Washington DC, Dec. 25 -- The beloved holiday film 'Just Friends' wasn't initially envisioned as a Christmas movie, according to director Roger Kumble and actress Amy Smart. While the 2005 comedy has become a staple of the holiday season, Kumble reveals that the Christmas backdrop was added gradually as the production evolved, according to People.

"It wasn't always meant to be a Christmas movie," Kumble told People magazine. "But once the production designer kept adding a little bit of Christmas to everything, we talked about it, and we were like, 'This could work as a holiday movie.'"

Kumble emphasized that it wasn't a mandatory shift but rather an organic decision that came with exploring themes of family, forgiveness, and coming toge...