“We’re overjoyed,” Macaulay Culkin and Brenda Song said in a statement to Esquire, one week after Brenda gave birth to the couple’s first child, Dakota Song Culkin. Macaulay, 40, and Brenda, 33, welcomed their son on Apr. 5, christening him after Macaulay’s late sister, Dakota Culkin. For those who remember when Macaulay was himself a child, this is a momentous occasion, one that certifies that young Mack has grown up.
Macaulay first became a household name 30 years ago, thanks to Home Alone. Released on Nov. 16, 1990, the film became a holiday blockbuster, and audiences fell in love with young Macaulay as he portrayed Kevin McCallister, the mischievous 8-year-old who has to defend his home from two burglars after his family accidentally leaves him behind on Christmas vacation.
Mack would reprise the role for the sequel, Home Alone 2: Lost In New York, which continued his meteoric rise to fame. Mack would land starring roles in movies like My Girl, The Good Son, The Pagemaster, and the big-screen live-action adaptation of Richie Rich. Macaulay actually first began acting at the age of four, when he landed a role in the direct-to-TV film The Midnight Hour in 1985. It was followed by his silver screen debut in the 1988 movie Rocket Gibraltar and a starring role in Uncle Buck, alongside John Candy.
Of course, it was his role as the cheeky yet lovable Kevin McCallister in Home Alone that turned him into a household name overnight. The New York-born actor, who came from a family of entertainment industry veterans, landed a Saturday Night Live hosting gig off the back of his success in the flick. He was also given a part in Michael Jackson‘s music video for “Black Or White.” The singer actually named Mac the godfather of his daughter Paris Jackson, who was born in 1998!
Given that he experienced so much fame at an incredibly young age, it’s not surprising that he decided to take a four-year break from acting beginning in 1994. At 14 years old, he had 10 movies under his belt and decided to attend a private high school in Manhattan. He dropped out during his senior year and wed actress Rachel Miner when they were just 18 years old. Their union didn’t last long as they separated in 2000 and officially divorced in 2002.
Macaulay went on to date That ’70s Show star Mila Kunis for several years after his split from Rachel, and during that time he performed small roles in TV shows like Robot Chicken.
He also sadly battled with drug use over the years. The actor sat down for a tell-all interview with Esquire, which hit newsstands on Feb. 18, 2020. “Listen. I played with some fire, I guess is the best way to put it. At the same time, I’ve never been to rehab or anything like that,” he began. “I’ve never had to clean out that way. There were certain times when I had to catch myself, once or twice. You’re having too good a time, Mack. I mean, I’ve had friends who ask me, ‘How do I get clean?’ And I go, I’m the last person you should ask, because I’m gonna give you the worst advice, which is: Just stop. Just stop! And that’s not the way it works. But I never went so far down that road where I needed outside help.”
Part of the reason he decided to live a healthier, drug-free lifestyle is because of his serious relationship with girlfriend (and now, mother of his child), Brenda Song. The couple met while filming the 2019 film Changeland, and they now live together. Mack is also slated to make a big return to TV as part of American Horror Story‘s milestone 10th season. Scroll through the gallery above to see pics of Macaulay throughout the years.