How Kieran Culkin Felt About Macaulay Culkin's Home Alone Fame

Kieran Culkin recalled his brother Macaulay Culkin being thrust into the spotlight after he starred in the 1990 movie Home Alone: ""Poor f--king guy." Read on to hear what the actor said.

By Alexandra Bellusci Mar 29, 2023 7:06 PMTags
Watch: Kieran Culkin Talks "Succession" at 2022 SAG Awards

Kieran Culkin would rather be home (alone) than in the throes of fame.

The Succession star recently reflected on how he felt seeing his brother Macaulay Culkin shoot to child stardom after he starred in the 1990 holiday classic Home Alone.

"Even at that time, as a kid, I remember thinking, 'That sucks for him,'" Kieran recalled during an interview with Esquire published on March 27. "Poor f--king guy. He was little and having to try to accept that level of fame as reality."

In fact, for Kieran—who also had small roles in Home Alone and its 1992 sequel as a McCallister cousin—seeing Macaulay thrust into the spotlight impacted how he saw his own career.

"I had this unhealthy relationship with what I did for a living," the Golden Globe nominee explained. "I really wanted to do it, but I didn't want to be successful at it."

Kieran even labeled fame as "not a very nice thing" back in 2021, citing due to the lack of anonymity.

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Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Home Alone

"I have friends that are very famous," he told NPR at the time. "They can't walk down the street without several people stopping them. Some people probably enjoy it, and they probably have been able to figure out life with it. But I think for the most part, it comes to people and they go, 'Oh, I've made a horrible mistake,' and now they have to manage it." 

These days, the Father of the Bride actor has found a balance, starring in the hit HBO series Succession—which is currently airing it's fourth and final season—while raising a family with his wife of 10 years Jazz Charton.

The couple, who are parents to daughter Kinsey, 3, and 19-month-old son Wilder, live in the big apple. As for, Macaulay? He and fiancée Brenda Song are across the country in Los Angeles with their two boys, Dakota, 23 months and a newborn.

Dave Benett/Getty Images

As for if the Culkin kiddos will follow in their parents' actor footsteps? Well, for now the brothers are just focused on getting their little ones to meet.

"The cousins live in Los Angeles, we live in New York," Kieran told Access Hollywood at the red carpet premiere for Succession March 20. "I have a 1-year-old and a 3-year-old and as busy as I am there is no getting on a plane and going."

He added, "I haven't met number two yet and they haven't met my number two yet either because we just haven't been able to figure that out."

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