Back when Home Alone was being produced, a lot of people thought that the movie would be a failure. In fact, Warner Bros. had such little faith in the film that they ordered production be shut down when Home Alone went over budget. Fortunately for everyone involved and Home Alone fans everywhere, Fox stepped in to take over the film’s production and release it to the masses.
Of course, Home Alone became such a sensation that it turned Macaulay Culkin into one of the biggest child stars in Hollywood history. On top of that, so many people continue to love Home Alone so much that when Disney bought fox, they produced the sequel Home Sweet Home Alone which had a much talked about trailer. Even though most people associate Home Alone with success, it turns out the movie’s stars have gone through so much turmoil that some people think that the film is cursed.
The Culkins’ Difficult Childhood Led To Issues
When Home Alone was released in 1990, most people thought that Macaulay Culkin had it made since he became a massive star. While there is no doubt that Macaulay would go on to make a lot of money in the years that followed and he continues to live off that cash to this day, his stardom led to a lot of problems. In fact, Macaulay’s father Kit disowned him in part because of his stardom.
When Macaulay Culkin went on the WTF Podcast with Marc Maron, he talked about how his Home Alone stardom caused his relationship with his father to break down. "He was relatively jealous. Everything that he tried to do in his life, like, I excelled at before I was 10-years old." On top of jealousy being an issue for Macaulay and his father, it has been claimed that the Culkin parents had a horrible custody battle due to Kit wanting access to his son’s money.
Since Macaulay Culkin has many siblings, it is important to note that all of his brothers and sisters were also affected by the strife in the family. For example, Kieran Culkin also was a victim of the situation that arose in part due to the success his brother enjoyed after the film made him a star and he played a memorable Home Alone role.
Several Home Alone Stars Have Had Troubles With The Law
In the years since it was released in 1990, at least three of Home Alone's most notable stars found themselves in hot water with the law. In the case of Macaulay Culkin, in 2004 he was arrested for possession of an illegal substance and having a controlled medication without a prescription. After pleading guilty, Culkin was sentenced to a suspended one-year sentence.
In December of 2021, the actor who brought Home Alone’s Buzz to life was accused of an extremely serious crime. According to Devin Ratray’s girlfriend, the couple got into an argument when she failed to charge fans money to get his autograph. As a result, when they went back to a hotel, Ratray got violent and even cut off her supply of oxygen with his hands. As a result, Ratray was charged with domestic assault and battery but as of the time of this writing, he hasn’t gone to trial yet.
For most Home Alone fans, John Herd will always be remembered for playing Kevin’s somewhat hapless father. In real life, however, several events in his life were no laughing matter. The reason for that is after Herd and his ex-girlfriend Melissa Leo had a son and then broke up, things became scary. The year after Home Alone was released, John Herd was charged with third-degree assault after he allegedly slapped Leo. Several years after that, Herd was found guilty of trespassing after he was found on Leo’s property against her wishes.
Which Actors From 'Home Alone' Died?
In the years since Home Alone was released, several Home Alone stars have sadly passed away. For example, the actor who played the McCallister’s initially scary and ultimately heroic neighbor passed away in 2011. Of course, Blossoms led a full life so that isn’t overly tragic but it is sad that his wife predeceased him and his son Michael lost his life to cancer after the actor’s passing.
Another Home Alone actor who has passed away is the one who played Kevin’s dad, John Herd. After Herd was found by staff in a hotel he was staying at, it was ruled that atherosclerotic and hypertensive heart disease were the causes of his demise. Sadly, Herd had suffered tragedy before his passing since his estranged son Maxwell from his marriage to Sharon Herd passed away the year before John met his end.
Finally, the most famous Home Alone actor who has passed away is John Candy. Cast as a kindly traveling musician who helps Kevin’s mother in her quest to get home to her son, Candy made the most of the relatively minor role. Arguably one of the most beloved actors in Hollywood history, it felt like the world became a little bit sadder when Candy lost his life.