Home Alone Star Kieran Culkin's Funny Confession

Before becoming famous for his roles in A Real Pain, Succession, and Father of the Bride, a young Kieran Culkin had his first taste of Hollywood in the hit film Home Alone. At the time, he was so young that he didn’t fully understand the film’s storyline. In a recent interview with Los Angeles Times, Kieran admitted that when he first watched the movie, he found it hilarious, but had no idea what it was about. "I was laughing so hard at the premiere, I had no clue what was going on," he said.

Released in 1990, Home Alone featured Kieran's older brother, Macaulay Culkin, as the lead character, Kevin McCallister. Kevin is accidentally left behind when his family goes on vacation and defends his house from two burglars, Marv and Harry, using clever traps. At the time of the movie’s debut, Kieran was just eight years old—just like the character he played, so it’s understandable that he didn't grasp the plot.

In the film, Kieran played Fuller, one of Kevin’s younger cousins, who is known for his bed-wetting habits. This quirky detail adds to the tension between Kevin and his mother, ultimately leading to Kevin being sent to the attic, where he is left behind. Despite his role, Kieran didn’t need to understand the full context to perform. He recalled that he was simply told, "Drink this Coke, wear the glasses, say the lines, look cute, and go home."

Kieran also shared a humorous story about Devin Ratray, who played Kevin's older brother Buzz. Ratray playfully convinced Kieran that the movie was all about him, which Kieran believed. But when he watched the movie, he laughed and realized that Macaulay Culkin had actually been the film’s central focus.

Now, over thirty years later, Kieran Culkin is earning Oscar buzz for his performance in A Real Pain, in which he stars alongside Jesse Eisenberg as two Jewish cousins on a Holocaust memorial tour in Poland.