Culkin, 43, and O’Hara, 69, reunited at the Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony three decades after Home Alone. Culkin could hardly stop his tears when reuniting with his on-screen mom in the movies that shaped his career. The star was honored at the Walk of Fame Ceremony on Friday.
Actor Catherine O’Hara praised the star who became one of Hollywood’s most famous child stars. Macaulay Culkin’s portrayal of Kevin McCallister was not the only factor in his stardom, O’Hara praised.
“Home Alone was, is and always will be a global sensation, the reason it is that, 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.”
Catherine O’Hara
During her speech, Catherine O’Hara emphasized that Culkin’s sense of humor and charisma sealed his Hollywood stardom for the past 40+ years,
“Yes, he had an excellent script and a wonderful director, but it is McCaulay’s perfect performance as Kevin McCallister that gave us that little everybody on an extraordinary adventure.”
Catherine O’Hara tugs at heartstrings
O’Hara continued to praise the talented star as Culkin stood right beside her. “I know you worked hard, but you made acting look like the most natural thing in the world. It was as if we ambushed the home of this real little boy named Kevin to make a movie, and he just went along with it for fun.” O’Hara had to take breaks throughout her speech to stop the tears from flowing.
The epic Home Alone movies were directed by Chris Columbus and written by John Hughes. It also starred other iconic actors like Joe Pesci. O’Hara reflected on Home Alone 2: Lost in New York and what it was like working with young Culkin, her on-screen son. In her speech, O’Hara said the star brings his “sweet and twisted, yet totally relatable” sense of humor to every project he does.
“It’s a sign of intelligence in a child and a key to survival at any age,” she said of Macaulay Culkin’s humor and work ethic on set.
“Macaulay, congratulations. You so deserve your star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. And thank you for including me, your fake mom who left you home alone, not once but twice, to share in this happy occasion. I’m so proud of you,” she concluded her speech.
In addition to the attendance was Culkin’s fiancee Brenda Song, 34, and their two kids: a baby son and the oldest, Dakota, 2.
Culkin thanked O’Hara and Natasha Lyonne (Culkin’s costar from 2003’s Party Monster) for all of the support and love on his special day. Alike Catherine O’Hara during her speech, Culkin also got emotional, thanking his friends for celebrating him. “Thanks for all your kind words and your stories and stuff.”
“You know, you made my kids’ dad, their papa, look good. And the most important thing to me is that their papa understands that he wasn’t always his papa; he used to be a kid, too, you know?” Culkin said with a laugh.
Culkin concluded: “To wrap things up, and in the spirit of the holiday season, I just wanna say Merry Christmas, ya filthy animals,” a callback to his iconic scene as Kevin McCallister in Home Alone 2.
Macaulay Culkin is the 2,756th person to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. His legacy as Kevin McCallister and the popular Home Alone movies will be honored forever.