Ben Stiller hasn't starred in a movie in 7 years. Why the heartwarming holiday film 'Nutcrackers' changed that.

Ben Stiller is back in his first leading role in seven years with Hulu's new holiday film Nutcrackers, but his onscreen absence isn't for a lack of trying on Hollywood's part.

"I've been directing and producing a lot and wanting to do something, but waiting for something that I connected with," Stiller told Yahoo Entertainment of his acting hiatus. We can thank director David Gordon Green (Pineapple Express, Halloween Kills) for ending that break.

"We've always wanted to work together and he sent me [the script for] this sweet movie that was really funny and reminded me of movies that I watched when I was younger. It just was so not cynical, and so heartwarming and so fun," Stiller explained. "This movie with these four kids that had never acted before at their house in Ohio. … Something was in my head was just like, 'All right, I'm going to go do this.'"

Stiller plays Mike, a career-driven bachelor, who has to look after his rambunctious, orphaned nephews at their rural farm after his sister dies. The boys are played by four real-life brothers — Homer Janson, Ulysses Janson, Arlo Janson and Atlas Janson — who are the sons of a longtime friend of Green's. Their energy, sibling bond and the fact they are so removed from the entertainment industry made it an attractive project for Stiller.

"I prefer cynical, grizzled child actors who have seen it all by the age of 8," Stiller joked when asked what it was like working with kids who aren't trained actors. "These kids were… just open and loving and just — they were amazing."

Although his co-stars had never acted before, Stiller was undeterred.

"Usually with something like this, you would do all these auditions to find the right chemistry and then you cast it. David, he had the idea because of these kids, so working with them and just feeling their natural instincts ... was so much fun because they didn't know anything about what you're supposed to do on a movie set, which is great because everything you're supposed to do on a movie set is all kind of made up anyway," Stiller said.

Nutcrackers also stars Linda Cardellini, whose character is tasked with trying to find the boys a permanent home and helps guide Mike along the way. The veteran actress understands that people like to watch the same old holiday movies each year, but hopes people add this one to their list.

"I think there's something beautifully familiar about the story in terms of it being like — somebody comes and has to learn to love and open his heart and finds these boys. But it's in a way that you've never seen before," she told Yahoo. "So it feels good. It feels like comfort food, but at the same time it feels innovative and fresh and there's just a quality about it that you couldn't manufacture with the boys being who they are and Ben being who [he is]. Just all of those elements together make this magical Christmas movie. It makes you feel good and makes you think too."

Nutcrackers starts streaming Nov. 29 on Hulu.