This Christmas, there is only one holiday movie that you need to watch because it’s not just one of the best Christmas movies ever made, but one of THE best movies ever made — period. (Do not give me any of that “Meet Me in St. Louis,” BS, okay?)
“Home Alone” solidified Macaulay Culkin as the ultimate child star of the 1990s. (And for the sake of this article, we’re just going to pretend that “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York” never happened.)
The most adorable little kid to ever defeat two grown robbers was a national treasure, until he fell into the inevitable child-star trap and pulled the Lindsay Lohan long before Lindsay Lohan Lindsay Lohaned.
Macaulay famously battled his bizarre parents for the rights to his money, got married at just 18, and was arrested for marijuana and illegal prescription-drug possession. Macaulay has appeared in a slew of random movies over the years, but has been largely reclusive — until now.
So what has Kevin McAllister been up to since he was left home alone (for the first time) way back in 1990? TheDC investigates.
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When Macaulay was just 10 years old, he became a household name after his starring role in John Hughes’ “Home Alone” (and its unmentionable sequel). His epic comedic timing and adorable little blond head was the perfect combination for a bright acting career.
Unfortunately for Macaulay, his parents Kit and Patricia were not the best at the whole parenting thing, which kind of put a damper on his acting career.
His father was an infamously domineering stage-dad who Macaulay says essentially forced him and to work to make money for the family. In 1995, the Culkins separated and Patricia got full custody of Macaulay and his six siblings (two of whom — Kieran and Rory — are also actors). Macaulay has been estranged from his father ever since, according to a 2012 People Magazine story.
After the 1994 release of “Richie Rich” and some other forgettable kids’ comedies, Macaulay took a break from acting in movies and started hanging out with Michael Jackson on the reg, which was a totally normal thing for an 11-year-old kid to do. He testified at Jackson’s 2005 child molestation trail that he spent the night at Jackson’s Neverland Ranch a number of times and that the pop star “never” molested him or touched him in an improper way.
Once he turned 18 in 1998, he got married, which only lasted for two years.
In 2003, he appeared for the first time back on screen since he was a kid in an episode of “Will and Grace” and in the movie “Party Monster” as a flamboyant drug-dealer and murderer. (It’s very weird but engaging, if you are into bizarre movies about flamboyant, drug-dealing murderers.) The next year, he co-starred in the underrated movie “Saved!” about a group of kids at an evangelical school.
In 2004, he got busted with weed and illegal prescription pills in Oklahoma City. The years 2008 and 2009 were rough for Macaulay. In 2008, his sister Dakota was struck and killed by a car in Los Angeles and the following year, his old pal Michael Jackson died.
Even though Macaulay has been characterized as a pretty weird person by pretty much anyone who knows him or who has met him, he somehow bagged Mila Kunis and dated her from 2002 until 2010 — up until she realized that she is much hotter than he is.
After they broke up, the National Enquirer ran a story claiming that Macaulay was a heroin addict, along with photos of him appearing extremely gaunt and tired, claims that his rep furiously denied. According to friends, he is just weird and kind of a skinny person.
But Macaulay hasn’t quite left his childhood behind. According to the same People story, he likes to host parties and have people dress up as their “favorite movie character or dinosaur,” which is only weird if you actually think about it.
He hasn’t had a starring movie or TV role since the one-season run of “Kings” in 2009 and some voiceover work for “Robot Chicken” and other animated Adult Swim series. Some say that this is by choice, while others say that he wants an acting career but keeps getting passed over for parts.
But things seem to be looking up for Macaulay lately.
This fall, he made an appearance at New York City’s Comic-Con and in November, the actor was spotted smiling in Paris while holding hands with an attractive brunette (who eerily resembles Mila Kunis). He has held several art shows in New York City over the past couple of years.
In conclusion: Macaulay either can’t get acting work or is not looking for work; he has a new hot girlfriend who looks like the old one; the movie that made him famous will play approximately 60 times this month; and he is likely doing pretty well, financially speaking.
He may be an odd bird now, but Macaulay will always be Kevin McAllister in our hearts.