Macaulay Culkin gets candid about his turbulent relationship with father
What's the story
Macaulay Culkin, the former child star, has revealed that his quality of life improved significantly after he decided to cut ties with his father. During a recent episode of the SmartLess podcast, he reflected on this decision and its impact on his daily life. "I had a pretty acrimonious relationship with my father, famously," said Culkin. "As soon as I was able to kind of push him out...my quality of life on a day-to-day level definitely went up."
Career management
Culkin's father managed his career during childhood
Culkin's father, Kit Culkin, was his manager in the late 1980s and early 1990s. This was when Macaulay starred in blockbuster films like Home Alone and My Girl. Despite his success, Macaulay took a break from acting at just 14 years old. "I was done," he recalled on the podcast. "I hope you all made your money because there's no more coming from me."
Career autonomy
'Once I had some autonomy and some agency...'
Culkin expressed that he had earned enough money to live comfortably and play video games all day. However, he felt his acting gigs had stopped being enjoyable. "I wanted to take a break...I was getting really taxed. I was not heard," he said. "Once I had some autonomy and some agency in my life, I grabbed it with both hands."
Acting journey
Culkin's acting hiatus and return to the industry
Culkin took a break from acting to lead a somewhat normal life during high school. He described this period as "drifting around" and trying to figure out what he wanted out of life. Despite his hiatus, Culkin is still "technically" retired from acting but occasionally takes on roles that interest him. "Every gig is my last," he said about his sporadic appearances in films and TV shows over the years.
Family focus
Culkin's family life and relationship with his father
Culkin is a father to his two children, Dakota and Carson, with fiancée Brenda Song, whom he got engaged to in 2022. In 2018, he had described his relationship with Kit as "sour," saying he was abusive both physically and mentally. His actor brother Kieran Culkin has also spoken about their father's negative influence on their lives.