Macaulay Culkin is facing online criticism over his Halloween costume choice this year.
The actor, 44, dressed as the soldier from the viral “thousand-yard stare” World War II meme, complete with an army hat and dark green camouflage face paint, according to posts shared on X. Images of the look began circulating on the platform and quickly ignited debate about whether the makeup crossed a line.
Some users on X and Reddit said the paint resembled blackface, sparking immediate backlash. Others pushed back hard, insisting the color was military green chosen specifically to match the historical portrait that inspired the costume. Defenders argued that reddish lighting in the photos had distorted the true shade and led to misinterpretation of both the images and the source material.
One user on X wrote: “It’s not a blackface, but it’s kinda inappropriate and clueless considering how many war conflicts happening in the world today.” Their objection did not frame the paint as blackface but instead targeted the costume itself, pointing to ongoing global conflicts as the reason for its poor taste.
Other reactions on X took lighter tones. One user posted: “I’m so used to the Ishowspeed version,” while another user, IceY, shared: “This year’s Halloween costumes aren’t scary.”
The conversation migrated to Reddit, where a thread discussing the costume appeared in the r/popculturechat community. There, the same divide played out between those condemning the look and those explaining away the controversy as a lighting-driven misunderstanding.
Culkin has not publicly addressed the criticism as of yet.
The incident joins a lengthy roster of celebrity Halloween costumes that have generated public backlash. Julianne Hough apologized on Twitter in 2013 after dressing as Uzo Aduba’s character from Orange Is the New Black using dark face makeup. Jason Aldean wore blackface for a Lil Wayne costume in 2015. Colton Haynes later apologized for painting his face to portray Kanye West in 2011 and Gandhi in 2012. Hilary Duff and Jason Walsh faced criticism in 2016 for a pilgrim and Native American pairing, with Duff admitting the costume “was not properly thought through.” Hindu leaders demanded an apology from Heidi Klum in 2008 after she dressed as the goddess Kali. Bill Maher refused to apologize for a Steve Irwin costume in 2006, complete with a bloody stingray barb, just a month after the conservationist’s death. Chris Brown generated controversy in 2012 by posting photos of himself and friends in beards, turbans and holding assault weapons.
Culkin first rose to fame as the child star of the Home Alone franchise and has largely maintained a lower public profile in recent years, making this burst of attention particularly notable for its intensity around a single evening’s costume choice.