Macaulay Culkin bio, age, wife, kids, family, brother, parents, career path 2025

Biography of Macaulay Culkin

Macaulay Culkin is a Hollywood actor who shot to fame as a child star. He reached peak popularity in the '90s. He became a global sensation playing Kevin McCallister in the "Home Alone" movies. The role earned him the "Child of the Year" title and a "Young Actor" award.

By the early 2000s, Culkin's career started to fade, and he never recaptured that early magic, though he kept acting sporadically. He channeled his creative energy into rock music, writing, and film production.

Childhood, Youth, Family

Macaulay Carson Culkin (his full name, honoring writer Thomas Babington Macaulay and General Christopher Houston Carson) was born in summer 1980 to Christopher Cornelius Culkin and Patricia Brentrup in New York.

His father, an ex-Broadway actor, worked as a church caretaker on the Lower East Side, while his mother worked in traffic control before becoming a phone operator. His parents never officially tied the knot, but that didn't stop them from having seven kids.

In addition to Macaulay, the family had four more boys - Shane Arliss, Kieran Kyle, Christian Patrick, Rory Hugh - and two girls, Dakota Uliss and Quinn Kay. Macaulay was the third child in the family: Shane Ariss was born four years before him, Dakota - two years prior.

His older sister was tragically killed in a car accident in 2008, leaving Macaulay devastated for years. He also had a half-sister, Jennifer, from his father's first marriage, who died of a drug overdose in 2000.

Macaulay Culkin with his parents, brothers and sisters

The Culkins lived modestly, with the entire family attending Catholic church and following its traditions.

As soon as he could talk, Mac—as he was lovingly called at home—amazed his family with his endless energy and artistic flair. At four, he joined a children's theater group and quickly started performing in plays like "Bach Babies" and "Big Squirrel."

Macaulay Culkin as a child with his father

His natural acting ability and that winning smile caught attention, and the talented kid started landing commercial gigs and small film roles.

Joe Rogan Experience - Macaulay Culkin

Meanwhile, Culkin attended St. Joseph's Catholic School before transferring after five years to a specialized school for kids working in film and theater.

Child Roles

Macaulay made his film debut at age five, playing a small role as a caroling child dressed as a skeleton in the horror film "Midnight Hour". His filmography then expanded with the series "The Equalizer" (Paul Gepard) and the drama "Rocket Gibraltar" (Cy Blue Black).

Macaulay Culkin in the movie 'Rocket Gibraltar'

In the comedy "Uncle Buck", Culkin landed his first leading role and caught the attention of screenwriter and director John Hughes, who cast the talented child in his next film "Home Alone".

Macaulay Culkin in the movie 'Uncle Buck'

Playing Kevin McCallister, the boy accidentally forgotten by his relatives at home for Christmas, brought Culkin unprecedented popularity, but he didn't get carried away:

At that moment I liked everything. I was a bit of an attention whore. 'Hey, I'm a kid, look at me!' But I didn't tug at my mom and dad's sleeve saying: 'Mom, Dad! I want to be an actor.' I enjoyed it because I was good and understood that. At least I was smart enough to understand what proper attention is. Then... it started to feel routine. I started talking about it, but no one listened. I said: 'I want to go to school - I've only fully completed first grade'.

The family Christmas comedy earned Culkin a Golden Globe nomination, a Young Actors Foundation Award and new roles. He starred in the films "Only the Lonely" and "My Girl", and then returned to the image of Kevin McCallister in the comedy "Home Alone 2: Lost in New York". The film is notable for the fact that future U.S. President Donald Trump also starred in it. The sequel matched the success of the first film, and Macaulay became one of the highest-paid young actors in Hollywood.

Macaulay Culkin in the movie 'Home Alone 2'

The boy's father took on the duties of the film star's manager, which seriously damaged his acting career. Christopher demanded million-dollar fees from producers, despite the fact that subsequent films didn't match the success of "Home Alone". The ambitious parent also demanded that Macaulay's brothers and sisters star in the films.

Macaulay Culkin and his younger brother Kieran Culkin

While Macaulay was at the peak of fame, directors made concessions. But filming with relatives didn't bring the same success as before. Trying to move away from the image of a mischievous boy, Culkin, along with Elijah Wood, starred in the dramatic thriller "The Good Son", where he played the cold-blooded teenage killer Henry Evans.

Macaulay Culkin and Elijah Wood in the movie 'The Good Son'

Then there were leading roles in the ballet film "The Nutcracker" and the crime comedy "Getting Even with Dad", in which Macaulay was received rather coolly by audiences.

Macaulay Culkin in the movie 'Getting Even with Dad'

Culkin was much more warmly received in Michael Jackson's Black or White video, where he played a boy fascinated by rock music and hip-hop.

Michael Jackson - Black Or White

His role in the drama "My Girl" earned the young actor an MTV award for "Best Kiss" alongside his eleven-year-old co-star Anna Chlumsky. Macaulay's final child role - Richie Rich in the family comedy "Richie Rich" - was another letdown: the actor even earned a Golden Raspberry nomination.

Macaulay Culkin in the movie 'Richie Rich'

Separation from Parents

Culkin had just turned fifteen when his acting career hit pause. He was burned out from repetitive roles and pressure from his father, who pushed him to keep filming for the money.

His mother backed her son's need for a break and left her husband, claiming he'd destroyed Macaulay's career. By that time, the actor's net worth was around twenty million dollars. The ex-spouses battled for custody of their minor son and, more crucially, control over his money.

Fed up with the fighting, Culkin removed their names from the trust fund:

We didn't want to stay with our father. Everyone always misunderstands that I freed myself from my parents. I legally removed their names from the trust fund and found a trustee who could look after my finances in case someone wanted a piece of this damn pie. But then it turned out that I 'divorced' my parents. I just thought I was doing everything right - crossing out my father's and mother's names so my opinion wouldn't depend on anyone. When I did that, everything ended much faster.

With his acting career on pause, Culkin finished school, which he'd left in his final year for filming. The actor didn't return to screens until 2003 in the tragicomedy "Party Monster," where he played the lead character - a drug-addicted event organizer, Michael Alig.

Macaulay Culkin in the movie 'Party Monster'

Subsequent films included "Saved!" (Roland), "Sex and Breakfast" (James), and "Kings" (Andrew Cross). Unfortunately, these new roles didn't bring Macaulay much success. In 2006, the actor wrote and released a novel called "Junior," based on his childhood memories.

He kept acting, but was more often cast in supporting roles in forgettable films. The actor became a guest of various internet projects, appeared in commercials, and even became a model for a Gucci collection.

Macaulay Culkin explains his deep connection with Michael Jackson

Pizza Underground

In 2012, Macaulay Culkin and his friends founded their own cover band, Pizza Underground, creating parodies of songs by The Velvet Underground, the experimental rock band, and its leader Lou Reed. Percussionist Deenah Vollmer referred to their emerging band as a joke:

But we believe that jokes are windows to the truth, just like pizza can literally make windows from fat. I'm not sure which composition was the first, but the word 'slice' was in it. Soon we realized that almost any word can be replaced with 'slice' or 'cheese'.

What started as fun for Macaulay and his friends sparked outrage among The Velvet Underground fans, with parodies even being called blasphemous. But true fans of the legendary band argued that Lou's songs were strong enough to survive any parody. The first tour of Culkin's cover band flopped.

The Pizza Underground – Sunday Morning live

The band lasted about four years before it finally broke up. Culkin, however, enjoyed appearing in music videos and moonlighting as a DJ in nightclubs. Alongside Jessica Williams, he voiced the musical animated film "Entergalactic".

Other Projects

Macaulay is the editor-in-chief of the humorous lifestyle publication BunnyEars.com. He launched the site in 2017 as a joke, but now it has full-time writers and freelancers. Macaulay himself appears at editors' meetings and in the column "Mack Answers Your Dumb Questions".

Personal Life of Macaulay Culkin

Culkin was just seventeen when he married his high school classmate Rachel Miner, who would also go on to become an actress. Since both were minors, the marriage was approved by their parents.

The young couple's marriage lasted two years before they separated. In 2002, they officially divorced. Around the same time, Macaulay met the famous actress Mila Kunis.

Their relationship spanned nearly nine years, with fans constantly speculating about wedding plans. But the celebrity pair never made it down the aisle, ultimately calling it quits.

Both actors insisted the breakup was amicable, and they stayed friends afterward. A year later, Culkin was hospitalized following a reported suicide attempt. Sources attributed this to ongoing depression following his sister Dakota's death and the split from Kunis.

Media also reported that Macaulay was heavily into drugs at this time. Warning signs first surfaced in 2004 when police found marijuana and unprescribed medications in his car during a traffic stop. By 2012, paparazzi photos showing a gaunt, disheveled Culkin sparked serious concern among fans.

Macaulay found happiness in his personal life after meeting actress and producer Brenda Song. The couple initially kept their romance private, dating away from the spotlight. But when "Changeland" premiered in 2019—with Culkin in the starring role—the couple made their red carpet debut and soon moved in together.

Their commitment became clear in spring 2021 when they welcomed their first son. They named him Dakota in honor of Macaulay's deceased sister.

Culkin proposed a year later, and that December, their second son Carson arrived. The news didn't break publicly until spring 2023.

Macaulay Culkin with his wife and children

Culkin says he hasn't been this happy since childhood, crediting Brenda and their kids for his joy. He's embraced family life completely and has been clean for several years.

Home Alone: Macaulay Culkin Google Assistant Parody

Macaulay Culkin Now

While Culkin continues acting, his recent projects haven't matched the massive success of his childhood hits.

In 2022, he appeared in HBO's satirical comedy "The Righteous Gemstones" and voiced Downtown Pat in the animated musical "Entergalactic." The story is based on the eponymous album of rapper Kid Cudi.

Macaulay Culkin in the movie 'The Righteous Gemstones'

In addition, the actor was part of the cast of the thriller "Rich Flu", which was released in 2023. Unfortunately for fans, Culkin dropped out of the project, with his role going to British actor Rafe Spall instead.

Interesting Facts

From an early age, Macaulay Culkin showed extraordinary talent that not only pleased his parents but once scared them to death. The kid hid in a closet and stayed there until his family was ready to call the police to report him missing. Then Mac burst out of the closet wearing his father's baseball cap, which completely covered his face, and dramatically announced: "Dad, mom! I've been found!"
During a music video shoot, Culkin befriended Michael Jackson and became a regular visitor to his home, eventually becoming godfather to Jackson's children. When Jackson faced pedophilia accusations, Culkin defended him in court and later told an interviewer: ...first I'll say this — not just a line, but the truth. He never did anything to me. I never saw him do anything to anyone else. Right now, I have no reason to hide anything. He's dead. I'm not saying it would be trendy or whatever, but now's the right time to talk about this. If I had something to say, I'd definitely say it. But no. I didn't see anything, he didn't do anything.
Macaulay Culkin's talents extended far beyond his acting career. He produced the comedy video game Toe Jam & Earl: Back in the Groove. The game's creators say Culkin helped them develop new content that turned out way more interesting than previous installments. His experimental novel "Junior" is a bizarre collection of cartoons, vignettes, and stream-of-consciousness writing about a child star who quits show business at his career peak.

Important Events in Life

1984: Made debut in the play "Bach Babies" at the New York Philharmonic.
1985: Made TV debut in "The Midnight Hour."
1989: Starred in the movies "Uncle Buck", "See You in the Morning".
1990: Played the lead role in the movie "Home Alone".
1991: Awarded the "Young Actor" award. Nominated for a "Golden Globe". Appeared in Michael Jackson's music video. Starred in the movie "My Girl".
1992: Won the MTV award for "Best Kiss" for the movie "My Girl". Played the lead role in the movie "Home Alone 2: Lost in New York".
1993: Played the lead role in the movie "The Good Son".
1994: Starred in the movie "Richie Rich".
1995: Nominated for a "Golden Raspberry" for the worst male role in three movies. Stopped acting in films.
1998: Married actress Rachel Miner.
2002: Divorced Rachel Miner. Started dating actress Mila Kunis.
2003: Starred in the movie "Party Monster".
2006: Published the novel "Junior".
2007: Starred in the movie "Sex and Breakfast".
2008: Deeply affected by the death of his older sister Dakota.
2009: Starred in the serial "Kings".
2011: Broke up with Mila Kunis.
2012: Attempted suicide. Founded his own cover band Pizza Underground.
2016: Disbanded Pizza Underground.
2017: Started dating actress and producer Brenda Song.
2019: Starred in the movies "Changeland", "Dollface".
2021: Son Dakota was born from Brenda Song.
2022: Second son Carson was born.
2023: Was announced to star in the movie "Rich Flu", but declined the role. Received a star on the Walk of Fame.

Macaulay Culkin: latest news and articles

The McCallister family from the movie `Home Alone` reunited for the first time in 30 years

10 Dec 2024

Photos: Macaulay Culkin