‘I just wish it was gone’: ‘Home Alone 2’ director talks digitally erasing Donald Trump cameo

Donald Trump’s appearance in the Christmas classic that is Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, has to be one of the most jarring cameos to ever be put to film. Of course, back in the early nineties nobody thought much of it. But in modern times it feels more like a jumpscare and it will forever change how some people look at the movie.

And no one looks upon that moment with more disdain than the film’s own director, Chris Columbus. Speaking to the San Francisco Chronicle, the filmmaker called the scene a “curse,” going on to say, “It’s become an albatross for me. I just wish it was gone.”

Columbus has considering removing the scene

The director, who’s responsible for pretty much everyone’s childhood, (be it the first two Home Alone films or the first two Harry Potter films) revealed that he had considered doing what I like to call a George Lucas by going back and making changes to the film which is over 30 years old. Columbus wanted to remove the cameo altogether but admitted that he was worried he would “have to go back to Italy or something.” He was born and raised in the U.S. but has Italian ancestry.

Columbus is of course referring to the president’s rather unconstitutional stance on immigration and citizenship which saw an innocent man arrested and taken to a terrorist detention center by mistake. If it sounds ridiculous that the president should deport someone over something so innocuous may I remind you, this is Trump we’re talking about.

How did Trump even get a part in the first place?

For those wondering, there are two sides to the story of how Trump ended up in the festive sequel. Trump claims that the director’s team approached him and was “begging” him to make an appearance, this sounds like the usual egotistical Trump. Meanwhile, Columbus claimed that the future president practically forced his way into the film as it was the only way Trump would allow them to film in the Plaza Hotel, “There’s no world I would ever beg a non-actor to be in a movie. But we were desperate to get the Plaza hotel.”

Columbus was always iffy about keeping the cameo in the movie, but admits that he went against his better judgement after seeing viewers at a Chicago screening cheer when Trump’s seven-second scene arrived.

Of course, nowadays that scene elicits groans more than anything and Columbus is considering doing what he should have done over 30 years ago. He already has the support of the film’s star as Macaulay Culkin has already said he’s “sold” on the idea of removing the scene.