Macaulay Culkin has opened up about why he decided to retire from acting as a teenager.
Culkin began working at just four years- ld, with his first credited role being in TV series The Equalizer, followed by films such as Rocket Gibraltar and Uncle Buck.
His life would change forever after being cast as Kevin McCallister in Home Alone and Home Alone 2, a role which made the 45-year-old a generational household name and also very, very rich.
However, Culkin would abruptly retire from the industry at the height of his career after 1994’s Richie Rich – a decision which seemed strange to many.
Over three decades on from first quitting the industry, Culkin maintains that he is still ‘technically’ retired despite appearing in numerous roles over the years.
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Culkin is letting his fans know that he’s “technically retired.”
Culkin, who is engaged to actress Brenda Song, explained that he doesn’t look for acting gigs.
“Technically, I’m retired right now. I retire and then, if I find something I like, I unretire, do that, and I immediately retire afterwards. Every gig is my last” – said Culkin during the interview.
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Why did Macaulay Culkin retire from acting?
He also said that he “quit for nearly a decade” once he wrapped the movie, Richie Rich, released in 1994.
“Just went to high school, fell in love, got drunk for the first time, things like that,” said the 45-year-old on the podcast episode.
He explained that he “had a yearning to go to school, to have contemporaries and things like that” because “when [he] was younger, [he] never worked with people [his] own age.” In addition, Culkin said that he made enough money as a successful child star that he “could do anything [he] wanted.”
“I was doneskies. I was like, ‘I hope you all made your money because there’s no more coming from me.’ I made my name. I made my mark. I made my fortune. The only reason why I even do it now is because I like to do it. Pay, pleasure, prestige — that’s the only reason to do a gig,” said Culkin during the podcast interview, as reported by Entertainment Weekly.
How much money did Macaulay Culkin make from Home Alone?
Macaulay Culkin in Home Alone, 1990 pic.twitter.com/pzvGNwLTb0
— CineVow (@cinevow) December 22, 2025
Part of the reason Culkin was able to retire from acting and choose his own destiny is down to vast fortune he amassed while playing Kevin McCallister.
Although he was only paid $100,000 (£75,000) for Home Alone, the film’s commercial success and a series of savvy contract negotiations saw Culkin earn a $4.5 million (£3.3 million) base salary for sequel Lost in New York alongside a 5 percent cut of the box office gross and 15 percent of merchandise sales, which earned him an additional $17.95 million (£13.2 million).
By the age of 14, Culkin had a trust fund valued at $50 million, meaning he had more than enough money in the bank to retire.
