Macaulay Culkin Solves 35-Year 'Home Alone' Mystery: What Did the McCallisters Do for a Living?
After 35 years, 'Home Alone' star Macaulay Culkin has finally revealed his theory on what his on-screen parents did for a living, settling a long-running fan debate. We break down his answer, the director's view, and wild fan theories.
How did Kevin McCallister's parents afford that enormous house and a Christmas trip to Paris? After 35 years of fan speculation, Macaulay Culkin has finally put the debate to rest with his own theory.
The 45-year-old actor, who starred in the 1990 classic, shared his perspective in a recent interview with Postmedia. The McCallisters' luxurious lifestyle, which included flying 15 family members to France and living in a mansion attractive to burglars, has fueled online discussions for decades.
The Answer: "Corporate Lawyer and Interior Decorator"
When asked what his on-screen parents did for a living, Culkin shared his guess. "I think his father was a corporate lawyer, that’s how they were able to afford such nice things and live in a nice neighborhood," he explained. As for his mother, Kate, he added, "His mother was an interior decorator, that’s why the house was so nice."
The Director's Cut vs. Fan Theories
Interestingly, Culkin's take differs from that of director Chris Columbus. In a December 2024 appearance on The Hollywood Reporter’s podcast, Columbus recalled that he and writer John Hughes decided the mother was a "very successful fashion designer," which explained the mannequins in the basement. He couldn't remember the father's job but suggested he might have worked in advertising, like Hughes himself.
For years, a more popular fan theory suggested that Peter McCallister was involved with the mob. One Reddit user speculated that this was why the burglars were so adamant about robbing their specific house. However, Columbus firmly shut down these rumors, stating, "Not organized crime. Even though there was, at the time, a lot of organized crime in Chicago."
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