Movies

Macaulay Culkin has tearful reunion with Home Alone mom Catherine O'Hara at Walk of Fame ceremony

The actor also gave a speech that concluded with his iconic Kevin McCallister line: "Merry Christmas, ya filthy animals."

By

Jessica Wang

Published on December 1, 2023 05:12PM EST

"Kevin!" Catherine O'Hara reunited with herHome Alone son Macaulay Culkin at his Hollywood Walk of Fame star ceremony on Friday, where she delivered a speech that reduced her former costar to tears.

The Schitt's Creek star, 69, reflected on watching her onscreen son, 43, grow and evolve in the years since they played Kate and Kevin McCallister in Chris Columbus and John Hughes' 1990 Christmas classic and its 1992 sequel. "Home Alone was, is, and always will be a beloved global sensation," O'Hara began her speech. "The reason families all over the world can't let a year go by without watching and loving Home Alone together is because of Macaulay Culkin."

Yes, Culkin had the "most excellent script" and "wonderful director," but it was his "perfect performance" that has made it such an enduring classic, O'Hara continued. "I know you worked really hard, but you made acting look like the most natural thing in the world to do." She later added, "This beautiful 10-year-old little boy was called a superstar, a moneymaker, one of the hottest leading young men in Hollywood. How does anyone survive that?"

Catherine O'Hara and Macaulay Culkin — Catherine O'Hara attends Macaulay Culkin's Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony.
John Salangsang/Shutterstock

"I believe you'd have to possess a certain quality," O'Hara said. "A gift that dear John Hughes obviously recognized in Macaulay." Of his sense of humor, "It's a sign of intelligence in a child and a key to survival at any age," she added. "You have brought that sense of sweet yet twisted, yet totally relatable, sense of humor to everything you have chosen to do since Home Alone."

O'Hara concluded her speech by thanking Culkin for including her, "your fake mom that left you home alone not once but twice," to "share in this happy occasion." After sharing a hug, Culkin wiped away tears.

Natasha Lyonne, a former child star herself and Culkin's Party Monster costar, took the podium after O'Hara to share a speech. Culkin's longtime partner, fellow actor Brenda Song, attended the ceremony with their two children; as did his siblings, Rory and Quinn; his goddaughter, Paris Jackson; and fellow Party Monster actor Seth Green.

Culkin also shared a speech of his own, concluding with a famous Kevin McCallister line: "To wrap things up and in the spirit of the holiday season, I just want to say, Merry Christmas, ya filthy animals."