Grande, De Niro, Stiller Sing on Fallon
Ariana Grande, Robert De Niro, and Ben Stiller performed "O Christmas Tree" on a special Tonight Show episode promoting Focker-in-Law.
Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Holiday Music
Ariana Grande, Robert De Niro, and Ben Stiller performed "O Christmas Tree" on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, with Grande taking the lead on vocals. The November 8 special episode also featured Lil Baby as musical guest and showcased the 2026 Rockefeller Center Christmas tree.
Why it matters
The appearance is part of the promotional cycle for Focker-in-Law, the latest film in the Meet the Parents franchise, which is scheduled for theatrical release on November 25. The episode is the second of four special Tonight Show broadcasts following NBC's Sunday Night Football games this season.
The special episode is the second of four Tonight Show broadcasts tied to NBC's Sunday Night Football this season, starting at 11:35 p.m. ET after the Buccaneers vs. Bears game. The extraction does not detail viewership figures for the broadcast.
The players
Ariana Grande
Grande is a pop singer and actress who plays Olivia Jones in Focker-in-Law and took the lead vocal on the holiday performance.
Robert De Niro
De Niro is an Academy Award-winning actor returning to the Meet the Parents franchise in Focker-in-Law.
Ben Stiller
Stiller is an actor and filmmaker known for the Meet the Parents series, joining De Niro for the Focker-in-Law promotion.
Jimmy Fallon
Fallon is the host of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on NBC, which aired the special episode.
The details
Grande performed the holiday standard "O Christmas Tree" with De Niro and Stiller, who are both promoting Focker-in-Law, in which Grande plays Olivia Jones. Fallon chatted with the three guests throughout the episode, which also marked the debut of the 2026 Rockefeller Center tree in the broadcast.
Timeline
September 27, 2026: First special Tonight Show episode with Sylvester Stallone and Luke Bryan.
November 8, 2026: Focker-in-Law cast performs on the second special episode.
November 15, 2026: Episode with Jennifer Lopez and Anthony Mackie is scheduled.
November 25, 2026: Focker-in-Law opens in theaters.
January 10, 2027: Another post-Sunday Night Football episode is scheduled, with guests to be announced.
Industry Dynamics
The appearance reflects a broader practice of late-night programs using prime-time sports lead-ins to promote films and holiday music, extending the network's Sunday Night Football series that began September 27. Such cross-promotion ties film marketing to fixed holiday and sports calendars.
Viewers can watch the performance on NBC's late-night broadcast, which follows Sunday Night Football games this season. Focker-in-Law opens in theaters on November 25, 2026, giving audiences a timeline for seeing the film in cinemas.
The takeaway
Late-night and sports programming are increasingly paired to reach large holiday and fall audiences, a pattern that can help readers anticipate which celebrity appearances will air on specific nights. Checking the broadcast schedule ahead of premieres helps viewers catch these segments as they air.
What happens next
The Tonight Show is scheduled to air an episode featuring Jennifer Lopez and Anthony Mackie on November 15, 2026, and Focker-in-Law opens in theaters November 25, 2026.
Further reading
For more seasonal performances, explore Holiday Music coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Billboard.
