See the Actors Who Have Played Famous “A Christmas Carol” Characters Side-by-Side with Each Other

Keith LangstonSat, November 14, 2026 at 2:00 PM UTC

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Bill Murray in ‘Scrooged’ (1988); Patrick Stewart in ‘A Christmas Carol’ (1999); Johnny Depp in ‘Ebenezer’ (2026).Credit: Paramount/Kobal/Shutterstock; Nigel Parry/Hallmark/Kobal/Shutterstock; Paramount Pictures -

Charles Dickens’ 1843 classic A Christmas Carol has inspired dozens of screen adaptations

Bill Murray, Michael Caine, Patrick Stewart and Jim Carrey are among the stars who have previously portrayed the infamous character Ebenezer Scrooge

Johnny Depp leads the 2026 adaptation Ebenezer alongside Ian McKellen, Rupert Grint and Tramell Tillman

For almost as long as there’s been cinema, there have been adaptations of Charles Dickens’ 1843 holiday classic, A Christmas Carol.

The iconic story follows the greedy, lonely Ebenezer Scrooge, who spends his days nickel-and-diming and overworking everyone around him, including his employee, Bob Cratchit. But one night, the ghost of his former business partner, Jacob Marley, tells him that his greedy ways will follow him into the afterlife, and he’ll be trapped as a lonely, miserable old man for eternity.

Later that night, Scrooge is visited by three more ghosts: the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Christmas Present and Christmas Yet to Come. They all show him his life, what led him to the man he’s become and where this path will lead him. Terrified by the visitors, Scrooge awakens the next morning as a generous and loving man.

The earliest known film adaptation came in 1901, with the silent movie Scrooge, or, Marley’s Ghost. Since then, the story has been adapted dozens of times throughout the 20th and 21st centuries. Some of the most notable instances include 1938’s A Christmas Carol, which was the first major Hollywood adaptation, and Disney’s 2009 animated version.

Other popular adaptations include the 1988 comedy Scrooged, which brought the story into the modern era. The Muppets even did their own variation of the tale in 1992 with The Muppet Christmas Carol. Now, 2026 brings yet another adaptation with Ebenezer, which hit theaters on Nov. 13

Read on to see who has brought the A Christmas Carol characters to life on-screen over the years.

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Ebenezer Scrooge

Bill Murray in ‘Scrooged’ (1988); Michael Caine in ‘The Muppet Christmas Carol’ (1992); Patrick Stewart in ‘A Christmas Carol’ (1999); Johnny Depp in ‘Ebenezer’ (2026).Credit: Paramount/Kobal/Shutterstock; Jim Henson Productions/Kobal/Shutterstock; Nigel Parry/Hallmark/Kobal/Shutterstock; Paramount Pictures

One of the most memorable portrayals of Scrooge isn’t even technically Scrooge. In the comedy Scrooged, Bill Murray plays Frank Cross, a selfish, crass TV executive who is staging an adaptation of A Christmas Carol for his network. Naturally, Cross ends up getting his own Christmas Carol treatment, complete with ghostly visitations.

For The Muppet Christmas Carol in 1992, Sir Michael Caine took on the role of Scrooge.

In 1999, Patrick Stewart helmed the role, which earned him a SAG Award nomination. On Oct. 28, 2026, Stewart died at 86 after a brief battle with Alzheimer’s and Lewy Body Dementia.

Johnny Depp is the latest to take on the role in 2026 for Ebenezer. Ahead of the film’s release, Depp told PEOPLE his version Scrooge is a man “trying to make himself invisible to the world.”

Other prominent actors to portray Scrooge include Jim Carrey, who voiced the role in the animated 2009 film, and Reginald Owen, who starred in the 1936 adaptation.

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Bob Cratchit

Richard E. Grant in ‘A Christmas Carol’ (1999); Voice of Gary Oldman in Disney’s ‘A Christmas Carol’ (2009); Rupert Grint in ‘Ebenezer’ (2026).Credit: Prime Video; Disney+; Paramount Pictures/YouTube

Richard E. Grant played Scrooge’s employee, Bob Cratchit, in the ‘99 film.

Ten years later, Gary Oldman took on triple duty in Disney’s animated version, voicing Cratchit, Marley’s ghost and Cratchit’s son Tiny Tim.

Now, another Harry Potter star is helming Cratchit too, with Rupert Grint taking on the role in Ebenezer.

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Jacob Marley

Leo G. Carroll in ‘A Christmas Carol’ (1938); Alec Guinness in ‘Scrooge’ (1970); Ian McKellen in ‘Ebenezer’ (2026).Credit: Mgm/Kobal/Shutterstock; Norman Gryspeerdt/Waterbury/Cinema Center/Kobal/Shutterstock; Paramount Pictures/YouTube

In 1938, frequent Alfred Hitchcock collaborator Leo G. Carroll played Marley.

In the 1970 musical Scrooge, Alec Guinness took on the role.

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In Ebenezer, Ian McKellen stars as the ghost of Jacob Marley. McKellen was also a lifelong friend of Stewart, who starred as Scrooge in 1999.

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Ghost of Christmas Past

David Johansen in ‘Scrooged’ (1988); Joel Grey in ‘A Christmas Carol’ (1999); Voice of Jim Carrey in Disney’s ‘A Christmas Carol’ (2009);Credit: Paramount+ Hallmark/Kobal/Shutterstock; Disney+

In 1999, prominent theater actor Joel Grey played the Ghost of Christmas Past.

In Scrooged, musician David Johansen played the Ghost of Christmas Past.

On top of voicing Scrooge himself, Jim Carrey voiced numerous other roles in the animated 2009 film, including the Ghost of Christmas Past.

Andrea Riseborough puts her own spin on the ghostly figure in 2026’s Ebenezer.

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Ghost of Christmas Present

Kenneth More in ‘Scrooge’ (1970); Carol Kane in ‘Scrooged’ (1988); Tramell Tillman in ‘Ebenezer’ (2026).Credit: Paramount+; John Shannon/Paramount/Kobal/Shutterstock; Paramount Pictures/YouTube

In the 1970 film Scrooge, British actor Kenneth More acted as the Ghost of Christmas Present.

Nearly 20 years later, Carol Kane added a hilarious touch of comedy to the part in Scrooged.

In Ebenezer, Tramell Tillman is playing the part. Tillman is best known for starring as Seth Milchick in Severance, and in 2025, the role even scored him an Emmy win.

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Ghost of Christmas Future

D’Arcy Corrigan in ‘A Christmas Carol’ (1938); Tim Potter in ‘A Christmas Carol’ (1999); Robert Strange in ‘Ebenezer’ (2026).Credit: HBO; Prime Video; Paramount Pictures/YouTube

The Ghost of Christmas Future, also known as the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come, is the scariest of the three spirits, often depicted as a terrifying Grim Reaper. One of the earliest mainstream depictions in cinema was in the 1938 adaptation, where D’Arcy Corrigan played the part.

For the 1999 adaptation, Tim Potter put on the ghostly robes to portray the terrifying spirit.

Robert Strange plays the role in Ebenezer.

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Tiny Tim

Terry Kilburn in ‘A Christmas Carol’ (1938); Robin the Frog in ‘The Muppet Christmas Carol’ (1992)Credit: FilmPublicityArchive/United Archives via Getty; Disney+

In 1938’s A Christmas Carol, the role was played by prominent child actor Terry Kilburn, who later starred in films like The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1939) and Black Beauty (1946).

In The Muppet Christmas Carol, Tiny Tim is played by Robin the Frog, who was voiced and puppeteered by Jerry Nelson.

8-year-old actor Freddie Lee-Grey portrays the role in Ebenezer. He previously played Percival in the 2026 miniseries Lord of the Flies.

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”