‘Babes in Toyland’ actress Jill Schoelen explains why she left Hollywood for 29 years
Jill Schoelen, who starred as Drew Barrymore’s sister in the Christmas cult classic "Babes in Toyland," is returning to Hollywood for the first time in nearly 30 years.
The 1986 remake starred an 11-year-old Barrymore as Lisa, a young girl pulled into a surreal fantasy world of living toys, where she must face an evil villain plotting to take over Toyland.
"Babes in Toyland" — which Barrymore later called "an obscure masterpiece" — also featured Pat Morita of "The Karate Kid" fame and a young Keanu Reeves before his rise to superstardom.
Schoelen is returning to her holiday roots. She recently completed a new film, "Ralph’s Perfekt Christmas," set to premiere in 2026, and released her first seasonal album, "Christmas Is Forever."
"What really led me to step away from Hollywood was finding out I was pregnant with my eldest son, Dante," Schoelen told Fox News Digital. "The day I found out I was pregnant, I called my agents and said, ‘I’m done.’"
The actress said that after welcoming her first child, she briefly considered staying in show business.
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"Maybe three months after having my baby, I thought I should be open to going back to work," she said. "I called my agents and told them, ‘I think I’m still open to working.’ I had three job interviews and almost got all of them."
But by her third audition, Schoelen had a nagging feeling she couldn’t ignore — she knew it was time to walk away, and this time, for good.
"I remember sitting at an audition for a really good part I was about to get," Schoelen recalled. "I thought, ‘I need to be at home with my baby.’ I called my agents again and said, ‘OK, I really am done.’ I turned that corner and never went back."
Schoelen quietly worked behind the scenes, producing small theater shows. She said she never regretted her decision.
"I really wanted to be a full-time mom," Schoelen explained. "I know that’s not popular to say these days, but as the saying goes, ‘To each their own.’ I grew up in a backward way. In the ‘60s and ‘70s, most of my friends’ mothers stayed home. My mom not only worked, but she also owned her business and was president of her company. I was raised in a way that’s more common for many children today."
"For me — and I can only speak for myself — I don’t think it was in my best interest to grow up without my parents around," she continued.
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"I didn’t want my kids to be in that position. I wanted to be a full-time mom and a parent who was fully present. Now, having said that, I do think there was a way to balance both. Maybe I didn’t have to stop working completely — maybe just cut back by 80% instead of 100%. I understand the other side now that time has passed."
Schoelen said "Ralph’s Perfekt Christmas" is her first film in 29 years. Described as "a dark comedy from Santa’s naughty list," it also inspired her holiday album "Christmas Is Forever," which features eclectic covers and an original song, "Mingle and Jingle."
"I took a long hiatus to raise my children," Schoelen said. "When they were grown, I thought, ‘Maybe I’ll dip back into work.’ I was thrilled to make a Christmas album. I thought, ‘This is a dream — I’ve always wanted to do it. I’ve done a Christmas movie, now I’m going to do a Christmas album.’"
"And I have done a Christmas film in the past," she grinned.
"Babes in Toyland" first aired on Dec. 19, 1986. Over the years, it became difficult for fans to find a good-quality copy, and it drifted in and out of holiday TV rotation.
Schoelen admitted she was starstruck by Barrymore, who had starred in the 1982 hit "E.T." The child star came from one of Hollywood’s most famous acting dynasties.
Schoelen quickly became protective of Barrymore on set.
"Drew Barrymore was so popular at the time," Schoelen said. "‘E.T.’ was my all-time favorite movie next to ‘The Wizard of Oz.’ But I think it’s natural when you’re working with someone that young to look at them like a child. Even though part of her was mature, there was a side of Drew that was still very much 11—maybe even nine or 10. She was such a young, sweet girl."
Schoelen noted that even after filming ended, Barrymore stayed supportive of her on-screen big sister.
"After we did ‘Babes in Toyland,’ she became very supportive of a show I was doing in Los Angeles," Schoelen said. "Drew really advocated for it and helped promote it in the press. I didn’t know at the time that she was struggling herself and had gone to rehab at a young age. I felt terrible that I didn’t know."
Barrymore, now 50 and a mother of two daughters, has previously spoken about her struggles with addiction, which began when she was 12.
"Even though she was so famous and young, she still had an innocence underneath all of her worldliness at 11 years old — she was still a child," said Schoelen.
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"And ‘Babes in Toyland,’ I’m not speaking for her, but I’m imagining that the whole thing with her character was that it puts you back in touch with being a child. And when you think about it, that was so important for a girl of her stature, famous and iconic already. And you’re only 11 years old. I would imagine she enjoyed having some return to innocence."
Filming in the middle of a hot German summer was no easy task, but the cast quickly bonded. Schoelen recalled that Reeves, who played her love interest — and dated her in real life — was already on his way to stardom.
"He already had the fire lit," said Schoelen. "Just the public didn’t know him, but he was set on his way. He had multiple films lined up that he would be doing after ‘Babes in Toyland.’ There was a beautiful innocence about him. I’m happy to see what a kind and generous person he continues to be. That’s his true essence."
Today, it’s no surprise that "Babes in Toyland" resonates with fans decades later.
"There was still a lot of innocence in the ‘80s," Schoelen reflected. "I think people today are craving that. There’s so much division and angst in the world. We could all use more innocence, more light and more love."