Macaulay Culkin Cracks Rare Joke at Golden Globes Return: “Shockingly, I Do Exist All Year Round”

It was a moment thirty-five years in the making, and when Macaulay Culkin finally stepped back onto the Golden Globes stage, he didn’t just present an award—he reminded Hollywood exactly why the world fell in love with him in the first place.

The 45-year-old actor, who has spent much of his adult life avoiding the glare of the flashbulbs, made a surprise appearance at the 83rd Annual Golden Globe Awards on Sunday night. Walking out to the perfectly chosen rhythm of Mark Morrison’s “Return of the Mack,” Culkin was met with a roaring welcome from the star-studded audience at the Beverly Hilton.

Dressed in a sharp tuxedo that was a far cry from the oversized sweaters of his childhood stardom, Culkin wasted no time in addressing the elephant in the room: his inextricable link to the holiday season.

“I know it’s weird seeing me outside the holiday season, but, shockingly, I do exist all year round, I promise you,” he quipped to the crowd, earning a wave of laughter and applause. It was a clever, self-aware nod to his role as Kevin McCallister in Home Alone, a character that has made him a fixture on television screens globally every December for over three decades.

The actor was on hand to present the award for Best Screenplay – Motion Picture, a task he noted felt appropriate given his history. “Tonight, I’m here to present the award for Best Screenplay, which actually makes a lot of sense,” he continued. “I’ve been reading screenplays basically since I learned to read.”

He went on to praise the craft of writing, calling a good script “the basis of it all,” before handing the trophy to Paul Thomas Anderson for his work on One Battle After Another.

The last time Culkin attended the ceremony was way back in 1991. At just 10 years old, he had been nominated for Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy for Home Alone, famously becoming one of the youngest nominees in the history of the awards. Sharing the stage that night with Hollywood legend Mickey Rooney, the young Culkin was the biggest star in the world. Returning three and a half decades later, he appeared comfortable, healthy, and genuinely happy to be part of the celebration, signaling a definitive new chapter in his career.

While the Home Alone jokes are a staple of his public persona, Culkin has been quietly building an impressive resume of adult roles that distance him from his child star past. After taking a long hiatus from acting in the mid-90s and early 2000s to live a somewhat normal life, he began dipping his toes back into the industry with indie projects and voice work.

In recent years, his return to the screen has been more pronounced and critically acclaimed. He drew significant praise for his performance in the tenth season of American Horror Story: Double Feature in 2021, where his portrayal of Mickey, a struggling writer and drug addict, was highlighted as a season standout. He also showcased his comedic timing with a memorable recurring role in the hit HBO series The Righteous Gemstones, proving he could hold his own alongside comedy heavyweights like Danny McBride and John Goodman.

Fans of animation also heard him recently in Zootopia 2 (2025), where he voiced the character Cattrick Lynxley, contributing to one of the highest-grossing animated films of the year. His voice work extends to Kid Cudi’s Netflix special Entergalactic, showing his willingness to experiment with different mediums.

Looking ahead, the momentum of his “McCaul-aissance” shows no signs of slowing down. Reports have confirmed that Culkin has signed on for a recurring role in the highly anticipated second season of Amazon Prime Video’s Fallout. The adaptation of the video game franchise was a massive hit in its first season, and Culkin’s addition to the cast suggests he is ready for high-profile projects again. While details of his character are being kept under wraps, the dystopian, slightly absurd tone of the show seems like a perfect fit for his unique acting sensibilities.

On the personal front, Culkin has found stability and happiness with fellow former child star Brenda Song. The couple, who have been together since 2017, are parents to two sons. Song was notably by his side during another major milestone in late 2023, when Culkin received his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. That ceremony featured an emotional reunion with his on-screen mother, Catherine O’Hara, who brought many to tears with a speech thanking him for including her in his journey.

It is also worth noting that the Culkin name has been dominating awards seasons recently, not just through Macaulay. His younger brother, Kieran Culkin, has swept multiple awards, including Golden Globes and Emmys, for his portrayal of Roman Roy in HBO’s Succession. The brothers’ simultaneous success has been a heartwarming narrative for fans who watched them grow up in the industry.

Sunday night’s appearance was more than just a presentation gig; it was a statement. By showing up, cracking a joke, and looking fantastic, Macaulay Culkin proved that while he may visit our living rooms every Christmas, he is very much a talent for all seasons.

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