TV viewers got a behind-the-scenes look at Walmart's Grinch commercial, courtesy of the actress playing a new version of Cindy Lou Who. Ahead of the holiday season, the Grinch is still one of the most popular Christmas properties for fans to revisit with their families.
Kinley Cunningham posted behind-the-scenes photos from Walmart's Grinch commercial on her Instagram page. Cunningham played Mindy Lou Who, a different variation of Cindy Lou Who from the original Grinch story.
Speaking with the commercial's creative staff, Cunningham reviews notes and footage from the project, which incorporates the Whoville theme.
In a shot from a monitor, Cunningham takes direction for her scene in the Grinch's cave on the top of Mount Crumpit.
Cunningham also got a shot of the creative team working with the commercial's group of extras, one of whom dons a fluffy pink wig in front of a large portrait.
Her final shot from the first group of images showed off the clapperboard from the commercial, which was filmed in mid-September 2025.
In a separate Instagram post, Cunningham shared an official still image from the commercial, showing herself as Mindy Lou Who next to the Grinch, who was played by MCU and Fallout star Walton Goggins. In her caption, she called the experience "a dream come true" while describing Goggins as "absolutely INCREDIBLE:"
"I can finally announce I got to work alongside the absolutely INCREDIBLE @waltongogginsbonafide AND I made it in a @usatoday article!!! Here’s a first look at a scene from an upcoming @walmart ad for their Holiday Campaign I’m a part of! This whole experience was really a dream come true. Can’t wait to share more soon! Leave a [heart] if you’re excited to see the new ad! As always thanks to my incredible team"
Additionally, Cunningham shared two behind-the-scenes videos showcasing her transformation into Mindy Lou Who. One was a sped-up look at the make-up process for Cunningham, as she explained that it took about an hour and a half to transform into her commercial character:
In her second video, she showed off a new Labubu plush toy resembling Mindy, which she called a "Mindy Lou-bubu:"
The Walmart commercial starring Kinley Cunningham and Walton Goggins, which is officially titled "Town Crier," is playing on broadcast TV channels.
Upcoming Christmas Releases for 2025 Holiday Season
While major brands like Walmart are already deep into their Christmas-themed marketing, fans also have a plethora of holiday-inspired movies and shows to dive into to close out 2025. Disney+ is even giving viewers an entire channel dedicated to Christmas, which includes classic movies like Jingle All the Way and Home Alone alongside newer projects like The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special.
Additionally, Disney+ has two new Christmas movies set to hit the streamer as exclusives. The Jonas Brothers join forces for A Very Jonas Christmas Movie, in which they play fictional versions of themselves who have to find a way to get home for Christmas after getting stuck in London. The other new movie is Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw (debuting on December 5), which is adapted from the eponymous book series and centers on Greg Heffley's conflict with his father.
The world of comics is also diving hard into the Christmas spirit, as journalist/comic writer Chris Killian has a Spawn Christmas comic with Image Comics.
Richard Nebens joined The Direct in March 2020, now serving as the site's Senior Writer and also working as an assistant editor and content creator. He started his journalism career as a hobby in 2019 and is passionate about sharing news and stories from the entertainment industry, especially comic book movies, comedy, and sci-fi. Richard looks to expand his knowledge about movies and TV every day, and he is eager to stay locked into the latest releases and breaking news at every opportunity.
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