Kieran Culkin is now a famous actor, but his first acting experience didn’t go as smoothly as he hoped.
On the Smartless podcast on December 23, 2024, Kieran shared the story of his very first job in acting and it was a bit of a disaster.
At just 6 years old, Kieran did his first professional job, which was a commercial.
He doesn’t remember what the commercial was about, but it had something to do with “learning disabilities.”
The idea was that he would stand in front of a chalkboard, not being able to solve an easy problem, while other kids called him names like “dummy” or “stupid.”
But things took a strange turn.
Kieran said, “I have this clear memory of the director saying, ‘Okay, action,’ and then shouting things like ‘Dummy. Idiot.
Stupid.’” Kieran, being just a 6-year-old kid, thought this was very odd. He said, “I get it, I’m 6.
Stand here and look sad, but I’m not a method actor. What’s wrong with you?”
Despite that awkward start, Kieran’s career got better.
He later starred in the Home Alone movies, where he worked with his older brother, Macaulay Culkin.
Kieran also appeared in movies like Father of the Bride with Steve Martin, and he even hosted Saturday Night Live in 2021.
He said it was a big dream of his, even though he’s not that ambitious.
Kieran also joked about how, when filming Home Alone, he didn’t know what the movie was about.
“I had no idea. I just did my part, said my lines, and went home,” he laughed.
He even believed his co-star, Devin Ratray, who played his cousin Buzz, when he said the movie was all about him!
When Kieran watched it later, he realized it was actually his brother Macaulay who was the star.