Macaulay Culkin showed off his huge personality in movies at a young age, and he became one of the most successful child stars of the ‘90s. With the retired actor actively working (and having even been cast in Fallout Season 2), he’s now become a familiar face on the street again. At the same time, Culkin also has his own set of ground rules when chopping it up with fans to ensure he still has his own space.
Even though Macaulay Culkin is now 45 years old, he can easily be recognized from his best movies, which made him a household name. While appearing on an episode of the SmartLess podcast, the former child star got real about the strict rules he sets for himself when he’s spotted by his fans, and there are three of them, which I think are fair:
I definitely have to gird myself for, you know, outings and so forth. I just set certain ground rules for myself. Don’t approach me at the dinner table. I don’t like that. Don’t approach me when I’m with my kids. Definitely don’t follow me to the bathroom. You know, things like that. I just realized that I’m in charge of the social contract. I’m in charge of the interaction.
Since the Home Alone actor has more control of his career and personal autonomy, as an adult than he ever did as a kid, he has a right to establish boundaries. I can’t imagine many people like to be bothered during private moments with their family, and the same goes for a bathroom trip. At the end of the day, fans need to remember that celebrities are people too and have a right to privacy like anyone else.
The New York City native continued to talk about how “burdensome” instant fame was as a kid. However, he said the “trick” to getting through it all was knowing you’re in control of social interactions and to pick up on the best ways to mix it up with fans. Here’s what Culkin shared:
When people meet a celebrity, they go, ‘I’m going to be cool.’ And then they meet [one], and they turn into just something else. And I also know all kinds of shortcuts and stuff like that. If you want to end it, you go, ‘Nice to meet you,’ or ‘Have a great day’ or something like that. And a lot of times, they walk away before they even realize the interaction is over with. And they’re like, ‘Ah man, I didn’t get that photo!’ Like, ‘Yeah, you sure didn’t. Bye!’
It’s true that it’s easier said than done to be “cool” in front of a celebrity. Anthony Mackie’s wild fan story about a woman wanting a photo with him while at a restaurant, only for her to throw up oysters all over him is a perfect example of how crazy things can get. It was also hard for Tom Holland to deal with Spider-Man fame, as he had to get used to being approached for photo requests. As Macaulay Culkin dealt with popularity at a young age, it seems he’s now become a pro in the art of guiding a fan conversation at will
Honestly, I admire how Culkin manages to navigate fame and fan interactions. And, with the My Girl actor now a father, I can understand why he’d want people to be considerate when he’s in public with his kids. So, folks, save the selfie requests for a more appropriate time.
Fan catch Macaulay Culkin on Fallout and in the documentary John Candy: I Like Me now using a Prime Video subscription.