Veteran actor Tim Curry, now 79 years old, recently embarked on a nostalgic journey, sharing intimate memories from the set of the beloved holiday classic Home Alone 2: Lost in New York. During a special interview conducted at the Margaret Herrick Library with The Academy, Curry delved into his extensive career, examining artifacts from his past roles alongside archivist Louise Hilton.
Behind the Scenes with Macaulay Culkin
One of the highlights of the conversation centered on his experience working with the film's young star, Macaulay Culkin, who was 45 at the time of the interview. Curry fondly recalled Culkin's habits during production, noting, 'Mac used to stay up watching late-night movies and fall asleep in the makeup chair.' He added with affection, 'I liked him. He was a very nice kid.'
In Home Alone 2, Curry portrayed the suspicious concierge Mr. Hector at the iconic Plaza Hotel in New York City. While the location might seem glamorous, Curry revealed that his stay there during filming 'wasn't particularly fun,' as he lamented, 'I had a view of a brick wall.'
Culkin's Role and Recent Loss
Culkin reprised his lead role as Kevin McCallister in the 1992 sequel to the 1990 blockbuster Home Alone. The plot follows Kevin as he accidentally ends up in New York City while his family travels to Florida for Christmas, leading to his memorable encounter with Mr. Hector at the Plaza Hotel.
Recently, Culkin faced a personal tragedy with the passing of his onscreen mother, Catherine O'Hara, who died on January 30 at age 71. O'Hara's death was attributed to a pulmonary embolism, with rectal cancer as the underlying cause, following a brief illness at her Los Angeles home.
In a heartfelt tribute on Instagram, Culkin shared two photos of them together, captioning, 'Mama. I thought we had time. I wanted more. I wanted to sit in a chair next to you. I heard you but I had so much more to say. I love you. I'll see you later.'
Tim Curry's Health Journey
Beyond the film anecdotes, Curry opened up about a significant health challenge in his life. In his memoir Vagabond, he detailed his experience with a stroke in 2012, which occurred while he was receiving a massage at his California home. The stroke left him partially paralyzed on one side of his body and affected his speech, a condition he has navigated for over a decade.
Curry described the incident, writing, 'I did not fade to black. I did not even feel out of sorts, or like something was very wrong. In fact, I had no idea that anything was off at all.' His masseur noticed alarming changes in his body and, despite Curry's initial insistence that he was 'overreacting' and not to call 911, the masseur trusted his instincts and summoned an ambulance.
Reflecting on that decision, Curry penned, 'I probably owe my life to the fact that he ignored me, went with his instinct, and called an ambulance.' Even as he was being loaded into the ambulance, Curry believed the response was 'ridiculous and unnecessary.'
After evaluation, doctors determined he needed a craniectomy. It was only post-surgery that Curry learned the severity: 'Only after the surgery was completed was I informed that I had suffered a serious stroke, which sent blood clots to my brain, two of which had been removed.'
This candid interview not only sheds light on Curry's enduring legacy in entertainment but also highlights his resilience in facing personal health adversities, offering fans a deeper glimpse into the life of a legendary actor.
