“Home Alone” is a touchstone of the ’90s.
As far as “Christmas comedies about kids being left at home starring Macaulay Culkin” go, Home Alone is one of the greatest films ever made. Unfortunately, we’re going to use it to make you feel old: The original Home Alone came out in 1990. Yes, 27 years ago.
Some members of the cast have gone on to play some pretty notable roles, and they’ve all aged fairly well. Still, it’s kind of a shock to see how much they’ve changed. Ready to feel old yet?
1. Macaulay Culkin played Kevin McCallister.
Culkin, of course, was the breakout star of the Home Alonefranchise. After all, Home Alonewas the highest-grossing live-action comedy film of all time in the United States until 2011—quite a run for a relatively low budget movie, by Hollywood standards.
Here’s how you remember Macaulay Culkin.
The film launched Culkin’s career, and after a well-publicized friendship with Michael Jackson made him a constant target for the tabloids, he gradually slipped out of the spotlight (most likely by choice). He did date Mila Kunis for eight years, but they split in 2010.
These days, Culkin keeps a relatively low profile. He’s now 36 years old, and he mainly pops up in supporting roles, including a guest role on The Jim Gaffigan Show.
Devin Ratray played Buzz McCallister.
Now a singer and songwriter, Devin Ratray will always be Buzz McCallister to ’90s kids. Devin appeared in both the original Home Alone and the first sequel, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York. Seriously, that family should have stopped leaving their kids alone after the first flick.
After his last film in the Home Alonefranchise, Ratray kept acting, taking on some truly strange roles. He was the subject of a documentary in which he tried to win the heart of then-Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice.
Ratray has continued his acting career with moderate success, making notable appearances in the films Blue Ruinand Nebraska.
Joe Pesci played Harry Lime.
Pesci, of course, was already an established and highly respected actor when he took on Home Alone. The film wasn’t exactly high art, but it did show that Pesci had considerable comedic acting chops. The same year he was in Home Alone, Pesci also starred in another classic: Goodfellas.
If you’re wondering why you haven’t seen Pesci in anything lately, he retired in 1999. Well, sort of. He still makes occasional appearances, often as favors to friends in the business.
He voiced a mosquito in A Warrior’s Tail and is rumored to be considering a part in a film called The Irishman. Pesci is now 74 years old.
Catherine O’Hara played Kate McCallister.
Yes, Home Alone had more star power than you probably remembered. Catherine O’Hara is an extremely well-established actress; she was in Beetlejuice, Dick Tracy, and SCTV before she played Kate in Home Alone.
O’Hara has enjoyed a successful career. She’s been in a number of Christopher Guest movies, including Waiting for Guffman, Best in Show, and A Mighty Wind. She’s also a talented voice actress, with roles in Frankenweenie and Where the Wild Things Are, among others.
John Heard played Peter McCallister.
Heard is now 72 years old, but his Wikipedia page still describes his turn as Peter McCallister in Home Alone as “arguably his most memorable mainstream role.” We doubt that he’s complaining. After all, he returned for the second film in the franchise.
After the early ’90s, Heard became a respected character actor, appearing on shows like The Sopranos and Battlestar Galactica. In 2008, Heard said in an interview that he’d become a “hack actor,” but he added that he had no regrets in his career, except that he could have played some bigger parts.
He might have been looking into the future a bit, because in 2013 he starred in Sharknado.Ouch. We still think he’s had a pretty decent career, all things considered.
Daniel Stern played Marv Merchants.
Now 59, Stern has spent his career in Hollywood, but not always in front of the camera. He’s also a director and screenwriter. Thanks to a unique look, he hasn’t suffered a shortage of casting opportunities. Prior to Home Alone, he was in C.H.U.D., Hannah and Her Sisters, Little Monsters, and a number of other well-received films.
After Home Alone, Stern was in City Slickers, Very Bad Things, Otis, and a number of television shows. Most recently, he played Marty Dobbs in an episode of the Netflix series Love. He was nominated for an American Comedy Award for Funniest Supporting Actor for his role in City Slickers.
