The Culkin family was the center of pop culture in the 90s. Macaulay Culkin especially was somewhat of an icon, and became one of the most recognizable child stars of all time. He skyrocketed to fame after playing Kevin McCallister in Home Alone, an instant Christmas classic. Now his younger brother, acclaimed actor Kieran Culkin is revealing that he felt sorry for Macaulay during the height of the Home Alone buzz.
The Succession star recently spoke to Esquire about what it was like growing up in an acting family, and how superstardom around his brother affected him. Culkin revealed that there wasn’t any jealousy, and actually, he felt sorry for Macaulay, who had his life and childhood upended by fame:
Poor fucking guy…He was little and having to try to accept that level of fame as a reality. Even at that time, as a kid, I remember thinking, 'That sucks for him.’
It must’ve been brutal, being famous so young. He couldn’t go anywhere without being mobbed by cameras and fans. While he built quite the career, it was probably hard on the entire family. Macaulay Culkin was just 10 years old when he worked on Home Alone, and he made many films in the years following like Home Alone 2, My Girl, and The Good Son.
Meanwhile, Kieran Culkin also had a child acting career. He was also in Home Alone, In a smaller role, and starred in both Father of the Bride films. While Macaulay moved away from acting as he got older and interested in other pursuits, Kieran continued to have a prolific acting career. He received a Golden Globe nomination for Igby Goes Down, and starred alongside Michael Cera in the cult classic Scott Pilgrim vs. The World.
Now, Kieran Culkin is starring in the HBO drama Succession, in which he has been nominated for multiple Emmys and won a Critics Choice Award. He plays Roman Roy, the wisecracking heir to a multimedia conglomerate, who fights for his father’s approval in hopes of taking over the company. He has established himself as an incredible actor in his own right. Succession has a lot of guest characters, so maybe there’s hope for a Macaulay Culkin cameo on the show. He did make an appearance on American Horror Story, so anything is possible.
You can stream Succession now with an HBO Max subscription. They are currently in the midst of their fourth, and final, season, so make sure to check it out Sundays at 9:00 EST on HBO. In addition, fans of the Culkins can revisit Home Alone now with a Disney+ subscription. For more information on other series hitting the small screen in the near future, consult our 2023 spring television premiere schedule.
