Putting the speculation to rest. Former child star Macaulay Culkin opened up to The Guardian about his much talked-about past, including persistent heroin rumors about him.
Culkin, 35, best known for his string of early ’90s hits including both Home Alone films and My Girl, was asked whether the public was right to be concerned about tabloid reports that circulated in 2012, that he was struggling with substance issues involving heroin and pain killers following his split from girlfriend Mila Kunis. (He was arrested in 2004 for possession of marijuana, Xanax and clonazepam.)
“Not necessarily,” Culkin said about whether people were right to be worried. “Of course, when silly stuff is going on — but no, I was not pounding six grand of heroin every month or whatever. The thing that bugged me was tabloids wrapping it all in this weird guise of concern. No, you’re trying to shift papers.”
Asked if he might want to tell a fuller story someday, Culkin replied, “Perhaps.”
The star has been a somewhat mysterious figure over the years, occasionally acting in small projects (including reprising his Home Alone character Kevin McCallister for a web short released in December 2015) and playing with his band, The Pizza Underground, but mostly laying low in Paris. He plans to spend the summer helping musicians Har Mar Superstar and Adam Green during their tour.
“Home is where my boots are,” he said. “I’m a big fan of jumping on people’s tour buses, making myself useful, doing load-ins and outs. I do everything except the merch table. I tried that, but … we didn’t sell anything.
Despite mostly eschewing the limelight these days, he doesn’t regret his time as a young performer.
“It’s allowed me to become the person I am, and I like me, so I wouldn’t change a thing,” Culkin said. “Not having to do anything for my dinner, financially, lets me treat every gig like it’s the last.” He added with a laugh, “If it is, I’d think: Culkin, you had a good run.”
