Macaulay Culkin
| Macaulay Culkin | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Culkin at the Berlin International Film Festival in 2010 |
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| Born | Macaulay Carson Culkin August 26, 1980 New York City, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | Professional Children's School |
| Occupation | Actor, voice actor |
| Years active | 1985–1994, 2000, 2003–present |
| Spouse(s) | Rachel Miner (1998–2002) |
| Partner(s) | Mila Kunis (2002–2010) |
Macaulay Carson Culkin (born August 26, 1980) is an American actor. He became widely known for his portrayal of Kevin McCallister in Home Alone and Home Alone 2: Lost in New York. He is also known for his roles in Richie Rich, Uncle Buck, My Girl, The Pagemaster, and Party Monster, as well as Michael Jackson's music video Black or White. At the height of his fame, he was regarded as the most successful child actor since Shirley Temple.[1] Culkin was ranked No. 2 in VH1 and E!'s respective lists, the "100 Greatest Kid-Stars" and "50 Greatest Child Stars".[2]
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Early life
Culkin was born in Manhattan[3] and raised in Yorkville. His father, Christopher Cornelius "Kit" Culkin, is a former stage actor known for his productions on Broadway and the brother of actress Bonnie Bedelia; his mother is Patricia Brentrup, who never married.[4] Culkin was raised Roman Catholic;[5] he attended a Catholic school (St. Joseph's School of Yorkville) for five years[6] before moving on to Professional Children's School; he also studied ballet at the School of American Ballet.[7] Culkin was the third of seven children, five boys and two girls: Shane (born 1976), Dakota (1978–2008),[8] Kieran (born 1982), Quinn (born 1984), Christian (born 1987), and Rory (born 1989).
During Culkin's early childhood, the family lived in a small apartment; his mother was a telephone operator and his father worked as a sacristan at a local Catholic church.[9]
Career
Before 2000
Culkin began acting at the age of four. Early roles saw him appearing in a stage production of Bach Babies at the New York Philharmonic. He continued appearing in roles on stage, television, and films throughout the 1980s. Notable parts in this period included an episode of the popular action series The Equalizer, in which he played a kidnapping victim, and in the TV movie The Midnight Hour. In 1989, he starred in Uncle Buck with John Candy.[10]
Culkin rose to international fame with his lead role as Kevin McCallister in the blockbuster film Home Alone (1990), where he was reunited with Uncle Buck writer and director John Hughes and Uncle Buck co-star John Candy.[11] He reprised the role of Kevin in the 1992 sequel Home Alone 2: Lost in New York.
Culkin also starred in a Saturday morning cartoon entitled Wish Kid and hosted Saturday Night Live in late 1991.
Despite the huge success of Uncle Buck, Home Alone, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, and My Girl, other films Culkin acted in, such as The Good Son, only did reasonably well (although he was nominated for MTV Movie Award in the category for Best Villain for his performance in the film). Getting Even with Dad, Richie Rich, and The Pagemaster, all released in 1994, were only mildly successful at the box office. He also appeared in a filmed version of The Nutcracker as the title role in 1993, which was staged by Peter Martins from the 1954 George Balanchine New York City Ballet version of the work. He appeared in the 1998 music video for the song "Sunday" by the rock band Sonic Youth.
2000-2009
After several years of inactivity, Culkin returned to acting in 2000 with a role in the play Madame Melville, which was staged in London's West End.[12] In the spring of 2003, he made a guest appearance on the NBC sitcom Will & Grace.[13] His role as Karen Walker's deceptively immature divorce lawyer won him favorable reviews. Culkin headed back into motion pictures in 2003 with Party Monster, in which he played a role very different from those he was known for, that of party promoter Michael Alig, a drug user and murderer. He quickly followed that with a supporting part in Saved!, as a cynical wheelchair-bound, non-Christian student in a conservative Christian high school. Though Saved! only had modest success at the box office, Culkin received positive reviews for his role in the film and its implications for a career as an adult actor.[14][15][16]
Culkin began doing voice-over work, with appearances in Seth Green's Robot Chicken. In 2006, he published an experimental, semi-autobiographical novel, Junior, which featured details about Culkin's stardom and his shaky relationship with his father. Culkin starred in Sex and Breakfast, a dark comedy written and directed by Miles Brandman.[17] Alexis Dziena, Kuno Becker and Eliza Dushku also star in this story of a couple whose therapist recommends they engage in group sex. Shooting for the film, Culkin's first since Saved!, took place in September 2006. The film opened in Los Angeles on November 30, 2007 and was released on DVD on January 22, 2008 by First Look Pictures. Culkin's next project was a role in the thirteen-episode NBC television series Kings as Andrew Cross.[18]
In 2009, Culkin appeared in a UK-based commercial for Aviva Insurance (formerly Norwich Union) to help promote their company's rebranding. Culkin stared into the camera citing the phrase, "Remember me."
On August 17, 2009, Culkin made a brief cameo appearance on WWE Raw at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis, Missouri, following a "falls count anywhere" match between Hornswoggle and Chavo Guerrero, in which Guerrero was defeated by the classic Home Alone gag of rigging a swinging paint can to hit him upon opening a door. Culkin appeared in the doorway and said, "That's not funny."
2010-
In February 2010, Culkin appeared in an episode of Poppy de Villeneuve's online series for the New York Times , The Park.
On March 7 of the same year, he appeared alongside actors Matthew Broderick, Molly Ringwald, Judd Nelson, Ally Sheedy, Anthony Michael Hall, and Jon Cryer in a tribute to the late John Hughes.
In April 2011, Culkin was featured in musician Adam Green's experimental film "The Wrong Ferarri", which was entirely shot on an iPhone. In the same month, he also appeared in the music video for Stamp Your Name On It performed by Green's former bandmate Jack Dishel/Only Son.
In September 2012, he appeared in a video on YouTube explaining how he turned his apartment in New York into a painting workshop.[19]
Personal life
Culkin stated in a May 27, 2004 interview on Larry King Live that he tends to refrain from disclosing aspects of his personal life, though he discussed his life as a child actor, the conflict in his family life (including his estrangement from his father), and how he retired from acting at 14.[20]
Romances
Culkin married actress Rachel Miner in 1998,[21] but the couple separated in 2000[22] and divorced in 2002.[23] Culkin began dating actress Mila Kunis in May 2002.[23] By 2006, he was residing in New York, and Kunis was in Los Angeles.[24] On January 3, 2011, Kunis' publicist confirmed reports that Culkin and Kunis had ended their relationship several months previously, saying: "The split was amicable, and they remain close friends."[25]
Drugs
On September 17, 2004, Culkin was arrested in Oklahoma City for the possession of 17.3 grams (0.61 oz) of marijuana and two controlled substances, 16.5 milligrams (0.25 grains) of Alprazolam and 32 milligrams (0.5 gr) of Clonazepam,[26] for which he was briefly jailed, then released on a $4,000 bail.[27][28] After being arraigned in court for misdemeanor drug offenses, he pleaded not guilty at the trial (October 15, 2004 to June 9, 2005), then later reversed the plea to guilty. He received three one-year suspended prison terms, and ordered to pay $540 in fees.[29]
Michael Jackson
Around the time of the first Home Alone movie, Culkin became close friends with pop singer Michael Jackson,[citation needed] making an appearance in Jackson's "Black or White" music video.
At Jackson's trial, Culkin reported he had slept in Jackson's bedroom on countless occasions, but stated that Jackson's bedroom was arranged over two storeys, and that Jackson never sexually molested him or touched him in improper ways. Culkin referred to the allegations as "absolutely ridiculous."[30] Culkin attended Jackson's burial on September 3, 2009.[31]
Filmography
Film
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | The Midnight Hour | Halloween Kid | TV movie |
| 1988 | The Equalizer | Paul Gephardt | Episode: "Something Green" |
| 1991 | Wish Kid | Nicholas McClary (voice) | |
| 1994 | Frasier | Elliot (voice) | Episode: "Seat of Power" |
| 2003 | Will & Grace | Jason "J.T." Towne aka Soupy | Episode: "May Divorce Be with You" |
| 2009 | Kings | Andrew Cross | Episodes: "Judgment Day" "The Sabbath Queen" "Pilgrimage" "The New King: Part One" "The New King: Part Two" |
| 2005–2010 | Robot Chicken | Bastian Bux Kevin McCallister Billy Kid (voice) |
Episode: "Junk in the Trunk" "Badunkadunk" "That Hurts Me" "Dragon Nuts" "Robot Chicken's DP Christmas Special" |
References
- ^ Gliatto, Tom (December 17, 1990). "Running Away with the Box Office by Staying Home Alone, Macaulay Culkin Is Hollywood's Newest Little Big Man". People. Retrieved 2010-2-22.
- ^ "The Greatest : 100 Greatest Kid Stars (100 - 81) | VSPOT Video Clips, Photos, Episodes and Real Online Message Boards from the Reality TV Show | VH1.com". VH1.com<!. Retrieved 2009-08-07.
- ^ Neal, Rome (June 4, 2004). "Macaulay Culkin's 'Saved!'". CBS News. Retrieved 2010-2-23.
- ^ "Macaulay Culkin profile at FilmReference.com". Filmreference.com. Retrieved 2009-08-07.
- ^ "CNN.com – Transcripts". CNN. 2004-05-27. Retrieved 2009-08-07.
- ^ Rebecca, John. "Macaulay Culkin Talks About "Saved!"". About.com. Retrieved 2010-06-22.
- ^ "Culkin biography". Fandango.com. 1980-08-26. Retrieved 2009-08-07.
- ^ "Macaulay's Sister Dies". TMZ.com. 2008-12-11. Retrieved 2009-08-07.
- ^ "FILM "I thought nothing could possibly go wrong. Huh"]: Ian McEwan was happy with his first Hollywood film. It was small, but classy. Then along came Macaulay Culkin's dad ... Sabine Durrant reports". The Independent (London). 1993-08-19. Retrieved 2010-08-08.
- ^ "Uncle Buck: John Candy, Macaulay Culkin, Jean Louisa Kelly, Gaby Hoffmann, Amy Madigan, Elaine Bromka, Garrett M. Brown, Laurie Metcalf, Jay Underwood, Brian Taran...". Amazon.com. Retrieved 2009-08-07.
- ^ Home Alone (1990)
- ^ "ENTERTAINMENT | Culkin happy away from home". BBC News. 2000-10-19. Retrieved 2009-08-07.
- ^ "Macaulay Culkin – Yahoo! TV". Tv.yahoo.com. 1980-08-26. Retrieved 2009-08-07.
- ^ Burr, Ty (2004-06-11). "Saved! Movie Review – Saved! Movie Trailer – The Boston Globe". Boston Globe. Retrieved 2009-08-07.
- ^ Guidelive.com[dead link]
- ^ Denby, David (2009-01-07). "Outsiders". The New Yorker. Retrieved 2009-08-07.
- ^ "Movies – News – Macaulay Culkin has 'Sex and Breakfast'". Digital Spy. 2006-08-03. Retrieved 2009-08-07.
- ^ "NBC's Kings snags Macaulay Culkin – TV Squad". TV Squad<!. 2008-07-22. Retrieved 2009-08-07.
- ^ "And to think we thought he had too much time on his hands... Macaulay Culkin turns apartment into studio to form art collective". Daily Mail. Retrieved October 1, 2012.
- ^ Larry King Live. CNN. May 27, 2004. (Video on YouTube)
- ^ "He's not home alone now. (teen actors Rachel Miner and Macaulay Culkin, both 17, announce their marriage intentions)(Brief Article) | HighBeam Research". Highbeam.com. 1998-04-13. Retrieved 2009-08-07.
- ^ Tyrangiel, Josh (August 14, 2000). "People: Aug. 14, 2000". Time. Retrieved 2010-2-21.
- ^ a b Friedman, Roger (August 20, 2002). "Macaulay Culkin's Happy 'Ending'". Fox News. Retrieved 2010-2-21.
- ^ "Culkin and Kunis Plan a Wedding". Hollywood.com.
- ^ Jessica Derschowitz (January 3, 2011). "Mila Kunis and Macaulay Culkin Split". CBS News. Retrieved January 3, 2011.
- ^ "Actor Macaulay Culkin arrested for drug possession". USA Today. 2004-09-17. Retrieved 2009-08-07.
- ^ "Macaulay Culkin Drug Bust – September 17, 2004". Thesmokinggun.com. 2004-09-17. Retrieved 2009-08-07.
- ^ "Macaulay Culkin Arrested On Drug Charges".
- ^ SIlverman, Stephen M. (June 8, 2005). "Macaulay Culkin Pleads Guilty to Pot Charge". People. Retrieved August 1, 2012.
- ^ "CNN.com". 2005-05-11.
- ^ Kaufman, Gil (2009-09-04). "Michael Jackson's Kids Lay Golden Crown On His Casket At Funeral". MTV.com. Viacom. Retrieved 2010-05-17.
- ^ "1994 17th Hastings Bad Cinema Society Stinkers Awards". Stinkers Bad Movie Awards. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 3, 2013.
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Macaulay Culkin |
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- 1980 births
- Actors from New York City
- American ballet dancers
- American child actors
- American film actors
- American people of Irish descent
- American stage actors
- American television actors
- American voice actors
- Living people
- People from Manhattan
- Young Artist Award winners
- 20th-century American actors
- 21st-century American actors
