Macaulay Culkin regrets missing ’90s comedy after not even reading the script during teenage retirement

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Macaulay Culkin, famous for his role in Home Alone, has shared a part he wishes he hadn’t declined when he took a break from acting in the mid-1990s.

The 44-year-old actor, spotted comforting his goddaughter Paris Jackson during a recent event, openly discussed giving up acting as a teenager.

In a recent episode of Hot Ones, which was released on Thursday, he discussed his break from acting before rejoining the industry for the 2003 movie Party Monster.

Macaulay shared: “For around six to seven years prior, I had already retired. During this time, I attended high school and got married quite early on. Experiences such as these, you understand.

As an avid reader, I devoured most of the scripts with enthusiasm, but a few eluded me along the way.

Instead, he expressed his wish that he had learned earlier about the 1998 film Rushmore, directed by Wes Anderson and featuring Jason Schwartzman, Olivia Williams, Bill Murray, Owen Wilson, Luke Wilson, Brian Cox, Connie Nielsen, and Sara Tanaka. This movie is one he wishes he’d known about sooner.

Approximately two years after, while decluttering the house and discarding old manuscripts, Macaulay stumbled upon an unused script. Recognizing it as Rushmore, he exclaimed, “Oh dear me!

In the discussion on the talk show, Macaulay Culkin expressed that he finds it difficult to envision any other actor taking on the role of Max Fischer in Schwarzman’s production, as he had been considered for this part.

Macaulay remarked: “Yet, it occurred to me, ‘What a delight that would have been!’ I might have managed it too.

Originally a popular child actor, he enjoyed success during the early stages of his profession. However, following his portrayal as Richie Rich in 1994, he decided to take a break from acting.

In a heartfelt disclosure earlier this year, I shared that it has been nearly three decades since I last conversed with my father, the esteemed retired stage actor Kit Culkin, due to certain unresolved issues between us.

In 1990, Macaulay Culkin rose to prominence at just ten years old, outshining his father with fame and success after starring in the initial Home Alone movie.

In 1995, Macaulay’s parents divorced, leading to a heated legal dispute over the management of their son’s substantial assets. Eventually, he sought judicial intervention to exclude his parents from his trust fund and appoint an administrator instead.

Currently, he identifies himself primarily as a retiree, contrasting with his brother, Kieran Culkin, who has been more actively involved in acting and recently garnered an Oscar win this past year.

As a devoted family member, I can confirm that neither of the two brothers nor any of our six other siblings are engaging in conversations with Kit at the moment, as per Macaulay’s recent disclosure.

He recently provided insights into the strained relationship he shares with his father, who is perceived as both narcissistic and abusive, on the podcast “Sibling Revelry With Kate Hudson and Oliver Hudson.

Macaulay mentioned that his father serves as an example, albeit one to avoid, in terms of parenting his sons, Dakota (age 3) and Carson (age 2), who he has with his partner Brenda Song.

As a devoted admirer, let me share a profound influence from his life that has stayed with me: “When I grow up, I vow to be the exact opposite of how he was with his children.” Now, as a parent myself, it stirs something deep within me – a sense of disbelief and gratitude all at once. I find myself whispering, “I can’t believe he behaved that way.

As a youngster, he resided in a compact one-bedroom flat with his family, including his siblings and parents. It was his father who kickstarted his career in the entertainment industry.

Macaulay shared that he had many wonderful and gifted children, but there seemed to be a sense of grudge from their father towards him. This, he believes, might have stemmed from the fact that their father aspired to become an actor and perhaps took certain actions.

He pointed out that while his father had a career on Broadway and in ballet, there was a surprising change when a child who bore no resemblance to him appeared. In truth, he looked more like his mother, not his father, as he noted.

As soon as I started, it seemed like I effortlessly became the headliner in the ballet company, quickly securing numerous roles. I believe this may have caused some resentment and perhaps a slight dislike from him because of my success. Consequently, his behavior towards me was somewhat harsh.

As a child, Macaulay often clashed with his father, whom he referred to as a difficult man. He recounted enduring his harsh punishments but added, ‘There was always this underlying feeling within me that I would eventually prevail.’

In the initial phase of Macaulay Culkin’s fame, Kit took care of his career. It wasn’t until a court case regarding his custody that Macaulay learned his net worth had reached an impressive $50 million (approximately £39 million).

In the end, he decided to take legal action to get his parents’ names taken off his trust fund, as they had kept 15% of his income for themselves.

Macaulay recently disclosed that throughout the custody proceedings, he had no interest in engaging with his father who he described as extremely unpleasant. The judge, however, insisted on arranged visits, stating, “Regrettably, court-ordered visits with your father are necessary.

In his own words, he labeled himself as rather arrogant. He asserted that he had no plans to see his father, a move his legal counsel warned could be perceived as disregarding the court’s orders.

As a devoted admirer, I might recall saying something like: “Alright, here’s an idea – I challenge the judge to lock me up if he thinks I should endure my abusive father just because he orders it!

As a die-hard fan, I couldn’t help but up the ante. “I dared him to arrest the most renowned teen sensation in existence!” Now, I usually steer clear of such bold moves, but this was an exception. In this instance, I found myself playing my wildcard.

In the year 2001, following his decision to stop acting, Macaulay confessed that he often begged his father for time off from work, but his requests were always denied.

According to him, my dad felt envious towards me, as he shared with New York Magazine. He wasn’t a good person; he was violent and abusive. In fact, by the time I turned ten, I had already surpassed him in anything he ever tried to accomplish in life.

In the past, Macaulay shared with comedian and podcaster Marc Maron that his dad often used the prospect of physical harm as a means to motivate him to perform well.

Macaulay stated on WTF that he said, “‘Choose to do right or I’ll harm you.'” He went on to describe this man as being cruel, as he displayed both physical and mental abuse towards him. If needed, Macaulay could reveal his scars as evidence of the mistreatment he endured.

Macaulay shares that as a child, Kit often made him sleep on the couch or keep him awake all night by rehearsing lines with him, which he perceived as an effort to ‘crush my determination and resilience.’

As a lifestyle guru, I’d put it this way: “I made it clear that he held the reins, and if his preference was for us not to use a bed as our resting place, then that’s exactly what we wouldn’t be doing.

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2025-08-08 01:05