The little-known lives of Macaulay and Kieran Culkin's five siblings.

Macaulay Culkin was 10 when he earned his first million dollar paycheck. 

The child actor, who starred in the wildly successful Home Alone in 1990, was paid $1 million for his role in My Girl.

But even as the highest-paid child actor in the world, Macaulay Culkin didn't have his own bedroom. 

Macaulay Culkin won't recreate his Home Alone face. Post continues below.

Macaulay, the third of seven children, was raised in a small, one-bedroom apartment in Manhattan with his mother, Patricia, who worked as a telephone operator, and his father, Kit, who was a Catholic Church sacristan. 

There were only two doors in the flat, and the children slept in crowded bunk beds.

Macaulay’s younger brother Kieran remembers the apartment was barely big enough for a couple.

"It was just a hallway, and there were no separating doors, except for the bathroom, which didn’t have a lock," he told Vanity Fair in 2018. "They just kept bringing babies home to this little space."

It was Macaulay's father, Kit, who pushed all seven children – including Shane, Dakota, Quinn, Christian, and Rory – into acting, whether they were interested in show business or not.

Macaulay Culkin with his parents. Image: Getty. "They were so poor..." casting director Bill Hopkins remembers.

"Macaulay would crawl under the bleachers at the theatre to look for change that had fallen out of people's pockets. They were like the Beverly Hillbillies."

In the years that followed, the lives of the Culkin siblings went in vastly different directions.

While some of the Culkin kids went on to have illustrious careers in the entertainment industry, others avoided the industry all together. 

Jennifer Adamson 

Jennifer Adamson was Kit Culkin's eldest child from a previous relationship with Adeena VanWagoner.

Unlike her seven half siblings, Jennifer didn't pursue a career in Hollywood.

In 2000, Jennifer passed away at 29 following an overdose.

Shane Culkin

Shane Culkin, born in 1976, was Kit and Patricia's eldest child.

From an early age, Kit attempted to push Shane into acting, encouraging him to audition for several roles. 

But when Macaulay joined his brother for one audition, the producers fell in love with him, casting him in the role instead.

While Shane went on to appear in a live production of Our Town on Broadway, the 47-year-old has since remained out of the spotlight.

Dakota Culkin

Macaulay Culkin's older sister, Dakota Culkin, lived a life out of the spotlight.

In 2008, Dakota was killed in a car accident at 29 years old.

"She had a roommate at the time," Macaulay told Esquire. "She [called and] said, 'We just watched Party Monster, and we wanted to compliment you.' She said, 'I want you to stay focused and enthused.' I was like, 'Thanks. You too. Go to sleep.' And then she went out to go get some Gatorade and cigarettes, and she got hit by a car."

At the time of her death, Dakota was working in production design on horror film Lost Soul.

"She was a real sweetheart and excited to learn all she could about the film business," director Diana Schroder said at the time. 

In 2021, Kieran reflected on his sister's death in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter.

"I accepted at the time that this is going to be forever, and it's never going to be fine. It's always going to be devastating," he said. "I still weep about it out of nowhere. Something funny she did will pop in the head and make me laugh, and then I'm weeping."

That same year, Macaulay named his and Brenda Song's eldest son Dakota after his late sister.

Macaulay Culkin

Macaulay Culkin was just eight years old when he landed his first film role in Rocket Gibraltar.

Afterwards, in the space of six years, he filmed 14 movies, including Uncle Buck, Home Alone and My Girl.

At 14 years old, Macaulay retired in the hopes of living a more normal life.

 Macaulay Culkin in 2018. Image: Getty.

In the years that followed, Macaulay's parents separated, before embarking on a lengthy custody battle over their children. During this time, Macaulay gained control of his fortune, which his parents had legal guardianship over.

"Basically, I had millions and millions of dollars in the bank and my mother couldn't pay the rent because she was spending all of her money on lawyers," Culkin told New York Magazine. 

"We were about to get evicted from our apartment. The only way I could get access to that money was to take my father's name off it, but I didn't want to make it messy, so I figured I'd take both their names off."

While the young actor decided to step back from the industry, the media continued to watch his every move, as Macaulay became a self-diagnosed agoraphobic, confined to his own home.

He eventually returned to Hollywood, appearing in a number of films and TV shows over the years.

These days, Macaulay is running his own media company called Bunny Ears.

He and fiancée Brenda Song welcomed their first child together in April 2021, son Dakota Song Culkin, and a second son – whose name has not been made public – after that.

The pair reportedly began dating back in 2017 after meeting on the set of Changeland. 

Macaulay Culkin and Brenda Song with son Dakota. Image: Getty.

Speaking to Entertainment Tonight in 2019, Song shared that growing up in front of the camera was "one thing" she bonded with Macaulay over.

"It’s almost like child actors... don’t even have to talk about it," she said.

"You just look each other in the eye and you nod and we know."

In December 2023, Macaulay thanked Brenda at his Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony.

"I'd like to thank Brenda. You're absolutely everything," the actor said. "You're the best person I've ever known,. And after the birth of our two boys, you've become one of my three favorite people."

Prior to dating Brenda, Macaulay was in an eight-year relationship with actor Mila Kunis. Before that, he was married to his high school sweetheart, Rachel Miner.

Kieran Culkin

Macaulay Culkin and Kieran Culkin in 1990. Image: Getty.

In 1990, Kieran Culkin starred alongside his older brother in Home Alone.

Kieran, who later appeared in Father of the Bride, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, and Igby Goes Down, wasn't sure about acting.

After witnessing some of Macaulay's "creepy" encounters with fans, Kieran decided that fame was "not a nice thing". So for a little while, he drifted away from acting.

Eventually, the actor returned to Hollywood, appearing in Scott Pilgrim vs The World, Movie 43, and Wiener-Dog.

He is best known for his role as Roman Roy on Succession, which has earned Kieran multiple Emmy, SAG nominations and his first Golden Globe win, beating out his two co-stars.

"This is a nice moment for me," Kieran said in his acceptance speech. "I was nominated for a Golden Globe like 20 years ago and I remember thinking I’d never be back in the room."

"Suck it Pedro, sorry. Mine," he added, addressing fellow nominee, The Last of Us star Pedro Pascal.

Urged to wrap it up, Culkin ended by thanking the three women in his life: his manager, his wife and his mum. 

"My wonderful mum," he said. "Thank you so much for doing everything you did for us. You're an amazing woman."

Now 41, Culkin is married to former model Jazz Charton. The couple welcomed their first child, daughter Kinsey Sioux, in September 2019, and a son, Wilder Wolf, in August 2021.

Kieran Culkin and Jazz Charton. Image: Getty.

Quinn Culkin

Quinn Culkin is the youngest daughter in the family.

Quinn had her first taste of fame when she played Macaulay's younger sister, Connie, in The Good Son in 1993.

She also appeared as an extra in Home Alone and voiced character Katie McClary in TV series Wish Kid.

After those roles, Quinn left the industry.

"I've even been called 'MacCulkin,' like I'm a collection of Culkins," Quinn, 39, told Vanity Fair, reflecting on living in her older brother's shadow. 

"As much as we may look alike, we're all very different. Mac has his way that he carries himself, and Kieran, and Rory. You see it even in the way they stand. It's very telling of who they are individually."

Quinn made a rare public appearance at Macaulay's Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony in December 2023.

 Quinn Culkin and Kieran Culkin in 2007. Image: Getty. 

Christian Culkin

In 1994, Christian Culkin appeared alongside Kieran Culkin in It Runs in the Family. 

Since then Christian has left the spotlight.

Nowadays, the 34-year-old works as a writer.

Christian Culkin and Kieran Culkin in 2009. Image: Getty. 

Rory Culkin

The youngest Culkin sibling, Rory Culkin, has been acting since he was a child.

In the early years of his career, Rory made appearances in Richie Rich, The Twilight Zone and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

In the past couple of years, the 34-year-old has appeared in Under the Banner of Heaven, Swarm and Black Mirror.

Rory Culkin in 2019. Image: Getty. In a satirical article for Bunny Ears in 2021, Macaulay "ranked" Rory as his favourite Culkin brother.

"Of all the people I’ve ever met in my life — which, at this point, is at least 40 people — only one of them has never failed to put a smile on my face, and that is Rory," he said.

"Sweet, sweet Rory. The baby of the family. Also — and you can't tell him I said this — he has the best hair of any Culkin."

This article was originally published on April 13, 2021 and has been updated.

Feature Image: Getty. 

Calling all Holidaymakers! Complete this short survey now and go in the running to win one of four $50 gift vouchers!