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Alison Brie on Her Festive New Role for Macy’s and Her Supervillain Turn as Evil-Lyn in the He-Man Film

Danielle Directo-Meston

Wed, October 30, 2024 at 10:55 PM UTC

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Alison Brie has a festive new role as a walking, talking holiday gift guide for Macy’s.

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The self-professed last-minute shopper tells The Hollywood Reporter that becoming the face of the department retailer’s 2024 holiday ad campaign “felt really organic. I bought some of my first makeup in the beauty department,” Brie says. “I love to go into the store, it’s cohesive; it’s a one-stop shop and that’s so helpful for me. I don’t have to tool all over Los Angeles to be able to get something for everyone.”

The Los Angeles-raised actress — currently starring in Apple TV’s Apples Never Fall — recalls browsing the historic Macy’s store on Lake Avenue in Pasadena “in high school getting Calvin Klein’s CK One with my boyfriend with my own money.”

Among her key responsibilities for Macy’s? “I’m bringing my whole family to New York to cut the ribbon and watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade in person,” says Brie. “I love the parade, it’s iconic. It’s truly because I’m a real big Peanuts fan, so I always look for the Snoopy balloon.”

Alison Brie in Macy's 2024 Holiday Gift Guide campaign — Alison Brie in the Macy’s 2024 holiday campaign.

Embodying an expert gift-giver for the retailer’s campaign was easier said than done, says Brie. “I start thinking of holiday shopping now, then procrastinate,” she jokes. “I think it’s hard to be creative because my parents ask for the same thing every year and I’m always buying them that sweater and that button-down shirt and they can’t think of anything else, so it’s nice to have something like a gift guide [for new ideas].”

She continues, “Another thing about the campaign that’s cool is thinking about what the gifts we get for people say to those people. Because gifts really are how we show affection, they tell how well we know [our loved ones]. The joy of giving gifts to people — nothing feels better than nailing it and giving people a gift they really love.”

Brie adds that her go-to gifts include Hugo Boss cologne for her dad and sparkling jewelry for her mom. Other crowd-pleasers are silk sleep masks and pillowcases, “or some kind of Uggs, there’s always a new Ugg!”

The Macy’s holiday guide includes gifts for different types of recipients and budgets, as well as stylish picks for all of those winter soirées. “Part of this campaign also addresses how the gift guide can help people with things for themselves. The holiday season is busy — you’re hosting holiday parties, you’re attending them. I like that this campaign is looking at all angles,” she adds.

“Lately, I’ve been wanting to get my mom things that are stimulating collagen or a great face mask, because it’s fun to buy people things that they wouldn’t buy for themselves.” That includes luxe skin-care tools: “I love a microcurrent and nanocurrent device. I love the ZIIP, but there’s a lot of versions of this, like NuFace. The Jillian Dempsey vibrating gold bar — aren’t we all into lymphatic drainage?”

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Some of the favorite gifts she’s received? “In middle school, my favorite gift I ever got was a lava lamp the ‘90s were trying to be the ‘70s.”

The 41-year-old Glow star will play the evil witch Evil-Lyn opposite of Nicholas Galitzine’s He-Man in the upcoming Masters of the Universe, set to be released in theaters worldwide on June 5, 2026. “Actors always say that villains have the most fun, and that’s probably true,” says Brie. “I’ve played morally compromised people but not a truly deliciously sinister evil villain. I’ve been trying to manifest playing a villain in a superhero movie, and [this is] answering that call for me.”

She continues, “I read the script and I think it’s really clever. It has a really great take on He-Man, and Nick Galitzine is really talented. Those are the reasons I said yes.”

Of the original 1980s animated series, “I definitely remember it being on, and I went back and started watching it again. It’s much funnier than I remember. Evil-Lyn and Skeletor have a contentious relationship,” one that she’s excited to explore onscreen, she says.

Macy’s will unveil the lineup of its annual Thanksgiving parade on Nov. 1. The float-filled festivities take place on Nov. 28 in New York and will air live on NBC and stream on Peacock. “I don’t have any intel, but I trust Macy’s will put on a good show.”

As for what’s on her list this year. “Every year I ask for really fluffy, fuzzy socks. I could never have enough,” she explains.

Below, shop some of Brie’s gift picks and see the full Macy’s holiday guide here. (It’s worth noting that the retailer’s Friends & Family sale includes up to 30 percent off select items through Nov. 4 with code FRIEND, among other deals.)