Home Alonebecame an instant classic upon its debut in 1990, earning recognition as one of the few “family holiday comedies” that genuinely appealed to audiences of all ages. While the creative direction from filmmakerChris Columbus,the heartfelt prose of screenwriterJohn Hughes, and the iconic musical score byJohn Williamswere all essential in crafting the film’s unique tone, the success ofHome Aloneis best credited to its young star.Macaulay Culkin’s performance as Kevin McCallister created a new cinematic hero that defined the holiday season. Although the performance kick-started a period of success forCulkin and his brothers, the role nearly wasn’t his. Prior to Culkin’s casting,comedianJohn Mulaneywas considered to play Kevin McCallister.
Home Alone
An eight-year-old troublemaker, mistakenly left home alone, must defend his home against a pair of burglars on Christmas eve.
Why John Mulaney Isn’t in ‘Home Alone'
Warner Brothers found a solid director for the projectwhen Columbus was hired. However,the process of casting Kevin was not easy. While casting a child actor role is generally difficult,Home Alonerequired a young performer whose charisma could carry an entire story on its own. Afterauditioning hundreds of young actors for the role, Hughes suggested casting Culkin, whom he had worked with previously in the 1989 family comedyUncle Buck. Culkin had already proven that he could appear infilms written by Hughes, and had the appropriate tenacity needed to play Kevin.
Culkin’s experience onUncle Buckgave him an advantage over the other aspiring young actors, including John Mulaney.According to theChicago Tribune,Mulaney was acting in a children’s sketch comedy theater troupe at the time and was asked to audition by a talent scout. Despite being a cinephile and harboring his own ambitions about acting,Mulaney revealed onLive With Kellythat his parents did not want him to “audition for a movie.” Since Mulaney wasn’t given the chance to appear before producers, he didn’t even have the opportunity to playone of Kevin’s younger siblings.
Although losing out on one of the most iconic roles in Christmas movie history was certainly a disappointment,Mulaney bears no ill will towards Culkin.Mulaney toldVoguethat the originalHome Aloneis “an almost perfect film,” and that he didn’t “think anyone could do it as well as Macaulay.” Although he admitted to being “jealous” that he wasn’t involved with the film, Mulaney has referenced theHome Alonefranchise in his stand-up material.A joke from his 2012 Netflix comedy specialThe Comeback Kidreferences his admiration of Culkin. He lampooned the title of the 1992 sequelHome Alone 2: Lost in New York, and discussed common misconceptions aboutNew York City in movies.
Macaulay Culkin Was Perfect for ‘Home Alone’
An alternate version of history where Mulaney played Kevin certainly would have been interesting, as he has proven to be one of the funniest and most incisive comedians of the 21st century. However,it’s hard to imagine anyone but Culkin playing Kevinconsidering how perfect his performance is in the original film.Home Alone’s concept had the potential to be either too goofy or completely mean-spirited; the earnestness that Culkin brought to the role ensured that the film still had a heart. Although the comic mayhem that ensues at the McCallister household may be what makesHome Aloneso funny, it’s the empathy that viewers feel for Culkin that makes the filma holiday classic that’s worth watching all-year round.
Culkin’s importance within the Home Alonefranchise became clear when the sequels started rolling out. AlthoughHome Alone 2: Lost In New Yorkwas essentially a carbon copy ofits predecessor,the sequel still worked because of Culkin’s performance. Culkin was able to show how Kevin had matured since the events of the first film, and continued to generate sympathy for the character when he became stranded alone in the Big Apple. Whilegreat comedy sequelsare few and far between,Home Alone 2: Lost in New Yorkproved itself as a worthy installment in the series.
The Darker ‘Home Alone’ Is Also One of the Most Violent Teen Movies Ever
Kevin McCallister has some competition.
AHome Alonefilm without Culkin simply didn’t work.The third installment in the series replaced Kevin with the character Alex Pruitt (Alex D. Linz) and became one ofthe most hated Christmas movies. Although Disney attempted to reboot the franchise in 2021 with the Disney+ original filmHome Sweet Home Alone, which was heralded asthe best film in the series sinceHome Alone 2, it lacked the unique charisma that Culkin had brought to the series.
Despite not being cast inHome Alone, Mulaney joined the writing staff ofSaturday Night Liveand has led avery successful career as a stand-up comedian.He has also recently become a successful voice actor with his performances in several hit animated films.He voiced Spider-Ham in the hit 2018 animated filmSpider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse, and instantly became one of the most popular alternate versions of Spider-Man. Spider-Ham was popular enough thatMulaney reprised his role for the short prequel filmSpider-Ham: Caught In A Ham.
Mulaney quickly proved that his casting inSpider-Man: Into the Spider-Versewasn’t a fluke. He added his vocal charms asthe villainous Jack Horner inPuss in Boots: The Last Wish, a surprisingly excellent animated spinoff that became thebest film in theShrekuniverse. He also drew acclaim for his role as Chip in the Disney+ filmChip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers, a subversive mix of live action and animation that took home thePrimetime Emmy Award for Best Television Movie. While theHome Alonefranchise may have eluded him,Mulaney has taken part in films that are destined to become family classics.
Home Aloneis available to stream on Disney+.
Watch on Disney+
