Macaulay Culkin explains his friendship with Michael Jackson

Despite their 22-year age gap, Home Alone star Macaulay Culkin was once good friends with pop icon Michael Jackson. In a new podcast interview, the actor explained the nature of their friendship.

On this week’s episode of Inside Of You, Culkin discussed his career with host Michael Rosenbaum (Smallville). Towards the end of the episode, Rosenbaum asked Jackson. At first, Culkin joked that Rosenbaum was “ambushing” him at the last minute, but also said it’s difficult because so rarely is anyone forced to explain any of their friendships.

“He reached out to me because a lot of things were happening big and fast with me, and I think he identified with that,” Culkin said. “I mean at the end of the day, it’s almost easy to say it was weird or whatever, but it wasn’t because it made sense. Here’s the thing at the end of the day: We were friends. It’s one of my friendships that people question only because of the fact that he was the most famous person in the world.”

Another reason people question the friendship is that Jackson stood trial in 2005 over allegations that he had molested a young boy he had befriended (he was found not guilty on all charges). The 38-year-old explained he knew Jackson as a friend, and they related to each other. While the pop icon related to him finding such success and fame at a young age, he also appreciated Culkin’s ability to treat him like a normal person.

“I really didn’t give a s— about famous people. I was thoroughly unimpressed by them,” he recalled. “So when I first met him I was like ‘oh cool, you’re that guy who sings songs. I sing songs in school. That’s great. So anyway.’ I think that’s also one of the reasons why we got along. Everyone was always thoroughly impressed by him, so the fact that there was somebody treating him like a normal person, it really was that simple.”

To Rosenbaum’s disbelief, Culkin said that he and Jackson used to prank call people. Jackson’s peerless control over his voice meant that he could easily adopt accents and tones fit for pranks.

“For me, it’s so normal and mundane, Culkin continued. “I know it’s a big deal to everyone else, but to me it was a normal friendship.”

Listen to the full interview.

Related content:

• Macaulay Culkin is Home Alone again in Google holiday ad
• Looking back on Michael Jackson’s best (and worst) albums