Almost everyone has grown up watching the movie Home Alone. It is about a kid who is forgotten at home by his parents while they fly on a vocation. Although the story is quite interesting itself, it is the character that makes the entire experience more interesting. Macaulay Culkin plays that character. He was one of the most loved actors in Hollywood that came crashing down during his peak. Today, a lot of people wonder what happened to him? Let’s take a deep look inside the life of a troubled actor who couldn’t handle the spotlight.
What Happened to Macaulay Culkin?
Macaulay Culkin entered Hollywood when he was just four years old. Back then, it was rare for the entertainment industry to house such talent. His career kicked off with Off-Broadway play and it wasn’t long until he began appearing in TV commercials. However, the biggest hit in his career came when he was hired to play the character of Kevin McCalister in the 1990 movie Home Alone.
The film also spawned a sequel titled “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York,” which premiered on November 20, 1992. The sequel movie featured a fictional toy called the Talkboy, a voice recorder and changer that can change the pitch of the recorded audio clips. The distributors of the film, 20th Century Fox, gave permission to an electronics company called Tiger Electronics to create a working Talkboy that can be sold in toy stores. The real-life Talkboy released in 1992. For more information on the gadget, read about The Most Memorable TV Advertisements for Retro Toys.
The immense success made him the most popular and famous individual at the time and earned him features in music videos such as Michael Jackson’s “Black or White”. He also starred in other successful movies including Richie Rich and Getting Even with Dad.
But what Culkin did not realize was that he was moving onto the same dark path, other young stars have gone through. His arrest in Oklahoma in 2004 resulted in the news breaking out that he was on drugs. His famous mugshot was released on the internet and the majority failed to recognize him. At the time, he was caught with marijuana and controlled substance without a prescription in his car.
Although the actor denied the use of drugs later on but the news surrounded him for several years after the incident. Then, in 1998, Culkin experienced a burnout and decided to take a break from acting. Almost twenty years later, he discussed his decision of taking a break with a popular TV show host Ellen DeGeneres. Culkin stated that he had done 14 movies in six years and wanted to do something else. He also went on to say that his decision to take a break of 8 years was the smartest decision he had made.
The Actor Became Emancipated From His Parents at Age 14
On screen, everyone though that Culkin was having a great time with early fame and success. However, things were darker than ever behind the scenes. For instance, Culkin was managed by his dad Kit, who did not have a good reputation in Hollywood. He was arrogant, a drinker and domineering. But on the other hand his mother was nothing better. This led to an ugly legal battle in the court over his custody that had more to do with his increasing wealth than his DNA.
Upon retiring at the age of 14, Culkin has amassed nearly $50 million in total and hired legal representation so that he could be legally emancipated from his parents. Later, his father Kit stated that Culkin was no longer his son.
Rumors of Drug Usage
Although the actor was released by the police when he was caught in marijuana but rumors of drug usage resurface when the paparazzi caught some snaps and Culkin looked a bit unhealthy. The incident happened not long after his breakup with Mila Kunis who had been in a relationship with him for over 8 years. All these things added fuel to the fire and irritated Culkin. He went on to give several interviews and constantly denied his issues with drugs.
Macaulay’s Movie Troubles
During the years of Home Alone, Macaulay enjoyed all the success the big break gave him. However, after starring in successful movies his career took a turn for the worst. His role in Home Alone 2: Lost in New York and as a villain in The Good Son received a thrashing at the box office as the films simply bombed.
Then, Culkin starred in three movies, Richie Rich, Getting Even with Dad and The Pagemaster but to his badluck, all the movies failed. Although the movies were released in 1994 and it was supposed to be the year of Culkin but things did not turnout the way as expected.
Macaulay Returns to Acting with Disastrous Results
Macaulay returned to the big screen once again by appearing as a guest on Will & Grace, which was a popular NBC sitcom at the time. Then, he starred in Party Monster, a biographical drama. Although Culkin’s was the right choice for the movie as stated by many since the movie’s storyline mimicked the breakup of Culkin with his parents but the critics blasted his movie. The movie received a 29% scored on Rotten Tomatoes. However, that was not it for Culkin.
Macaulay Is Saved
With plans to move on from his disappointment, Culkin landed him a role in Saved as a student who is wheelchair-bound. Even though the storyline was interesting but the movie gained modest success. Culkin on the other hand received positive reviews on his acting. This was him taking on a challenge that would mature him to the point where he becomes a diverse actor. However, then again to his luck, it would not turnup any fruits.
The Next Movie Also Bombs
In between his movie Saved and Sex and Breakfast, Culkin released a book titled Junior. Culkin realized that he wouldn’t be able to step onto the big screen anytime soon due to his movies badly failing at the box office. Therefore, his book would earn him interviews with the big names such as Oprah Winfrey. His fans thought that he was coming up with an autobiography. However, that was not the case. Culkin released a book that only consisted a collection of poems, comics, letters and more. As a result, the book disappeared as soon as it hit the shelves.
Following the disappearance of his book, Culkin returned by starring in Sex and Breakfast. According to some, his role in the movie marked his trajectory in his career but then again the critics won’t let him have it. As a result, the movie did not even show up in theatres and instead went straight on DvDs, hurting his chances of a successful return yet again.
Macaulay Just Goes On With Life
For years, Macaulay had been living in Paris to live a bit privately without being noticed. However, in an interview he stated that it was hard since everyone recognized him and demanded the famous hands-on-face scream look from Home Alone. Apart from that, he and his girlfriend, lead a good life with hopes that the star will be seen in future projects.
Final Word
Although Macaulay Culkin has experienced his fair share of troubles at the end of the day, his confidence and optimism to return as a successful actor once again keep the fans waiting. Today, he looks healthier and seems to be enjoying life like a regular human being but without any strings attached.