You remember the scene. Alan, played by a chaotic Zach Galifianakis, walks out of a trashed Caesars Palace suite carrying a baby in a front-facing carrier. The baby is wearing aviators. He’s remarkably chill for a kid who just spent the night in a room with a tiger and a missing tooth. This is Carlos from The Hangover, arguably the most famous prop-turned-character in R-rated comedy history.
But here’s the thing: Carlos isn’t even his name.
In the world of the movie, the baby is actually named Tyler. He’s the son of Jade, the stripper with a heart of gold played by Heather Graham. Alan just decides "Carlos" sounds better. It stuck. To this day, if you buy a t-shirt or a Funko Pop of that baby, it says Carlos. People still dress up as "Alan and Carlos" every single Halloween. It’s been over fifteen years since that movie blew up the box office, yet that specific image of a bearded man and a baby in sunglasses remains the definitive shorthand for a "wild night."
The multi-baby mystery of the Wolf Pack
If you look closely at the credits, you’ll notice something weird. One baby didn't play Carlos. It took a village. Or at least, it took eight of them.
Because of strict child labor laws in California and Nevada, you can’t have a six-month-old on set for twelve hours a day. It’s impossible. So, the production cycled through eight different infants to get those shots. Most of the heavy lifting, however, was done by twins. Specifically, Grant Holmquist and his sister Avery.
Grant was the "main" Carlos. He’s the one you see in about 60% of the film, including the iconic poster shots. His sister Avery stepped in for about 40% of the remaining screen time. The other six babies? They were mostly used for background shots or specific physical gags where the twins weren't available. Honestly, it’s a miracle the kid looked consistent at all, but Grant’s chubby cheeks and those piercing blue eyes were so distinct they became the face of the franchise.
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Why Alan and Carlos actually worked
The "Carlos" bit shouldn't have been funny. On paper, a bunch of hungover guys finding a baby in a closet is a dark thriller. But Galifianakis played it with such weird, earnest sweetness that it became the heart of the movie.
He didn't treat the baby like a burden. He treated him like a peer.
Think about the "table manners" scene. You know the one—the inappropriate hand gesture Alan makes with the baby’s arm at the breakfast table. That wasn't even in the script. Zach was messing around with a dummy doll between takes, and director Todd Phillips thought it was hysterical. They had to wait for Grant’s mom to leave the room for a coffee break so they could ask the dad if it was okay to film the joke with the real baby. The dad’s response? "She’ll be gone for thirty minutes. Do it now."
That’s the kind of chaotic energy that made the original 2009 film a lightning strike. It was "audacious," as Phillips later put it. Leaving a baby in a 100-degree car (with the windows cracked, of course) or hitting a baby-sized mannequin with a police car door—these were the moments that tested how much an audience would forgive if the characters were lovable enough.
What happened to the real baby?
Unlike most child stars who disappear into the abyss of "where are they now" listicles, Grant Holmquist actually came back. When The Hangover Part III went into production in 2013, Todd Phillips didn't want a random six-year-old. He wanted the original kid.
Grant had to audition against other child actors, but he won the part. He was about four and a half years old at the time. Returning to the set was a trip for his family. He even started calling Zach Galifianakis "Zachy."
As of 2026, Grant is a full-blown teenager. He isn't really in the "biz" anymore. By all accounts, he’s a regular kid who likes video games, baseball, and solving Rubik’s Cubes. His mom, Carrie Holmquist, has mentioned in interviews that the "Carlos money" is still trickling in through residual checks, which basically funded his college education before he even finished middle school. Not a bad gig for a kid who spent his first acting role essentially being a living prop for a bunch of comedians.
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The legacy of the "Carlos" meme
You can’t talk about this character without acknowledging the memes. The image of Alan and Carlos became the universal symbol for "I have no idea what I’m doing, but I’m doing it anyway."
- The Aviators: Sales of those specific sunglasses spiked.
- The Carrier: Ergobaby-style carriers became "cool" for dads for a hot second.
- The "Wolf Pack" Speech: Carlos was the unofficial fourth (or fifth) member of the pack.
People often forget that the movie was polarizing at the time. Critics called it "Bro-Magnon" and complained about the treatment of the baby. But looking back, Carlos/Tyler represents the only moment of innocence in a movie filled with Mike Tyson's tigers, tasers, and accidental roofie ingestions. He was the one thing they actually managed to take care of—sort of.
Real-world insights for fans
If you’re revisiting the trilogy or just curious about the trivia, here are the actual takeaways from the Carlos phenomenon:
- Check the Credits: Look for the name Grant Holmquist; he's the one who stayed with the franchise until the end.
- The "Carlos" Nickname: It was entirely an Alan-ism. It’s a great example of how a character’s delusion can rewrite reality for the audience.
- Safety First (in Reality): While the movie shows the baby in some terrifying spots, the production used high-end animatronics and dolls for anything remotely dangerous.
- Resale Value: Original props, like the actual sunglasses or the carrier used on set, are high-value items in the movie memorabilia world.
The character of Carlos worked because he was the perfect "straight man" to the Wolf Pack's insanity. He didn't have to say a word. He just had to sit there, look cool, and remind everyone that even in the middle of a drug-fueled Vegas disaster, there’s always someone who has it worse—usually the person who can't walk yet.
To see the evolution for yourself, you can go back and compare the "Carlos" of the first film to the "Tyler" of the third. It’s one of the few times in cinema where you get to see a child actor reprise a role they played as an infant, creating a weirdly touching full-circle moment in a series known mostly for its vulgarity. Just don't try the "table manners" move at home. Seriously.
Next Steps for You
- Watch the Reunion: Check out the "Carlos" scene in The Hangover Part III to see how much Grant Holmquist grew up between films.
- Trivia Night: Use the "eight babies" fact at your next movie trivia night; it's the kind of detail most people miss.
- Digital Deep Dive: Look up Carrie Holmquist's photography—she occasionally shares throwback photos of the twins from the set that show a much softer side of the production.