As a child actor, Macaulay Culkin’s most notable claim to fame is the cult classic holiday movie Home Alone. But before the 1990 classic, Culkin starred in the 1989 family comedy Uncle Buck, starring John Candy.
The actor looks back on his time filming with Candy and reveals he saw him as a father figure during a difficult time in his childhood, in a report by Entertainment Weekly.
Speaking about the actor for the new documentary, John Candy: I Like Me, Culkin reveals that Candy made all the child actors feel “respected.”
“When you’re eight years old, you don’t really get respect, whether it’s in a workplace or just from adults and grown-ups in general. You felt invited in,” said Culkin.
But from his time filming Uncle Buck, Culkin vividly remembers how Candy realized trouble was brewing at home for the young actor at the time and his difficult relationship with his father, Kit Culkin. Amid his growing success, Candy had a “paternal” vibe that meant a lot to Culkin.
“I think he always had that really great instinct. 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,” explained Culkin.
“All of a sudden, the fame and the money came, and he became an infamous monster. 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.'”
Culkin explains it was a true testament to Candy’s character and how he was willing to look out for people, especially him. He laments that it doesn’t often happen, and as time went on, the less it occurred.
“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,” he said.
The actor and his brother, Oscar-winning Kieran Culkin, have always been open about their past family troubles and their difficult relationship with their father. Kit Culkin managed his son’s career from an early age, with Culkin describing his father’s physical and emotional abuse over jealousy about his successful career.
When his parents split in the mid-1990s, Culkin created a media frenzy when deciding to remove his parents as legal guardians of his estate to protect his wealth.
John Candy: I Like Me debuts October 10 on Amazon Prime Video
