Macaulay Culkin Says John Candy Was One of the First to Notice That His Father Was 'a Monster'

Macaulay Culkin is opening up about his experience working with his infamous on-screen uncle John Candy.

via: Variety

Before “Home Alone” turned Macaulay Culkin into a child actor icon, it was “Uncle Buck” (released in theaters one year before) that first put the young star on the map. The John Hughes-directed comedy was headlined by John Candy as a reckless bachelor who is forced to babysit his nieces and nephews. In the new documentary “John Candy: I Like Me,” which opened the Toronto International Film Festival, Culkin remembers Candy’s kindness on set and reveals Candy was one of the first people to notice there was trouble brewing at home.

“I think that’s why that’s one of my favorite performances, because I think he put a lot of himself into it,” Culkin said (via Entertainment Weekly). “[Most actors] don’t know how or don’t like to work with kids… they’re tricky to work with, but John was always really kind and really good. He showed a lot of respect. When you’re 8 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.”

“I think he always had that really great instinct,” Culkin continued. “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. 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 said that Candy’s decision to keep checking in on his much younger co-star was “a testament to the kind of man he was” and that he “was just looking out for” him on set.

“It doesn’t happen that often. It actually happened less as time went on,” Culkin concludes. “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.”

Both Macaulay Culkin and his brother, Oscar winner Kieran Culkin, have long been open about their difficult father. The former told Esquire in 2020 that “we didn’t want to go with my father” when their mother filed for custody of the children during her marriage separation. Macaulay appeared on an episode of the “Sibling Revelry” podcast earlier this year and slammed his dad’s “narcissistic” behavior as he fed off the Hollywood success of his children.

“One of my earliest memories of him [is thinking], ‘When I grow up, this is how I’m not gonna be with my kids,’” Macaulay remembered.

“John Candy: I Like Me” premieres Oct. 10 on Amazon Prime Video.