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NEED TO KNOW
- Macaulay Culkin recalls John Candy having a “paternal” presence while they filmed Uncle Buck together in 1989
- Culkin revealed, “Listen, even before the wave crested and the Home Alone stuff was happening, it was not hard to see how difficult my father was”
- John Candy: I Like Me is on Prime Video Oct. 10
Macaulay Culkin is opening up about his experience working with his infamous on-screen uncle John Candy.
Candy died at 43 after suffering a heart attack in 1994. Culkin, now 45, starred in the 1989 John Hughes film Uncle Buck alongside Candy. The Home Alone star is opening up about his friendship with the late actor in Colin Hanks’ new documentary John Candy: I Like Me. The film held its world-premiere screening Thursday, Sept. 4 as the opening film of the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).
“I think he always had that really great instinct,” Culkin remembers in the new documentary.
The famous child actor went on to note about Candy, “I think he saw. Listen, even before the wave crested and the Home Alone stuff was happening, it was not hard to see how difficult my father was. It was no secret. He was already a monster.”
“All of a sudden, the fame and the money came, and he became an infamous monster,” Culkin continued. “He was already not a good guy. I think John was looking a little side-eyed, like, ‘Is everything alright over there? You doing good? Good day? Everything’s alright? Everything good at home? Alright.’ “
The actor calls that attitude “a testament to the kind of man he was,” stating that Candy “was just looking out for” him on set. He added that he felt Candy had a “paternal” presence.
“It doesn’t happen that often. It actually happened less as time went on,” Culkin says. “I wish I got more of that in my life. It’s important that I remember that. I remember John caring when not a lot of people did.”
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Both Culkin and his brother, A Real Pain star Kieran Culkin, have previously opened up about their allegedly toxic relationship with their father, Kit Culkin.
“I think that’s why that’s one of my favorite performances, because I think he put a lot of himself into it,” Culkin says of his time on Uncle Buck. He adds that while some actors “don’t know how or don’t like to work with kids” because they’re “tricky to work with,” “John was always really kind, and really good with” him and his on-screen sister, Gaby Hoffman.
