquin stated.

After the massive success of 2016’s Bad Moms, as reported by Amy Kaufman of the Los Angeles Times, Hahn felt it was natural that a sequel was in order. The first film grossed over $113 million at the box office, making it a huge hit featuring a cast of strong female characters. Hahn dazzled audiences along with her co-stars, Mila Kunis and Kristen Bell. Moviegoers quickly took notice.

“We were so excited by the success of the first one. We felt validated. It was common sense that there was a hungry market out there that will pay for a sitter,” Hahn told the Inquisitr. “It is an expensive night to go out to the movies. Just to be able to give, in particular, the mommas, a night out — it was a thrill. It felt really great. It was an escapist romp.”

The addition of Susan Sarandon to the franchise was a dream come true for Hahn. Sarandon took on the role of money-borrowing, cigarette-smoking Isis, Carla’s out-of-control mother. The onscreen chemistry between the two women was undeniable, and fans couldn’t get enough of the duo’s shenanigans throughout the film. Sarandon, a true pioneer and feminist icon in the entertainment business, was a true pleasure to work with, according to Hahn.

“As an actor, and a woman, some of her roles are in my DNA. I feel like now, as a performer, that’s the case for so many women. The first time I saw her, all I could think about was Thelma & Louise, Dead Man Walking, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show. She was responsible for so many incredible films and so many incredible performances. I just saw Little Women recently with my daughter, and I forgot she was in that,” Hahn glowed. “She is an extraordinary human being on top of it. To meet your idol, and actually know they are as incredible as you had dreamed and hoped that they would be, is the icing on the cake. She was so game, and ready to get silly. She doesn’t take herself seriously and she was ready to throw down and be raunchy with me.”

While she plays a bad mom on the big screen, battling it out with Sarandon for laughs, Hahn has an endless amount of love for her real family. The Hollywood star is a proud mother of two children, Leonard and Mae. Being a successful and in-demand actress, she says “time” is the hardest part of being a good mom — though at the end of the day, she somehow manages to make it all work out. The Bad Moms Christmas star realizes she is “blessed” to have a rewarding career while also maintaining a happy household.

“It goes so fast. You never feel like you have enough hours in the day for all of it,” Hahn stated. “I’ve purposely taken some time off, this last year. That provided so much emotional currency in the bank, just having time with them. That is the most difficult part for any working mom. You always feel like something is slacking somewhere. You kind of have to just embrace the chaos.”

Hahn takes the pandemonium head on — and it doesn’t get easier as the kids get older. The Bad Moms actress learned that children still need good, hands-on-parents to help guide them through their difficult, adolescent years.

“It also turns out they need you more, the older they get. Now all of the deep talks are happening. It’s a pretty big time as a parent. I’m trying to enjoy every second of it,” Hahn followed up.

Recently, Hahn took her own advice, enjoying those special moments together, with her husband and two children, by spending her last holiday in Uganda. The parents made it a rule to be cellphone-and-laptop-free during their trip, allowing the family to really connect with one another without the interference and distraction of social media. The actress says the time with her family “was really a couple of amazing weeks.” It was a vastly different experience from her own childhood memories of the holidays, which involved singing “Happy Birthday” to Jesus on Christmas Eve.

“It was very surreal. We would always have to sing ‘Happy Birthday’ to baby Jesus on Christmas Eve, it was so weird,” Hahn laughed. “There was always this Santa ice cream cake from Baskin-Robbins, with candles on it. We would have to sing ‘Happy Birthday’ to Jesus. As a child, being like, ‘What? How many candles do you have to put on that thing? What is happening?’ I remember that!”

Looking back, Hahn ultimately realized that her mom wanted to create an epic holiday experience that she would never forget.

“All of the magic, as a parent now, you realize how much magic you try to put into the holidays for your children. As a kid, hopefully, you are just experiencing that magic,” concluded Hahn.