More than three decades after they first starred together in Home Alone, Macaulay Culkin is opening up about the emotional bond he shared with Catherine O’Hara, and why her passing left him feeling like he “owed” her something more.
The former child star, now 45, discussed O’Hara’s recent passing with Gentleman’s Journal. O’Hara died on January 30 at age 71 from a pulmonary embolism linked to an underlying illness.
Culkin wished he had more time with the actress, who played Kate McCallister, Kevin McCallister’s mother, in Home Alone. The pair also reunited for the 1992 sequel, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York.
Culkin reflected on the “unfinished business” he felt after O’Hara’s death:
“When Catherine passed away in January, that hit me. That hit me pretty good, 'cause, you know, it was just too soon. And I felt that we had unfinished business. I definitely feel like I had unfinished business with her, you know?"
While the pair never worked together again after the Home Alone films, Culkin remained close with O’Hara over the years. O’Hara previously revealed that her former onscreen son never stopped calling her “mom.”
He elaborated on why he felt he still had something left unresolved with O’Hara:
"I feel like I owed her a favor—and I don't like having an outstanding debt.”
Shortly after O’Hara’s death, Culkin shared a heartfelt tribute on Instagram alongside two photos: one of their Home Alone characters embracing, and another recreating the pose years later at his Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony.
He wrote in the emotional tribute post:
"Mama. I thought we had time. I wanted more. I wanted to sit in a chair next to you. I heard you. But I had so much more to say.”
"I love you," he concluded. "I'll see you later."
You can view the post below:
Culkin was just 10 years old when he took on the role of Kevin McCallister, the mischievous but well-meaning boy accidentally left behind during his family’s Christmas vacation. The film went on to become one of the defining holiday movies of the 1990s and also starred John Heard and John Candy, both of whom have since died.
He reflected on the reality of losing older costars throughout his life and career:
“I'm not the tip of the sphere. I'm the butt of the sphere. I'm the caboose. I'm bringing up some of that old Hollywood guard kind of thing—I'm going to be one of the last people standing when it comes to that kind of stuff.”
Culkin also discussed his relationship with fiancée Brenda Song during the interview. The couple first met in 2014, then reconnected on the set of the 2017 film Changeland. They have been together for nearly 9 years, share 2 children, and are currently engaged.
Culkin’s emotional reflections quickly resonated with longtime Home Alone fans, many of whom shared their reactions online after the interview began circulating.
Readers took to social media to share their thoughts:
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O’Hara notably reunited with Culkin at his Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony in December 2023, where she delivered an emotional speech honoring the actor and reflecting on the lasting legacy of Home Alone.
She credited Culkin for the enduring popularity of the movie during her emotional speech:
"'Home Alone' was, is, and always will be a beloved global sensation... the reason families all over the world can't let a year go by without watching and loving 'Home Alone' together is because of Macaulay Culkin."
You can view their heartfelt reunion at the Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony below:
- YouTubeAccess Hollywood
For many fans, Culkin and O’Hara’s relationship became one of the emotional cornerstones of Home Alone, both onscreen and off. That’s part of why Culkin’s admission that he felt there was still “unfinished business” between them has resonated so deeply with audiences revisiting the pair’s decades-long connection.
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