Macaulay Culkin is an American actor who rose to fame as a child star in the 1990s. He is best known for his role as Kevin McCallister in the Home Alone film series, which made him one of the most popular and highest-paid child actors of all time. He also starred in other films such as My Girl, The Good Son, The Pagemaster and Richie Rich. He retired from acting at 14 and returned to the spotlight in his early 20s with various projects, such as Party Monster, Saved!, Junior and Madame Melville. He is the founder of a comedy rock band called The Pizza Underground and the host of a podcast called Bunny Ears. He is the godfather of Michael Jackson’s children Prince and Paris. He married actress Rachel Miner when he was 18 but they divorced two years later. He dated actress Mila Kunis for eight years but they broke up in 2010. He is a descendant of the famous Culkin family of actors, including his father Kit Culkin and his aunt Bonnie Bedelia. He has six siblings, four of whom are also actors: Shane, Kieran, Quinn and Rory. He struggled with substance abuse and a troubled relationship with his parents, who divorced in 1995. He sued his parents for control of his fortune and emancipated himself from them at 16.
Here are some controversial quotes from Macaulay Culkin
- “I had all the fame anyone could want, and I ran away from it.” This quote shows Culkin’s disillusionment with his childhood stardom and his decision to retire from acting at the age of 14. He said this in 2004, when he was promoting his comeback film Saved!. He also said that he wanted to have a normal life and go to school.
- “I am a collection of thoughts and memories and likes and dislikes. I am the things that have happened to me and the sum of everything I’ve ever done. I am the clothes I wear on my back. I am every place and every person and every object I have ever come across. I am a bag of bones stuck to a very large rock spinning a thousand miles an hour.” This quote reflects Culkin’s existential and philosophical views on life and identity. He wrote this in his semi-autobiographical novel Junior, which was published in 2006. The book is a mix of stories, poems, drawings and photographs that reveal his inner thoughts and feelings.
- “I’m not one of those people who needs that gratification of doing, like, 10 films a year.” This quote demonstrates Culkin’s selective and quality-oriented approach to acting. He said this in 2003, when he was explaining why he had not done many films since his hiatus. He also said that he only wanted to do projects that he was passionate about and that challenged him.
- “I don’t even get an allowance.” This quote reveals Culkin’s lack of financial independence as a child actor. He said this in 1990, when he was asked how much money he made from his films. He also said that his parents controlled his earnings and that he had no idea how much he was worth.
- “I lead a simple life. I feed the fish. I walk the dogs. I cook dinner. Occasionally I take a meeting.” This quote describes Culkin’s low-key and domestic lifestyle as an adult. He said this in 2004, when he was talking about his daily routine. He also said that he enjoyed being out of the spotlight and having privacy.
- “People do bad things in their lives. And those sort of things are forgivable. That’s half the point of having confession in church – you need to be able to fess up to what you’ve done.” This quote expresses Culkin’s views on morality and forgiveness. He said this in 2004, when he was asked about his arrest for drug possession. He also said that he was not proud of what he did but that he learned from it.
- “I don’t even know how to define myself. I’m a person who writes. It’s something I enjoy, and hopefully people enjoy it as well.” This quote shows Culkin’s modesty and creativity as a writer. He said this in 2006, when he was discussing his novel Junior. He also said that he did not consider himself an author but rather someone who liked to express himself.
- “He was so excited. He cut out pictures of these landscapes and neighborhoods and kind of really tried to give you a feel of the movie. It was kind of cute but at the same time it really showed his enthusiasm for it.” This quote reveals Culkin’s admiration and affection for Michael Jackson, who was his close friend and mentor. He said this in 2005, when he was testifying in Jackson’s defense at his trial for child molestation. He also said that Jackson never touched him inappropriately and that they had a normal friendship.
- “I’m doing naughty things, I’m drinking too much, I’m going to clubs. It really didn’t matter to me, other than the fact that some parents wouldn’t let their kids hang out with me.” This quote depicts Culkin’s rebellious and carefree attitude as a teenager. He said this in 1998, when he was reflecting on his wild behavior after leaving Hollywood. He also said that he had no regrets and that he had fun.
- “I hope I’m remembered as the king of the world, the noble man who united all the nations of the earth. But that probably won’t happen.” This quote illustrates Culkin’s humor and sarcasm as well as his awareness of his legacy. He said this in 1998, when he was joking about how he wanted to be remembered. He also said that he did not care what people thought of him.
Here are some interesting facts about Macaulay Culkin
- He is a descendant of the famous Culkin family of actors, including his father Kit Culkin and his aunt Bonnie Bedelia. His father was a former child actor who appeared on Broadway and in films, while his aunt is best known for her roles in Die Hard and Parenthood. He also has six siblings, four of whom are also actors: Shane, Kieran, Quinn and Rory.
- He gained early fame as a child star with his role in Home Alone (1990) and its sequel Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992). He played Kevin McCallister, a clever boy who defends his house from burglars after being accidentally left behind by his family. The films were huge box office hits and made Culkin one of the most popular and highest-paid child actors of all time.
- He struggled with substance abuse and a troubled relationship with his parents, who divorced in 1995. He became addicted to drugs and alcohol as a teenager and was arrested for possession of marijuana and prescription medication in 2004. He also sued his parents for control of his fortune, which was estimated at $17 million, and emancipated himself from them at the age of 16.
- He retired from acting at 14 and returned to the spotlight in his early 20s with various projects. He decided to take a break from his career after starring in Richie Rich (1994) and enrolled in a private school in Manhattan. He made his comeback with a role in the West End play Madame Melville (2000) and later appeared in films such as Party Monster (2003), Saved! (2004) and Sex and Breakfast (2007).
- He is the godfather of Michael Jackson’s children Prince and Paris. He became friends with the pop star when he was 10 years old and visited his Neverland ranch several times. He defended Jackson against allegations of child molestation and testified on his behalf at his trial in 2005. He remained close to Jackson until his death in 2009 and to his children afterwards.
- He married actress Rachel Miner when he was 18 but they separated two years later. He met Miner at the Professional Children’s School in New York and they eloped in 1998. They had a rocky marriage and filed for divorce in 2000, but it was not finalized until 2002. They remained friends after their split.
- He dated actress Mila Kunis for eight years but they never married. He started dating Kunis in 2002, shortly after his divorce from Miner. They kept their relationship low-key and rarely appeared together in public. They broke up amicably in 2010 but did not announce it until 2011.
- He wrote a semi-autobiographical novel called Junior, which was published in 2006. The novel is a mix of stories, poems, drawings and photographs that reveal Culkin’s inner thoughts and feelings. It covers topics such as fame, family, love, drugs and death. It received mixed reviews from critics and readers.
- He is the founder of a comedy rock band called The Pizza Underground, which parodies songs by The Velvet Underground with pizza-themed lyrics. He formed the band in 2013 with four friends and played various instruments such as kazoo, percussion and vocals. The band performed at several venues and festivals but disbanded in 2018.
- He is the host of a podcast called Bunny Ears, which features interviews with celebrities, comedians and musicians. He launched the podcast in 2018 as part of his lifestyle brand Bunny Ears, which also includes a website, a YouTube channel and a merchandise line. The podcast covers topics such as pop culture, nostalgia, conspiracy theories and personal stories.