Child actor Macaulay Culkin is finally being recognized for his talent, 23 years after “Home Alone” made him a household name.
Macaulay, who originally announced his retirement at the age of 14 before returning to the screen shortly after, is being honored by the Hollywood Walk of Fame with a star on Friday. Catherine O’Hara and Natasha Lyonne are slated to speak at the ceremony as Macaulay’s star is debuted.
Here’s a look at his rise to fame and disappearance from the Hollywood spotlight.
The Hollywood Walk of Fame will honor Macaulay Culkin’s 40-year acting career on Friday. (Getty Images)
Macaulay Culkin as a child actor
Macaulay began acting as a child in the 1980s. The actor has six other siblings, including actor Kieran Culkin, who were also put to work in the acting industry with New York productions. A neighbor of the family, who worked as a stage manager, connected Macaulay’s family to the business.
Macaulay Culkin and his brother, Kieran, both began acting careers as children. (Getty Images)
“He was like, ‘Well, I know these people. They have six or seven of them and I think the father was an actor. Maybe they would be interested,'” Kieran previously told The Hollywood Reporter in 2021. “That’s how it started. Soon it got to a place of like, ‘Sure, you want kids? What gender? What age? Yeah, we got a bunch. Here, take this one.'”
Macaulay already had 19 acting credits to his name when he landed the breakout role of Kevin in Disney’s “Home Alone.”
“Home Alone” fame
Macaulay quickly shot to stardom and things really began to change for the 9-year-old. After the success of “Home Alone,” the actor starred in the sequel, “Home Alone: Lost in New York,” before calling it quits with the film franchise.
Actor Macaulay Culkin makes a face like his “Home Alone” character, Kevin. (Time Life Pictures/DMI/The LIFE Picture Collection via Getty Images)
“He would get harassed on the street,” Kieran told The Hollywood Reporter. “One time, a woman pulled off his hat and looked at him and said, ‘Yeah, it’s him! You’re not that cute.’ And then handed the hat back and walked away.”
In 2018, Macaulay revealed he doesn’t “really watch” the “Home Alone” movies very often.
“It’s background radiation at Christmastime,” he told Ellen DeGeneres during an interview. “I’ve had people who want to sit down and watch it with me, which is both flattering and creepy.”
Instead of enjoying the Christmastime hit, Macaulay admitted he’s usually “remembering that day on set.”
“Like, how I was hiding my Pepsi behind the couch. I can’t watch it the same way other people can.”
Macaulay Culkin appeared in “Home Alone” and the sequel “Home Alone: Lost in New York.” (20th Century Fox via AP)
Macaulay Culkin’s break from the spotlight
At the age of 14, Macaulay emancipated himself from his parents. At the time, the actor claimed his father had mismanaged the money from his early movies and abused him.
“Our 1994 divorce was one of the best things that’s ever happened as it led to me leaving the industry,” Macaulay said on Marc Maron’s podcast in 2018. “I wanted to take a break for a while, and eventually I was like, ‘I’m done guys, hope you all made your money because there is no more coming from me.'”
Macaulay Culkin emancipated himself from his parents in 1994. (Getty Images)
Kieran denied their father had been abusive.
“He wasn’t a good person and, yeah, probably not a good parent,” Kieran conceded to The Hollywood Reporter.
For years, Macaulay disappeared from the spotlight with the exception of a handful of credits, including “Kings” and “Robot Chicken.”
Former child star’s run in with the law
Macaulay was arrested for suspicion of possessing marijuana and a controlled substance in 2004. The actor had been a passenger in a vehicle pulled over for speeding.
The Oklahoma Sheriff’s Department found 17.3 grams of marijuana and prescription drugs on Macaulay at the time.
Macaulay Culkin is shown in his mug shot following an arrest on drug charges in September 2004. (Getty Images)
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Macaulay Culkin’s resurgence
Despite claiming he was retiring at the age of 14, Macaulay nabbed a huge role in 2021 with “American Horror Story.” The actor starred as Mickey in the 10th season of the series.
“American Horror Story: Double Feature” also starred Evan Peters, Lily Rabe and Sarah Paulson.
Macaulay promoted his role on the show via X, previously known as Twitter, at the time. “… there seems to be a super handsome, middle-aged dude on this season of American Horror Story. If I were you I’d totally check him out.”
More recently, Macaulay also appeared in “The Righteous Gemstones” and “Entergalactic.”
Happily ever after
While Macaulay worked to find his footing in Hollywood years later, he also settled down with another former child star, Brenda Song.
Song landed her first role on TV at the age of 11 and nabbed her breakout role as London Tipton on Disney’s “Suite Life of Zack and Cody” at 16.
Macaulay Culkin and Brenda Song share two kids. The couple announced their engagement in 2022. (Getty Images)
Macaulay and Song met in 2017 while filming “Changeland.” Seth Green, who starred in and directed the movie, said he was surprised that the two started dating.
“I didn’t see that one coming,” he told Esquire.
The couple welcomed their first child in 2021 and announced their engagement in 2022. They later welcomed a second child, confirmed by Kieran in March 2023 during an interview with “Access Hollywood.”
Brenda Song and Macaulay Culkin met in 2017. (Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Stand Up To Cancer)
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