“From Blockbuster Fame to a Life Redefined: The Surprising Turn of Home Alone’s Millionaire Star”

When you think of Daniel Stern, you might picture him as the goofy burglar Marv Murchins from Home Alone, but trust me, in real life, he’s anything but silly! Did you know that this 67-year-old actor cleverly negotiated his way into a windfall by adding a special clause to his contract for the sequel? It’s fascinating to think that while Marv and his partner in crime Harry Lime (played by Joe Pesci) struggled to get away with a few bucks, Stern cashed in big time, ultimately paving the way for an entirely new chapter in his life! As he transitioned from Hollywood hijinks to life on a farm, it’s clear this guy knows how to turn a bumpy career path into a smooth ride into the sunset. Curious to learn how he did it? Click here to LEARN MORE.

Daniel Stern might have starred as a bumbling burglar in Home Alone, but the actor isn’t as daft as his character Marv Murchins in real life.

In fact, the 67-year-old is so savvy that he managed to pocket a few extra millions after inserting a special clause into his contract for the second instalment of the Christmas film.

It’s money which Marv and his sidekick Harry Lime (Joe Pesci) could only dream of – and it helped set Stern up for his drastic change in career.

The Bushwhacked star, from Maryland, previously revealed that he wasn’t going to accept the $300,000 (£236,000) he was offered to take part in the original Home Alone.

He threw in the towel after the length of filming was extended by another two weeks, but producers managed to get him to return after they didn’t like his replacement.

As we all know, the 1990 comedy became an absolute hit – so when negotiations began for Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, Stern knew he had some leverage.

After learning that his co-star Pesci was earning up to $3 million (£2.36 million) as one half of the Wet Bandits, Stern ditched his agent and demanded a pay rise.

“I knew they couldn’t do the movie without me, but I was also insecure, since I almost blew it the first time,” he said. “I didn’t want to be too greedy when I loved the movie and the part so much.”

Considering one of the biggest names to star in Home Alone was only paid a few hundred pounds, you can see why Stern was treading lightly.

Stern earned millions from his iconic role in Home Alone (20th Century Fox)

The James vs. His Future Self actor wanted $1.5 million (£1.18million) to step back into the shoes of Marv, as well as two percent of the gross profits of the sequel.

Although the studio agreed to bump up his salary, they shook hands on one percent instead of two – but Stern has still raked in millions as a result.

Home Alone 2: Lost in New York grossed $359,000,000 (£282,000,000) worldwide, of which the actor took a $3.59 million slice.

This equates to around $8.07 million today, with inflation factored in, so it’s no wonder that Stern is now living his best agricultural life these days.

He left behind the chaos that came with chasing Kevin McCallister around in favour a quieter life, trading the bright lights of Hollywood for hard work on a farm.

Stern is now a cattle rancher, but has also found time to devote to his passions, writing and sculpting, too.

The actor, 67, now lives on his farm and is a cattle rancher (X/@RealDanielStern)

He often shares snippets of his new lifestyle on social media, where he documents his adorable side quests.

In one, Stern – who boasts 88,000 TikTok followers and nearly 25,000 YouTube subscribers – brags about the delicious fruits which he has grown, before showing how he turns them into juice.

Another clip shared by the actor shows an incredible life-size clay sculpture he had just completed.

Stern – who dubs his cattle his ‘friends’ – seems to be loving the slower pace that farm life brings, as well as his newfound popularity on social media.

The Home Alone star discussed the reasoning behind his drastic lifestyle change on his website.

Stern wrote: “When I was a kid, I was a terrible student but I excelled in all things artistic – theatre, choir, band, woodshed, metal shop, ceramics, and sculpture.

“I dropped out of high school when I was seventeen and moved to New York to become an actor.

“I got married and was a father by the time I was 23, and obviously had to just focus on my show business career.

“​I did a lot of great movies but there came a point where I missed being away from my family. I decided to stop traveling so much, stay home and focus on my family and my other artistic passions.

“​The result of that decision is that I have a wonderful family life and this body of work.”