Home Alone Cast: Then Vs Now
#10: Kieran Culkin
It used to be a fun fact that Fuller, Kevin’s cousin prone to bed-wetting, is Macaulay Culkin’s real-life brother. Now it’s a fun fact that Fuller is played by Roman Roy. “Home Alone” was the younger Culkin’s first movie, which led to further supportive roles throughout the 90s like the “Father of the Bride” series. He’s made more of a name for himself in recent years, starring in films like “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World.” However, he’s also shined in HBO’s “Succession” as the immature yet lovable Roman Roy, which earned him a ton of recognition and award nominations. He also reprised his role of Wallace Wells in Netflix’s “Scott Pilgrim Takes Off.”
#9: Roberts Blossom
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By the time he played Old Man Marley in “Home Alone,” poet Roberts Blossoms already had a well-established film career. Yet, his portrayal of the lonely neighbor played a big part in the film’s core message. He followed the family film up with roles in “Doc Hollywood” and “The Quick and the Dead.” Sadly, Sam Raimi’s Western would mark his last big screen appearance. After a few TV roles, he retired in the late 90s to focus on his poetry. He passed away in 2011 from cerebrovascular disease at the age of 87. Although he put out plenty of other works, appearing in a timeless holiday classic meant he’d be part of our lives for many more years to come.
#8: Michael C. Maronna
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Among the many other child actors in “Home Alone” was Michael C. Maronna. He played Jeff McCallister, the nicer of Kevin’s older brothers…which actually isn’t saying much. In addition to the 1992 sequel, Maronna hit it big in the 90s when he landed the lead role in Nickelodeon’s “The Adventures of Pete & Pete.” Although he’d appear in a couple of comedies in the 2000s, such as 2002’s “Slackers,” he’d find his true passion behind the camera. He’s worked as an electrician on multiple film and TV sets, such as Apple TV’s “Dickinson” series and Netflix’s Marvel shows like “Jessica Jones” and “Luke Cage.” In 2013, he also began hosting a podcast with “Pete & Pete” co-star Danny Tamberelli called “The Adventures of Danny and Mike.”
#7: Devin Ratray
As Kevin’s meaner older brother, Buzz, Devin Ratray got to deliver some hilariously brutal put-downs. Many of us can relate to being tormented by older siblings, and Ratray’s Buzz is definitely a character we love to hate. Although his “Home Alone” role is perhaps his most well-known, Ratray has appeared in many films. The 2010s saw him put out a lot of work, like 2013’s Oscar-nominated “Nebraska,” 2016’s ensemble comedy “Masterminds,” and 2019’s crime drama “Hustlers.” He also appeared on the small screen, in everything from Amazon Prime’s “The Tick” to “Breaking Bad” spin-off “Better Call Saul.” While the majority of his roles have been small, he returned to his most famous one in 2021’s “Home Sweet Home Alone” on Disney+. Since his nostalgic appearance in that role, Ratray unfortunately made headlines for being accused of serious domestic crimes.
#6: John Candy
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Canadian comedian John Candy is a legend, and little of that legacy has to do with his appearance in “Home Alone.” Candy plays Gus Polinski, a polka musician who helps Kate McCallister get home to her son. The role saw him reteam with “Home Alone” writer John Hughes, who had directed Candy in 1988’s “Uncle Buck.” But he had starred in plenty of other comedies prior. Following “Home Alone,” he appeared in movies like “JFK” and Disney’s “Cool Runnings.” Sadly, Candy died of a heart attack in 1994 at the relatively young age of 43. He remains a beloved comedic actor to this day, and “Home Alone” is only a small piece of the joy he brought to many.
#5: John Heard
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Unfortunately, there are several “Home Alone” cast members that are no longer with us. John Heard played Kevin’s absent-minded father, Peter, in the first two films. Throughout the 90s and 2000s, he would mostly appear in dramas like 1993’s “The Pelican Brief” and 2000’s biographical art piece, “Pollock.” But he’d occasionally show he could still flex his comedic chops with movies like 2004’s “White Chicks.” His work began to slow in the 2010s. Heard mostly stuck to TV guest appearances and supportive roles in smaller films, like 2018’s “The Tale,” one of a handful of posthumous releases. He passed away in 2017 from cardiac arrest due to heart disease.
#4: Catherine O’Hara
As Kate McCallister, Catherine O’Hara delights as the fierce mother trying to get home to her son. She was already a comedic talent by the time the film released, and she hasn’t slowed down since. She has starred in multiple mockumentaries from director Christopher Guest and voiced characters in popular animated flicks like “The Nightmare Before Christmas” and “Frankenweenie.” However, it's her role as Moira Rose on “Schitt’s Creek” that has brought her legions of new admirers. In addition to being hilarious, it also rightfully earned her a Golden Globe and an Emmy. Next, she’ll star in Universal’s “Argylle” from director Matthew Vaughn and reprise her role as Delia in Tim Burton’s “Beetlejuice 2.”
#3: Daniel Stern
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As one half of the Wet Bandits, Daniel Stern brings most of the comedy in “Home Alone.” His clueless nature and shrill screams never fail to get laughs. Marv is certainly the actor’s most well-known role. But he still appeared in a string of comedies in the 90s like the “City Slickers” series and 1998’s “Very Bad Things.” Stern’s output would slow in the 2000s, though he’d still make memorable appearances in movies like 2009’s “Whip It” and the Netflix comedy “Game Over, Man!” On the small screen, he has mostly stuck to guest appearances, like in Hulu’s “Shrill.” But he joined the main cast of Apple TV’s acclaimed “For All Mankind” during its fourth season.
#2: Joe Pesci
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While he was mostly known for dramatic roles at the time, casting Joe Pesci as “Home Alone’s” main antagonist was a genius idea. Pesci’s engaging and angry delivery was a perfect fit for Harry and led to some of the movie’s most iconic moments. He only appeared in a few more movies, such as 1995’s “Casino,” before announcing his retirement in 1999. However, that announcement proved not to be permanent. After a handful of small appearances, Pesci came back strong with 2019’s “The Irishman,” which saw him reunite with Martin Scorsese and earn his third Oscar nomination. These days, you can see him on Peacock’s “Bupkis,” a comedy series co-written by and starring “Saturday Night Live’s” Pete Davidson.
#1: Macaulay Culkin
Having worked with him on “Uncle Buck,” John Hughes knew Macaulay Culkin would make a wonderful Kevin McCallister. Needless to say, he was right. The young actor is extremely charming in the role, which made him a hot commodity in the early 90s. After starring in major movies like “My Girl” and “Richie Rich,” Culkin would step away from acting until 2003’s completely different “Party Monster.” Since then, he’s only appeared sporadically in movies like 2004’s “Saved!” and 2019’s “Changeland.” On the TV front, it was great to see him pop up in HBO’s “The Righteous Gemstones” and the tenth season of “American Horror Story.” No matter what he does next, we’ll always enjoy spending the holidays with him. Is “Home Alone” one of your yearly holiday watches? Share your fond memories of the film in the comments and don’t forget to subscribe for more great videos!
