Actor Daniel Stern has opened up about his reasons for not planning to attend any of the anniversary celebrations for the film Home Alone.
With Christmas fast approaching, it’s time to engage in the season’s typical activities: family disputes, minimal productivity at work, and indulging in classic holiday movies.
Among the essential Christmas films, once you’ve wrapped up Die Hard and the Harry Potter series, watching Home Alone is almost inevitable.
If you haven’t seen it yet, the original film follows Kevin McCallister, a young boy accidentally left behind when his family goes on a vacation.
During his time alone, Kevin must defend his home from two bumbling thieves, Harry (Joe Pesci) and Marv (Daniel Stern), who aim to rob his house.
Kevin ingeniously thwarts the criminals with a series of clever traps, providing a perfect blend of humor and action.
Even though fans worldwide consider it a holiday staple, Daniel Stern, one of the film’s main actors, will not be partaking in the 35th-anniversary festivities.
Stern, who portrayed one half of the Wet/Sticky Bandits, has shared his reasons for staying away from the spotlight, despite the film’s enduring popularity.
Stern has largely stepped away from Hollywood, choosing instead to pursue a life as an artist and farmer.
Living on a farm in California with his wife, Stern now raises cattle, cultivates citrus trees, and focuses on his work as a sculptor.
In an interview with PEOPLE, Stern explained his reluctance to join the anniversary events: “I don’t leave my farm. It’s no offense to the movie. I’m just … a phone call, Zoom call, I’m in. but… I’m a bit of a homebody.
“I love knowing that everybody loves it, but like, actual people come at me and say, ‘We love it’, It’s a little overwhelming sometimes.”
Despite feeling overwhelmed, Stern recalled that during production, he sensed the film’s potential.
He remarked, “I did know that it was a gem of a movie. It was so funny, it was so true, and so I did know that. I was hopeful that we were making a great movie. I had no idea obviously – no one could – of the longevity of its life.”