In a charming revelation that has delighted fans, actor Macaulay Culkin has shared that his two young children are completely unaware that their father is the iconic Kevin McCallister from the beloved Christmas classic, Home Alone.
A Family Secret
The disclosure came during a special screening at the Long Beach Terrace Theater in California, held to mark the film's 35th anniversary. Culkin, now 45, first shot to fame portraying the eight-year-old boy who ingeniously defends his home from burglars in the 1990 20th Century Fox comedy.
Speaking at the event, the actor explained that he and his fiancée, Brenda Song, 37, often watch the movie with their sons, four-year-old Dakota and three-year-old Carson. However, he was keen to maintain the magic for them. "They have no idea that I'm Kevin," Culkin told PEOPLE. He added, "They're only three and four years old," and expressed his desire "to keep up that illusion as long as possible."
A Glimmer of Recognition
The carefully kept secret nearly unravelled one evening when his elder son, Carson, began asking about the family. In response, Culkin showed him a photograph of himself with his seven siblings. Carson quickly identified his father in the picture and made a connection, remarking, "That kid looks like Kevin." The moment provided a sweet and almost surreal insight into the child's perspective.
While Culkin's portrayal remains the most famous, the Home Alone franchise continued without him after the first two films. Alex D. Linz took the lead in Home Alone 3, and subsequent instalments were released directly to television.
Looking to the Future: A New Home Alone Concept?
Interestingly, the actor has even toyed with the idea of a potential continuation of the story. He outlined a concept where he would play an older Kevin, now a widower or divorcé struggling to connect with his own child.
"I'm working really hard and I'm not really paying enough attention and the kid is kind of getting miffed at me and then I get locked out," Culkin explained. In this modern twist, his child would be the one setting traps for him. He described the house as a "metaphor for our relationship" and the plot as a journey to "get let back into his heart." While he called it his "elevator pitch," he confirmed he is "not completely allergic to it" if the right project came along.
In a nod to his famous role, Culkin recently reprised his character for a holiday advertisement campaign for senior care company Home Instead, playing a Kevin concerned for his mother's wellbeing.
Despite Culkin's own musings, the original film's director, Chris Columbus, remains sceptical about another sequel. He believes the movie was a "very special moment" that cannot be recaptured and that it should be "left alone."
Thanks to his early success in films like Home Alone, Uncle Buck, and My Girl, Culkin had amassed a substantial fortune, estimated between $15-17 million, by the age of 12.
Fans can next see Culkin on his 14-date nostalgic tour, with a stop at the Bass Concert Hall in Austin, Texas. Professionally, he and Brenda Song are lending their voices to the long-awaited animated sequel Zootopia 2, where they will play lynx siblings.
