The Secret Warning John Candy Gave Macaulay Culkin About His Father
If your first instinct when remembering Home Alone is to imagine booby traps made of paint cans and a kid outsmarting the Wet Bandits, you’re not alone—pun absolutely intended . But let’s take a sobering left turn for a second: have you ever wondered what was happening off camera, in the shadows just past Kevin’s infamous aftershave scream? Let’s talk about fame, childhood, and that odd superpower some adults have to spot monsters hiding in plain sight .
Macaulay Culkin, everyone’s favorite ’90s mischief maker, is peeling back the curtain on the darker realities he faced growing up—in particular, how his relationship with his father became the stuff of tabloid nightmares . Enter John Candy—the big-hearted legend whose mere presence guaranteed laughs (and maybe a midnight snack of cheese puffs) on-set. Turns out, Candy wasn’t just there for the slapstick; he was one of the rare grown-ups who recognized what was really going on in Culkin’s life. It’s both heartbreaking and oddly comforting—kind of like finding out that the guy who made you LOL in Uncle Buck was also quietly saving someone’s childhood behind the scenes .
Is trauma ever obvious to those around us, or do we only notice kindness in hindsight? Keep that question in your mind as you dive into this story—because sometimes, a familiar face in the background turns out to be the true hero .
Warning: This article contains discussion of child abuse which some readers may find distressing.
Macaulay Culkin has revealed that John Candy was one of the first people to notice that his father was a ‘monster’.
The Home Alone actor has been open about his relationship (or lack of) with his dad over the years, with him and his younger siblings avoiding any contact with Kit Culkin.
It’s no secret that Macaulay grew up in the spotlight, with plenty of us knowing him best for his various child star roles in the iconic Christmas films or the likes of Richie Rich, My Girl or Uncle Buck.
Candy was, of course, the titular star in that 1989 film, as the bachelor is left to babysit his rebellious teenage niece and her little brother and sister.
Macaulay has been opening up about his friendship with the late actor for the new documentary, John Candy: I Like Me.
Uncle Buck is an absolute classic (Universal Pictures)
The Canadian actor and comedian died in 1994 at the age of 43 after suffering a heart attack.
He also starred alongside Culkin in Home Alone as Gus Polinski, a member of a travelling polka band who comes to the mum’s rescue to get back to little Kevin, as well as roles in the likes of Cool Runnings and Planes, Trains and Automobiles.
And Macaulay has remembered Candy for having a ‘paternal’ presence and ‘looking out for’ him on set.
“I think he always had that really great instinct,” he said during the doc, which had its premiere at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) yesterday (4 September).
“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.”
Then, when the ‘fame and money came’, Macaulay claimed his dad became ‘an infamous monster’.
He says Candy looked out for him (Taylor Hill/FilmMagic)
“He was already not a good guy. 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’,” the actor continued.
He said this was ‘a testament to the kind of man’ Candy was.
“I wish I got more of that in my life. It’s important that I remember that. I remember John caring when not a lot of people did,” Macaulay added.
The star previously described his father as ‘physically and mentally abusive’ as he said in a 2001 interview that he was ‘always abusive, but it didn’t get really, really, really bad until later on’.
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence regarding the welfare of a child, contact the NSPCC on 0808 800 5000, 10am-8pm Monday to Friday. If you are a child seeking advice and support, call Childline for free on 0800 1111, 24/7.
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