The ’90s child star turned self-proclaimed “world-famous recluse” made a rare appearance on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” on Monday. Culkin was there to talk about his lifestyle brand ― yes, Kevin McCallister has a lifestyle brand ― but, of course, all roads lead to “Home Alone.”
Culkin revealed that he won’t watch the classic film anymore, or do “the face” upon request (don’t even think of asking, OK?) after years of being hounded in public.
“I’ve been there, done that already. I’m 37, OK? OK, Mom?” he joked.
The last time he watched the film was for the taping of a DVD commentary track on the 15th anniversary edition.
The actor described his celebrity as both a “curse and blessing,” saying that while he’s only acted sporadically over the last two decades, people still approach him all the time. He actually avoids going out in public during Christmastime, so he won’t come face to face with fans of the “Home Alone” franchise.
“It’s my season,” Culkin said. “It’s Macaulay season. I try to go out less and less around that time of year.”
Around 1994, Culkin took an extended break from Hollywood at age 14 to attend high school and attempt to have a normal adolescence.
“I was tired of it, to be honest. I did like 14 movies in six years or something like that,” he said. “I was away from home a lot. I was away from school. I needed something else. … It was great to be around people my own age for once. … It was the smartest thing I could have possibly done was to take eight years off.”
While child superstardom has certainly complicated life for Culkin, it has allowed him to pursue other interests. He was the lead vocalist of a comedy rock band thanks to the Hollywood payday.
“I felt like some kid worked really, really hard and I inherited all of his money,” he explained. “It allows me to treat everything like a hobby.”
Culkin stopped by “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” earlier this year, where he addressed some long-held fan theories about his “Home Alone” character.
NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 12: (L-R) Keith Richards, Patti Hansen and Derek Blasberg pose at the launch of "Patti Hansen: A Portrait" hosted at the Gordon Bar at Sixty Soho on Nov. 12." (Photo by Yvonne Tnt/BFA)
LOS ANGELES, CA - AUGUST 23: (L-R) Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis play ping pong at Clayton Kershaw's 6th Annual Ping Pong 4 Purpose on August 23, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Christopher Polk/Getty Images for Kershaw's Challenge )
NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 23: Former NY Giants player Victor Cruz and Kate Mara attend AT&T NFL Sunday Ticket 25th season kickoff party at The Blond at 11 Howard Hotel on August 23, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by John Lamparski/WireImage)
LOS ANGELES, CA - AUGUST 23: (L-R) Sarah Hyland and Bryan Cranston attend Clayton Kershaw's 6th Annual Ping Pong 4 Purpose on August 23, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Kershaw's Challenge )
HOLLYWOOD, CA - AUGUST 22: Simon Cowell and Kelly Clarkson attend the ceremony honoring Simon Cowell with a Star on The Hollywood Walk of Fame held on August 22, 2018 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by JB Lacroix/WireImage)
LOS ANGELES, CA - AUGUST 22: Actress Regina Hall arrives at the premiere of Magnolia Pictures' 'Support The Girls' at the Arclight Theatre on August 22, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 21: Travis Scott (L) and Kylie Jenner are seen in SoHo on August 21, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Gotham/GC Images)
NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 21: Rapper Iggy Azalea attends the Build Series to discuss 'Survive the Summer' at Build Studio on August 21, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Jim Spellman/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 20: Jennifer Lopez speaks onstage during the 2018 MTV Video Music Awards at Radio City Music Hall on August 20, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/WireImage)
NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 20: Cardi B attends the 2018 MTV Video Music Awards at Radio City Music Hall on August 20, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic)
NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 20: Camila Cabello accepts the award for Video of the Year from Madonna onstage during the 2018 MTV Video Music Awards at Radio City Music Hall on August 20, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/WireImage)
HOLLYWOOD, CA - AUGUST 20: Jennifer Garner Honored With Star On The Hollywood Walk Of Fame on August 20, 2018 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Steve Granitz/WireImage)
NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 19: Kylie Jenner on August 19, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Gotham/GC Images)
NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 19: Blake Lively poses outside the Crosby Hotel on August 19, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by James Devaney/GC Images)
NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 18: Janet Jackson and Daddy Yankee celebrate 'Made For Now' at the 44th annual Harlem Week on August 18, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by John Lamparski/WireImage)
LATE NIGHT WITH SETH MEYERS -- Episode 725 -- Pictured: Actress Jessica Biel arrives on August 16, 2018 -- (Photo by: Lloyd Bishop/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - AUGUST 16: Zoe Kravitz is seen at 'Jimmy Kimmel Live' on August 16, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by RB/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images)
NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 16: (L-R) Ruth Wilson, Lenny Abrahamson and Domhnall Gleeson attend 'The Little Stranger' New York Premiere at Metrograph on August 16, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Paul Zimmerman/WireImage)
NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 16: Oscar Isaac attends the 'Operation Finale' New York Premiere at Walter Reade Theater on August 16, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 15: Jordan Smith attends the Build Series to discuss his new album 'Only Love' at Build Studio on August 15, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Daniel Zuchnik/WireImage)
NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 14: (L-R) Actors Chris O'Dowd, Rose Byrne and Ethan Hawke attend the 'Juliet, Naked' New York premiere at Metrograph on August 14, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Jim Spellman/WireImage)
NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 14: (L-R) Actors Michelle Yeoh, Henry Golding, Constance Wu, Ken Jeong and Awkwafina visit Build Series to discuss the film 'Crazy Rich Asians' at Build Studio on August 14, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Desiree Navarro/WireImage)
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - AUGUST 13: Katy Perry performs at Qudos Bank Arena on August 13, 2018 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Hanna Lassen/WireImage)
HOLLYWOOD, CA - AUGUST 13: Mandy Moore attends an Evening with 'This Is Us' at Paramount Studios on August 13, 2018 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic)
LOS ANGELES, CA - AUGUST 12: (L-R) Karamo Brown, Bobby Berk, Antoni Porowski, Tan France and Jonathan Van Ness attend Netflix's Queer Eye and GLSEN event at NeueHouse Hollywood on August 12, 2018 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Christopher Polk/Getty Images)
INGLEWOOD, CA - AUGUST 12: (L-R) Vanessa Morgan, Madelaine Petsch, Camila Mendes, KJ Apa, Lili Reinhart, Cole Sprouse and Mark Consuelos of 'Riverdale' accept the Choice Drama TV Show onstage during FOX's Teen Choice Awards at The Forum on August 12, 2018 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
INGLEWOOD, CA - AUGUST 12: Katherine Langford attends FOX's Teen Choice Awards at The Forum on August 12, 2018 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
INGLEWOOD, CA - AUGUST 12: Nick Cannon attends FOX's Teen Choice Awards at The Forum on August 12, 2018 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images)
UNIVERSAL CITY, CA - AUGUST 12: Vanessa Hudgens attends The Celebrity Experience held at Universal Hilton Hotel on August 12, 2018 in Universal City, California. (Photo by Michael Tran/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 08: Actress Nina Dobrev is seen on August 8, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Raymond Hall/GC Images)
HOLLYWOOD, CA - AUGUST 06: Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and Jason Statham attend the premiere of Warner Bros. Pictures and Gravity Pictures' 'The Meg' at TCL Chinese Theatre IMAX on August 6, 2018 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic)
Singer Kelly Rowland arrives for the premiere of Focus Features' 'BlacKkKlansman' at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills, California on August 8, 2018. (Photo by Mark RALSTON / AFP) (Photo credit should read MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images)
BEVERLY HILLS, CA - AUGUST 08: Executive Producer Amy Poehler of the television show 'I Feel Bad' speaks during the NBC segment of the Television Critics Association Press Tour at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on August 8, 2018 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)
HOLLYWOOD, CA - AUGUST 07: attends the premiere of Warner Bros. Pictures' 'Crazy Rich Asiaans' at TCL Chinese Theatre IMAX on August 7, 2018 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)
BEVERLY HILLS, CA - AUGUST 07: ETAF Ambassador and Co-Host Colin Farrell attends the House of Taylor dinner benefitting The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation at House of Taylor on August 7, 2018 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Rachel Murray/Getty Images for ETAF)
Dan Wetzel, Ross Dellenger & SI’s Pat Forde react to the huge performance this weekend by Texas QB Arch Manning, Michigan and Notre Dame's spring games, Jaden Rashada entering the transfer portal, and more
Trump is entitled to an additional 36 million shares if the company's share price trades above $17.50 "for twenty out of any thirty trading days" over the next three years.
