Kieran Culkin Remembers Director Calling Him a ‘Dummy’ During His First Acting Job: ‘I'm 6. What's Wrong with You?’

Mar. 15, 2025

Kieran Culkin in 1993 (left); Kieran Culkin in 2024 (right).Photo:Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty; Joe Maher/Getty

Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty; Joe Maher/Getty

Kieran Culkinmight be an award-winning actor, but his career had a less-than-auspicious start.On the Dec. 23 episode of theSmartlesspodcast, the 42-year-old actor opened up about his very first acting job — and how things quickly went off the rails.“First professional experience I had was a commercial when I was 6,” he told hostsJason Bateman,Sean HayesandWill Arnett. He said he didn’t remember what the commercial was for, but it had “something to do with learning disabilities.”“The concept was I’m standing in front of a chalkboard with chalk in my hand and I don’t know how to solve the easy thing in front of me,” he explained. “And the kids in the class are supposed to be calling me a dummy and stupid, all that.”Kieran Culkin in 1998.SGranitz/WireImageBut that’s not exactly what happened. “I have a distinct memory of being there and the director going, ‘Okay, action.’ And he starts going, ‘Dummy. Idiot. Stupid.’ “TheSmartlesshosts were shocked. TheA Real Painstarsaid that even at the time he thought it was a bizarre thing for the director to do. “I’m thinking like, ‘I get it. I’m 6. Stand here and look sad. I’m not f—— method. I’m 6. What’s wrong with you?’ ”Culkin’s other early acting credits were less traumatizing. In 1990, he appeared alongsidehis older brother Macaulay CulkininHome Alone. He returned for 1992’sHome Alone 2: Lost in New York. Culkin also starred alongsideSteve MartinandDiane Keatonin 1991’sFather of the Brideand 1995’sFather of the Bride Part II.Culkin also appeared onSaturday Night Livein 1991 when his older brother, now 44, hosted. TheSuccessionstar ended up hosting the comedy series himself in 2021. “It was one of those things I thought would never, ever happen,” he told theSmartlesshosts about the honor. “I’m not very ambitious. I don’t have these big aspiring dreams, but hostingSNLwas one.” The other dream — still unfulfilled, he noted — is doing a voice onThe Simpsons.Kieran Culkin in 1998.Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagicEarlier this month, Culkin told theLos Angeles Timesthat he didn’t actually know whatHome Alonewas about when he filmed it. “I had no idea what that movie was aboutwhen I saw it, and I was in it,” he said. “I was at the premiere, and I was dying laughing. It was the funniest thing I had ever seen. I had no idea what the movie was about.”He said all he remembered being told on set was, “Drink this Coke, wear the glasses, say the thing that you memorized, look cute and go home.“Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.He didn’t even realize his brother was the star. “Devin Ratray, the guy who plays Buzz, lied to me and told me the movie was all about him,” he explained. “And I believed him. And then when I saw it, the movie’s cracking me up, and I go, ‘Mac was on set all the time. That makes sense the movie would be about him.’ ”

Kieran Culkinmight be an award-winning actor, but his career had a less-than-auspicious start.

On the Dec. 23 episode of theSmartlesspodcast, the 42-year-old actor opened up about his very first acting job — and how things quickly went off the rails.

“First professional experience I had was a commercial when I was 6,” he told hostsJason Bateman,Sean HayesandWill Arnett. He said he didn’t remember what the commercial was for, but it had “something to do with learning disabilities.”

“The concept was I’m standing in front of a chalkboard with chalk in my hand and I don’t know how to solve the easy thing in front of me,” he explained. “And the kids in the class are supposed to be calling me a dummy and stupid, all that.”

Kieran Culkin in 1998.SGranitz/WireImage

SGranitz/WireImage

But that’s not exactly what happened. “I have a distinct memory of being there and the director going, ‘Okay, action.’ And he starts going, ‘Dummy. Idiot. Stupid.’ "

TheSmartlesshosts were shocked. TheA Real Painstarsaid that even at the time he thought it was a bizarre thing for the director to do. “I’m thinking like, ‘I get it. I’m 6. Stand here and look sad. I’m not f—— method. I’m 6. What’s wrong with you?’ ”

Culkin’s other early acting credits were less traumatizing. In 1990, he appeared alongsidehis older brother Macaulay CulkininHome Alone. He returned for 1992’sHome Alone 2: Lost in New York. Culkin also starred alongsideSteve MartinandDiane Keatonin 1991’sFather of the Brideand 1995’sFather of the Bride Part II.

Culkin also appeared onSaturday Night Livein 1991 when his older brother, now 44, hosted. TheSuccessionstar ended up hosting the comedy series himself in 2021. “It was one of those things I thought would never, ever happen,” he told theSmartlesshosts about the honor. “I’m not very ambitious. I don’t have these big aspiring dreams, but hostingSNLwas one.” The other dream — still unfulfilled, he noted — is doing a voice onThe Simpsons.

Kieran Culkin in 1998.Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic

Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic

Earlier this month, Culkin told theLos Angeles Timesthat he didn’t actually know whatHome Alonewas about when he filmed it. “I had no idea what that movie was aboutwhen I saw it, and I was in it,” he said. “I was at the premiere, and I was dying laughing. It was the funniest thing I had ever seen. I had no idea what the movie was about.”

He said all he remembered being told on set was, “Drink this Coke, wear the glasses, say the thing that you memorized, look cute and go home.”

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

He didn’t even realize his brother was the star. “Devin Ratray, the guy who plays Buzz, lied to me and told me the movie was all about him,” he explained. “And I believed him. And then when I saw it, the movie’s cracking me up, and I go, ‘Mac was on set all the time. That makes sense the movie would be about him.’ ”

source: people.com