Macaulay Culkin says John Candy thought his father was a “monster”

Macaulay Culkin reveals his experience working with his infamous on-screen uncle John Candy.

Candy died at the age of 43 after suffering a heart attack in 1994. Culkin, now 45, starred alongside Candy in the Uncle Back in the 1989 John Hughes film. Home Alone Star is open about his friendship with the late actor in Colin Hanks’ new documentary, John Candy: I ​​Like Me. The film held its world premiere on Thursday, September 4th, as the opening film for the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).

“I think he always had a really great instinct,” Culkin remembers in his new documentary.

The famous child actor said, “I think he saw it. Hearing, it wasn’t difficult to see how difficult my dad was, even before the waves were at the peak and only the house was happening. That was no secret. He was already a monster.”

“All of a sudden, fame and money came, and he became an infamous monster,” continued Culkin. “He wasn’t a good guy already. John said, “Are you all okay over there? Are you doing good? A good day? A good day? A good day? Is everything okay? Is everything okay at home?”

The actor calls his attitude “a testimony of someone he was” and says Candy is “looking for him on set.” He added that he felt Candy had a “paternal” presence.

“It doesn’t happen often. Over time it didn’t really happen much,” says Culkin. “I want to get more of it in my life. It’s important to remember that. I remember John Coring when a lot of people did it.”

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Culkin and his brother, Real Pain star Kieran Culkin, have previously been opened up about their toxic relationship with his father, Kit Culkin.

“I think that’s one of my favorite performances because I think he put a lot of himself in,” Culkin said of his time in Uncle Buck. He said, “I like or don’t like working with kids,” and some actors said, “Because John was always really kind and was really good with him and his on-screen sister, Gabby Hoffman.

John Candy: I’m on Prime Video on October 10th.