Macaulay Culkin’s career reached its highest point with the 1990 release of Home Alone. At just 10 years old, he became an international sensation, and his portrayal of Kevin McCallister, a clever and mischievous child left to defend his home from burglars, won the hearts of audiences worldwide.
Home Alone not only became the highest-grossing live-action comedy of all time at the time but also catapulted Culkin to the status of a child superstar. The film’s success was unprecedented, grossing over $476 million globally. Macaulay’s iconic scream from the famous aftershave scene became a pop-culture moment, and his natural comedic timing was praised by critics and fans alike.
In the years following Home Alone, Culkin continued to dominate Hollywood with leading roles in My Girl (1991), Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992), and Richie Rich (1994). By the mid-’90s, he was among the highest-paid child actors, earning millions for his roles. His fame, however, came with its challenges, as he faced pressure from both his family and the industry, all while dealing with the rapid and overwhelming pace of fame at such a young age.
While Home Alone cemented Culkin’s place in film history, it also marked the beginning of the immense pressures that would ultimately lead him to step away from Hollywood at the peak of his career.
