Remember Maculley Culkin? He Unexpectedly Turned His Life Around
By Sophia Maddox | February 8, 2024
Home Alone Made Culkin A Household Name
In the dazzling and often tumultuous world of showbiz, the lives of celebrities can sometimes take a dark and destructive turn. The glittering allure of fame, fortune, and adoration can lead to a downward spiral, leaving even the brightest stars in the darkest of places. One such star who knows this journey all too well is Macaulay Culkin, the cherubic child actor who once reigned as the biggest sensation in Hollywood. But as the years passed, so did the innocence of his youth, and the former Home Alone darling became the focal point of relentless media speculation.
Macaulay Culkin's story is not just about reinventing oneself; it's a reminder that, in the world of fame and fortune, even the most iconic figures can find their way back to the light, ultimately proving that there is hope for everyone, no matter how far they've strayed from their initial path. Join us on this enlightening journey as we witness the incredible evolution of a Hollywood legend who, against all odds, took control of his destiny and turned his life around in the most inspiring of ways.
After starring in Home Alone at the age of ten, Macaulay Culkin became the world’s most famous child star. Cast by Hughes after their positive experience working on Uncle Buck one year earlier, Culkin is incredible in this film.
Since its release in 1990, Home Alone has become a Christmas classic, further cementing Culkin's celebrity.
Culkin Eventually Tired Of Stardom
Following the instant success of Home Alone, Culkin started a run of films that have become all-timers. Between 1991 and 1993 Culkin stars in My Girl, Home Alone 2: Lost In New York, and The Good Son - which is an absolutely insane run to be on for an actor of any age, but he retired from acting in 1994 to live a somewhat normal life.
Culkin's Co-Stars Thought He Was a Great Kid
It has to be tough to act with a child, especially if you're a tough New Yorker like Joe Pesci. Pesci, famous for playing tough guys in films like Goodfellas and Casino, says that he appreciated Culkin's work ethic on the set of Home Alone. Pesci said:
[Culkin was] a really sweet kid and, even at his age, very professional.
As Culkin Entered Adulthood His Life Turned Upside Down
As amazing as it must have been to be the most famous kid on the planet, there were clearly drawbacks to living your life in the spotlight before you can drive. One of the biggest issues that Culkin faced at far too young an age was the way his father resented him for his success. Culkin told Esquire:
Everything he tried to do in his life, I excelled at, before I was 10 years old.
Culkin's Success Ruined His Relationship With His Parents
With earnings topping out around $23.5 million before his 15th birthday the vultures quickly circled Culkin. Unfortunately, those vultures happened to be Culkin’s parents. His parents - who were never legally married - split when Culkin was in his teens, with Culkin going to live with his mother. He then took his parents to court to remove them from his trust fund before finding an executor who would have his best interests at heart. Culkin says that he and his father have been estranged ever since.
The 2000s Weren't Easy For Culkin
By the time Culkin turned 20 his life was spiraling out of control. In 2000, his sister half-sister, Jennifer Adamson, passed away from complications due to a drug overdose, and in 2004 Culkin had a run-in with the law in Oklahoma.
On September 17, 2004, Culkin, was busted with a little over half an ounce of marijuana as well as a Xanax and some Klonopin. He was briefly jailed and given a one year deferred sentence on each of the charges and ordered to pay $540 in fees.
Tabloid Fodder
Following his arrest, Culkin was seen as a hard partying addict, but looking back at his filmography and blogs of the era he really seems to be living his life. At the time he starred in the excellent cult films Party Monster and Saved!, and he popped up in episodes of Robot Chicken and Will & Grace. Dude was just living his life.
That didn’t stop the press from snapping photos of Culkin looking rough and accusing him of taking harder drugs than weed and Xanax. While speaking about that time in his life Culkin responded:
No, I was not pounding six grand of heorin every month or whatever.
The 2010s Were Weird
The media’s obsession with Culkin only intensified in the 2010s as the former child star started popping up in experimental films like The Wrong Ferarri and Adam Green's Aladdin. At the same time he performed at festivals in the US and the UK with his band The Pizza Underground, a pizza-based Velvet Underground cover band. Without context this makes it look like Culkin lost his mind, but it’s clear that he was just having fun with his persona.
Playing With Fire
While speaking with Esquire in 2020, Culkin explained that he was never so out of control that he went to rehab, but he knew that he had to make a change. He explained:
I played with some fire, I guess is the best way to put it. At the same time, I’ve never been to rehab or anything like that. I’ve never had to clean out that way. There were certain times when I had to catch myself, once or twice. ‘You’re having too good a time, Mack.’ … But I never went so far down that road where I needed outside help.
He continued:
I wouldn’t be the person I am today if I hadn’t had drugs in my life at some point or another. I had some illuminating experiences but also it’s … stupid, you know? So besides the occasional muscle relaxer, no, I don’t do drugs recreationally. I still kind of drink like a fish. I drink and I smoke. But I don’t touch the things.
Things Are Looking Good
Today, Culkin has life on lock. He's been with his partner Brenda Song (The Suite Life of Zack & Cody, The Social Network) since 2017 and the couple share two children. While speaking with Esquire he noted that the strangest thing he has to deal with today is being one of a kind. He said:
It’s also like, OK, everybody, stop acting so freaking shocked that I’m relatively well-adjusted. Look: I’m a pretty peerless person. If I was an accountant, I could look left and right, and there’s other accountants sitting next to me in the office. It’s not like that. It’s one of those things where, like, the cliché that we’re all snowflakes? That we’re all unique? Well, you know what? I actually am a snowflake.
