Macaulay Culkin has shared heartfelt memories of his late co-star John Candy, amid his long-standing estrangement from his father. Culkin rose to fame at a young age with his role in the 1989 film Uncle Buck, where he played Miles Russell, the nephew of Candy’s character, Buck Russell.
At just eight years old during the movie’s production, Culkin recalls Candy as a “paternal” figure. Candy, who passed away in 1994 at the age of 43, left a lasting impact on Culkin, who views him as a supportive presence during the filming of Uncle Buck.
In Colin Hanks’s upcoming documentary, John Candy: I Like Me, set to release on Prime Video next month, Culkin fondly reminisces about his experience working with Candy.
“He showed a lot of respect,” Culkin remarked about Candy. “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.”
Culkin went on to talk about Candy’s ‘paternal’ influence and suggested that Candy was aware of the challenging relationship Culkin had with his father, Kit Culkin, during his early career.
Reflecting on this, Culkin said, as reported by Entertainment Weekly: “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.”
“All of a sudden, the fame and the money came, and he became an infamous monster.”
Culkin further expressed his gratitude for Candy’s kindness and vigilance on set. “He was already not a good guy,” he said about his father in the documentary. “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’.”
He lauded Candy for “looking out for” him and described these actions as “a testament to the kind of man he was.”
READ MORE:
JOHN CANDY’S KIDS RESPOND AFTER RYAN REYNOLDS ANNOUNCES NEW PROJECT
JOHN CANDY WAS PAID A SURPRISING AMOUNT FOR HOME ALONE ROLE
Culkin has not been in contact with his father for nearly 30 years, a decision he believes is justified. On the Sibling Revelry podcast with Kate and Oliver Hudson earlier this year, Culkin spoke about his estrangement from Kit: “Oh, he deserves it too. He’s a man who, he had seven kids, and now he has four grandkids. And none of them want anything to do with him.”
Culkin has two young sons with his fiancée Brenda Song, while his brother, Kieran Culkin, known for his role in Succession, has a son and daughter with his wife Jazz Charton.