For many parents of a certain age, showing their children Home Alone is a crucial moment of family bonding. That even applies to Macaulay Culkin, who stars in the 1990 blockbuster as Kevin McCallister. In a recent interview with the YouTube channel Mythical Kitchen, the actor said it’s been a beautiful experience reliving the movie through his kids’ eyes, but for the time being, he’s resisting the impulse to tell them who played Kevin.
“My kids don’t understand yet,” he said, noting how they do recognize his wife, Brenda Song, in episodes of The Suite Life of Zack & Cody. “I’m like, ‘Yeah, that’s mama.’ So they get that. But when they see Kevin, they always call him ‘Kevin’ because the illusion is still there. Just two nights ago, my son was asking questions. He wanted to see a family photo of, like, all my siblings. So I ran downstairs [and] got it, and immediately his eyes darted to me, and he goes, ‘Hey, that kid looks like Kevin.’ And I go, ‘He sure does, doesn’t he?’”
Keeping the illusion alive, for now
While Culkin’s son is “starting” to put the pieces together, they still have a little time to live in this sweet in-between zone. “I’m trying to keep up the illusion as long as possible, like Santa Claus, that kind of thing,” the actor said. “But I know some kid at recess is going to ruin it [Laughs].”
Reliving the film through his children has “changed the game” for Culkin, who sees the “joy” it brings them. “Before, it was a gig,” he admitted. “Now it’s something I can sit next to and be proud of and show my kids. I don’t run from it. I don’t hide from it. If anything, I embrace it.” That philosophy prompted Culkin to host a recent 35th-anniversary tour behind Home Alone, screening the film in theaters and staging a “fireside chat” Q&A afterward. “I pull kids up there and ask them absurd trivia questions about the movie they just saw,” he said. “It’s really fun to kind of get it on the road, get it on its legs, and just seeing how it’s still alive. Those people are parents too, and they’re bringing their kids to it, and they’re appreciating it in a way that it’s supposed to be appreciated.”
Fans couldn’t get enough of this story
In the interview’s Instagram comments, fans weighed in with some beautiful words.
“When a legend can finally accept the title, it’s a really cool thing to watch what an icon”
“He should be proud too, elite child acting. Iconic timeless movies. Awesome having him in the public space more last few years. What a legend.”
“Home Alone will never die. Greatest Christmas movie ever!”
“Man drop another home alone movie “
“Hearing him talk like this brings me so much joy”
“Damn, going from gig to a mantle of pride. I’ve never thought about it that way before.”
One element of Home Alone nostalgia is more painful than sweet: A YouTuber named “Mistress Melt” recently conducted an experiment to replicate Kevin’s $20 grocery haul from the film, calculating how much those items would cost in 2025 dollars. As you might expect, the total has gone up, but the discrepancy is still pretty wild.
Some magic is worth protecting
At the end of the day, there’s something genuinely touching about a dad choosing to guard a little bit of childhood wonder, even when it’s his own face on the screen. Every kid eventually finds out Santa isn’t real, and someday Culkin’s sons will connect the dots on Kevin too. But for now, he gets to watch his own kids fall in love with Home Alone the same uncomplicated way millions of other families have for 35 years, without the weight of knowing dad was the one running from burglars. That’s a gift most actors never get to give their kids, and Culkin seems to know exactly how lucky that makes him.
This article originally appeared last year. It has been updated.
