Macaulay Culkin became a household name as Kevin McCallister in Home Alone (1990) which is considered a Christmas classic. It was very much embraced by critics and audience alike, earning Culkin, a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor in a Comedy or Musical.

At just ten years at the time, Culkin was thrusted into the world of fame and Hollywood and is grateful for the love that he has received over the years. But a particular scar, figuratively and literally, left a sour impression on Culkin regarding his co star Joe Pesci while making the movie.

Joe Pesci May Have Gone Too Far Into His Character in Home Alone

Joe Pesci, Macaulay Culkin and Daniel Stern in Home Alone

Macaulay Culkin in an appearance on Late Night With Conan O’ Brien, reminisces about his experiences as a child making the cult film and how he felt working with all the big names in the film, including Joe Pesci. Working with such a revered actor was an experience that Culkin treasured and lamented at the same time. He refers to the scene where Pesci’s character bites him and how he went all method on him and did it for real. When asked by Conan if he got mad at Pesci for such an act, Culkin responded saying,

“Yes, I did! I got really mad at him. I was like, ‘I don’t care how many Oscars you have! You’re biting a nine-year-old, what the heck’s wrong with you?’”
He hilariously also shows Conan the scar that Pesci left him with after the scene, which he acknowledges that he had forgotten about it, until recently.

Joe Pesci is Known for Being an Intensive Actor in Portraying his Characters

Joe Pesci in Goodfellas

Joe Pesci has always been an actor who portrays tough and hard wired characters in most of his films, particularly in his collaborations with Martin Scorsese. Films like Raging Bull (1980), Goodfellas (1990), Casino (1995) and The Irishman (2019) are clear example of his emphasis on eccentric characters and the intensity with which his characters are pitched.

Culkin’s comments about Pesci going all method on him, is not at all surprising, considering his dedication and commitment that he puts to his craft. Even in a comedic role and a film like Home Alone, he makes sure that the action portrayed in the particular scene feels authentic and realistic. It is expected of an actor with such a rich filmography and high caliber awards to his name to go all in for a role, even if others might not relate to his method of performance.

 Other Noteworthy Films Macaulay Culkin Starred in Since Home Alone

Macaulay Culkin

Since his breakthrough in the Home Alone Franchise, Culkin has starred in many films including The Good Sun (1993), The Nutcracker (1993), Getting Even With Dad (1994) and Richie Rich (1994) to name a few. He took a break from acting in 1994 and returned in 2003, doing a guest appearance  in the television sitcom Will and Grace (1998-2006). Recently in 2021, he joined the tenth season of the anthology series American Horror Story called American Horror Story: Double Feature, where his performance received rave reviews from critics and audiences.