Hollywood star Macaulay Culkin, whose career has spanned four decades, recently confirmed he followed through on a promise to legally change his name to something decidedly unconventional.
The Big Reveal at the Home Alone Event
While appearing at an event in Long Beach, California, on Saturday to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the holiday classic "Home Alone," the actor addressed the crowd. "My name is Macaulay Macaulay Culkin Culkin," he declared, according to a report from People. This statement fulfilled a pledge he first made back in 2018.
The name change originates from a November 2018 appearance on "The Tonight Show" with host Jimmy Fallon. During that interview, Culkin expressed his desire to drop his former middle name, Carson, and replace it with something new. "I felt like, you know, I should probably spruce up my name a little bit," he told Fallon, noting that he had narrowed the options down to five finalists.
From Online Poll to Legal Reality
Although many assumed it was a joke, Culkin took the process seriously. He created an online poll on his now-defunct lifestyle website, allowing fans to vote on their preferred choice. On Christmas Day in 2018, he took to X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, to announce the winner.
"You voted and the winner is clear. In 2019 my new legal name will be: Macaulay Macaulay Culkin Culkin," he wrote. "It has a nice ring to it (if you like my name)."
At the Long Beach event, Culkin shared some of the other options fans could have chosen, which included humorous suggestions like "The McRib is Back" and the more sentimental "Kieran," a nod to his brother, "Succession" actor Kieran Culkin.
He joked about the latter option, saying, "Macaulay Kieran Culkin. That would be great. I love my brother. Between me and him, we have exactly one Oscar," referencing his sibling's Academy Award-winning performance in "A Real Pain." He added that the new name gives him a clever retort for fans: "If somebody comes up to me at the airport and says, 'Excuse me, are you Macaulay Culkin?' I can say, 'Well, Macaulay Culkin is my middle name.'"
Celebrating a Legacy and Family Life
Culkin's recent public appearances are part of a promotional tour marking the 35th anniversary of "Home Alone," which was first released in the U.S. on November 16, 1990. He also features in Amazon Prime Video's new documentary, "John Candy: I Like Me," which pays tribute to his late "Uncle Buck" co-star.
During the event, the actor also offered a glimpse into his life as a father. He revealed that his two young sons, Dakota, 4, and Carson, 3, are still unaware that their father is the famous Kevin McAllister from "Home Alone."
"They have no idea that I'm Kevin," he said, adding that he hopes "to keep up that illusion as long as possible."
