The star of one of the most iconic Christmas films of all time has waded into one of the holiday season’s most divisive annual debates: Is Die Hard a Christmas movie?

Peter Billingsley says yes — and in the season finale episode of his A Cinematic Christmas Journey podcast, which releases Dec. 15, he does his best to convince Die Hard cinematographer Jan de Bont.

“I mean, they didn’t think Die Hard was a Christmas movie. They happened to set it then, but the filmmakers weren’t intending that,” Billingsley explains. Instead, like many classics over the decades, its meaning to fans evolved. “This movie creates its own life, is in the culture and, over time, people discover it. It’s pretty great to see how that life can move in ways that the filmmakers never intended, or even ever imagined.”

[NOOOOOO! Scut Farkas clearly has been a bad influence! Anyway, I love all of these movies, and thought Peter Billingsley did a fantastic job with “A Christmas Story Christmas,” a very touching sequel to the classic now celebrating its 40th anniversary. (I reviewed it here.) My best Christmas wishes go out to Billingsley and the entire Christmas Story cast, crew, and fandom. But … if he says that “Die Hard” is a Christmas movie, I have a Lifebuoy bar waiting for him … — Ed]