At a Glance
- Macaulay Culkin returned to the Golden Globes on Jan. 11 to present Best Screenplay-his first appearance in 35 years.
- The 45-year-old joked about being seen “outside the holiday season” and said he now treats every job as his last.
- Culkin revealed he considers himself “technically retired” and only “unretires” for projects he truly likes.
- Why it matters: The former child star’s candid remarks highlight how he reclaimed control of a career that began when he was 4.
After more than three decades away from the Beverly Hilton stage, Macaulay Culkin stepped back into the Golden Globes spotlight on Jan. 11 and received a thunderous welcome. The 45-year-old actor, accompanied by wife Brenda Song, presented the award for Best Screenplay, Motion Picture-a category won by Paul Thomas Anderson for One Battle After Another.
A 35-Year Homecoming
Clutching the envelope, Culkin grinned at the standing ovation.
“Wow, thanks guys,” he said. “It’s been 35 years since I’ve been to the Globes. Thanks for welcoming me back, that’s really nice of you guys.”
He quickly pivoted to self-deprecating humor.
“I know it’s weird seeing me outside the holiday season, but shockingly I do exist all year round, I promise you.”
The quip drew loud laughter from the crowd, underscoring how closely audiences still associate him with Home Alone‘s Christmas setting.
Why Screenplay?
Culkin explained that presenting the writing award felt appropriate.
“It makes a lot of sense for me to be presenting this particular award,” he told the audience. “I’ve been reading screenplays basically since I learned to read.”
His brief monologue kept the focus on the nominees while reminding viewers of his lifelong connection to the craft.
Career on His Terms
The evening’s appearance capped a period of selective visibility for Culkin. Speaking on the SmartLess podcast in December, he described an unconventional approach to acting.
“Technically, I’m retired right now,” he said. “I retire and then, if I find something I like, I unretire, do that, and I immediately retire afterwards.”
He summed up the cycle succinctly: “Every gig is my last.”
The Decade-Long Break
After 1994’s Richie Rich, Culkin stepped away from film sets for roughly ten years.
“I quit for nearly a decade,” he recalled. “Just went to high school, fell in love, got drunk for the first time, things like that.”
That hiatus, he said, gave him space to figure out whether acting was truly his passion or simply a path chosen by his parents when he was a toddler.
“I was in a position where I could just put my thumb up my butt and play video games all day long,” he joked, adding that the downtime clarified his priorities.
Rediscovery
Drifting away from Hollywood ultimately led Culkin back to it-on his own terms.
“This was a calling that found me,” he reflected. “I didn’t find it. I wanted to explore that in a different way, on my terms.”
Those terms now include fatherhood; he and Song are raising sons Dakota, 4, and Carson, 3.
Host with the Most
Nikki Glaser emceed the ceremony for the second consecutive year, telling Access Hollywood ahead of the broadcast that she had refined her comedic targets and would steer her monologue away from a full roast.
Her lineup of jokes, delivered at the Beverly Hilton, kept the tone light while celebrities like Culkin took the stage to hand out trophies.
Key Takeaways
- Culkin’s return to the Golden Globes marks his first since childhood, emphasizing the enduring popularity of Home Alone.
- His candid comments about retirement underscore a deliberate, project-to-project work ethic.
- The actor credits a decade-long break with helping him reclaim ownership of a career that began before he could read.
- Presenting the screenplay award allowed him to nod to his earliest experiences in film.
The evening ended with Anderson’s victory, but for many viewers, Culkin’s brief reappearance proved the highlight-proof that, holiday season or not, he still knows how to command a room.
