Surprise! The actor behind one of the most memorable ‘Home Alone’ characters had no idea what the movie was about

Like baking gingerbread men and avoiding a relative with good intentions but no manners, Home Alone is part of many people’s Christmas. But as it turns out, Kieran Culkin admits he didn’t know the movie’s plot when he starred in it.

Culkin told The Los Angeles Times in a joint interview with his A Real Pain co-star Jesse Eisenberg, “I had no idea what that movie was about when I saw it, and I was in it.” He continued, “I was at the premiere, and I was dying laughing. It was the funniest thing I had ever seen.”

This is hilarious, but even funnier? Culkin explained that Devin Ratray (aka the villain Buzz and the most nightmarish brother ever) said he was the subject of the film. The then eight-year-old went along with it and then realized the truth. He said, “Mac was on set all the time. That makes sense the movie would be about him.” That sounds like something Buzz would do!

Culkin worries Home Alone is basically a horror movie where his three-year-old son is concerned, and honestly, it’s hard to disagree. The film may be full of simple pleasures that children love, like when Kevin gets to eat ice cream for dinner (living the dream) and play with any toy he wants. But the Sticky/Wet Bandits are legitimately eerie and still give me the creeps. They’re criminals, after all, and in a different movie, they could have really hurt Kevin.

I love that Culkin was so innocent about the fact that his brother played the main character in Home Alone, especially since his sibling became a household name after the role. But this anecdote also hints at the darkness of childhood fame in general and the Culkins’ story in particular. Typically, your parents would tell you the plot of the movie you got cast in, but the siblings didn’t have a good time. Macaulay talked about his terrible childhood and said his parents took his money and his dad was abusive. However, in interviews, Kieran has made it clear that he loves acting, and he told The Hollywood Reporter his time as a kid actor was devoid of the “crazy, negative, awful, traumatic experiences as a child actor” that his sibling went through.

Well, even if Culkin didn’t know much about Home Alone, he played one of the best and nostalgia-inducing parts of the film. He played Kevin McAllister’s cousin Fuller, a nerdy child with big glasses who smiled big in every scene he was in. Fuller was Kevin’s worst nightmare since they had to share a bed during the holidays, and since Fuller was a bed wetter, Kevin was understandably grossed out. They only interacted briefly since Fuller actually went to Paris with the rest of the family, but this remains a relatable storyline for any kid lucky enough to watch Home Alone during their childhood.

Even if Culkin didn’t know Home Alone‘s whole deal before he went to the premiere, he can be proud of his adorable appearance. And he should be proud of the rest of his career, too, which has included roles on TV dramas such as Succession and Fargo and movies including Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, Igby Goes Down, and the modern classic She’s All That. This funny story is a reminder for me to watch Home Alone again (for what might be my 100th time), and Culkin’s behind-the-scenes tidbit makes it even better.