If you are a fan of the hit HBO series Succession, you might be familiar with Kieran Culkin, who plays the witty and sarcastic Roman Roy. But did you know that he is also the brother of Macaulay Culkin, the child star of Home Alone and other popular movies in the 90s? In this article, we will explore the relationship between Kieran and Macaulay, as well as their other siblings, who also have ties to the entertainment industry.
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The Culkin Family: A Showbiz Dynasty
Kieran Culkin was born on September 30, 1982, in New York City. He is the fourth child of Kit Culkin and Patricia Brentrup, who were together from 1974 to 1995 but never married. Kit was a former Broadway actor who later became a manager for his sons’ careers. Patricia was a telephone operator who raised the children while Kit pursued his ambitions.
Kieran has six siblings from his parents’ relationship: Shane (born 1976), Dakota (1979-2008), Macaulay (born 1980), Quinn (born 1984), Christian (born 1987), and Rory (born 1989). He also has a half-sister, Jennifer Adamson (1970-2000), from Kit’s previous relationship with Adeena VanWagoner.
All of the Culkin children were exposed to acting at a young age, as Kit encouraged them to audition for roles and enroll in performing arts schools. Some of them followed in their father’s footsteps and pursued careers in theater, film, and television. Others chose different paths or retired from the spotlight.
Kieran and Macaulay: Brothers on Screen and Off
Kieran and Macaulay are perhaps the most famous of the Culkin siblings, as they both achieved success as child actors and continued to work as adults. They also appeared together in several movies, such as Home Alone (1990), Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992), The Good Son (1993), and Ri¢hie Ri¢h (1994).
Kieran played Fuller McCallister, Kevin’s cousin who wets the bed, in the first two Home Alone movies. He also played Henry Evans, a sociopathic child who tries to kill his cousin Mark (played by Macaulay), in The Good Son. In Ri¢hie Ri¢h, he played Richie’s best friend Reggie Van Dough Jr.
According to Kieran, he did not feel any rivalry or jealousy towards his older brother, who was more famous and successful than him. In fact, he felt empathy for Macaulay, who had to deal with the pressure and scrutiny of fame at a young age.
“He was little and having to try to accept that level of fame as reality,” Kieran told Esquire in 2023. “Even at that time, as a kid, I remember thinking, ‘That sucks for him.'”
Kieran also said that he learned a lot from watching Macaulay act and handle himself on set. He admired his brother’s professionalism and talent, and tried to emulate him.
“I would watch him do scenes with other actors where he would just be so good that I would think to myself: ‘I want to do that,'” Kieran said.
The Culkin Brothers Today: Where Are They Now?
Kieran and Macaulay have both grown up and moved on from their childhood roles. They have also faced some challenges and changes in their personal lives.
Macaulay famously sued his parents in 1994 to remove them as his legal guardians and take control of his $17 million fortune. He also took a break from acting for several years, during which he had a controversial friendship with Michael Jackson, married and divorced actress Rachel Miner, dated actress Mila Kunis for eight years, formed a pizza-themed Velvet Underground cover band called The Pizza Underground, battled drug addiction rumors, and launched a satirical website and podcast called Bunny Ears.
In recent years, Macaulay has returned to acting, appearing in movies like Changeland (2019) and TV shows like American Horror Story (2021). He also became a father for the first time in 2021, when he welcomed a son named Dakota with his girlfriend Brenda Song.
Kieran also had some ups and downs in his career and personal life. He struggled with finding his identity as an actor after being typecast as a child star. He also had a difficult relationship with his father, who he said was abusive and controlling. He told Vanity Fair in 2018 that he had no contact with him.
“I don’t have much of an idea of who he is other than my dad,” Kieran said.
Kieran eventually found his niche as an indie actor, starring in movies like Igby Goes Down (2002), Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010), and Wiener-Dog (2016). He also received critical acclaim for his role as Roman Roy on Succession, for which he was nominated for multiple Golden Globe and Emmy awards.
Kieran married his longtime girlfriend Jazz Charton in 2013. They have two children together: a daughter named Kinsey Sioux (born 2019) and a son named James (born 2021).
The Other Culkin Siblings: What Are They Doing Now?
The other Culkin siblings have also had their share of successes and tragedies. Here is a brief update on each of them:
– Shane Culkin: The oldest of the Culkin siblings, Shane is also an actor who appeared in movies like The Rules of Attraction (2002) and A Midsummer Night’s Rave (2002). He is married to actress Elizabeth Tumulty and has a son named Maxfield.
– Dakota Culkin: The second oldest and the only daughter of Kit and Patricia, Dakota was an art production assistant who worked on movies like Lost Soul (2009) and The Social Network (2010). She died in 2008 at the age of 29 after being struck by a car in Los Angeles.
– Quinn Culkin: The fifth child of Kit and Patricia, Quinn is also an actress who appeared in movies like The Good Son, Wish Kid (1991), and Father of the Bride Part II (1995). She is married to actor Kevin Grady and has two children.
– Christian Culkin: The sixth child of Kit and Patricia, Christian is also an actor who appeared in movies like It Runs in the Family (1994) and Music of the Heart (1999). He is married to actress Jennifer Adamson’s daughter, Rachel Miner, who was previously married to Macaulay.
– Rory Culkin: The youngest of the Culkin siblings, Rory is also an actor who appeared in movies like You Can Count on Me (2000), Signs (2002), Scream 4 (2011), and Lords of Chaos (2018). He is married to cinematographer Sarah Scrivener and has a daughter named Kinsey.
– Jennifer Adamson: The half-sister of the Culkin siblings, Jennifer was an actress who appeared in movies like The Good Son and Ri¢hie Ri¢h. She died of a drug overdose in 2000 at the age of 29.
Conclusion
Kieran Culkin is indeed related to Macaulay Culkin, as they are brothers who grew up in a large showbiz family. They have both had successful careers as actors, but they have also faced some challenges and hardships along the way. They are not the only Culkin siblings who have been involved in the entertainment industry, as some of their other brothers and sisters have also acted or worked behind the scenes. The Culkin family is a fascinating example of how fame can affect different people in different ways..
