Here’s Everything There Is To Know About Macaulay Culkin’s Relationship With His Father, Who He Has Accused Of Physical And Mental Abuse

Discussing his father in 2018, Macaulay said: “He was a bad man. He was abusive, physically and mentally — I can show you all my scars if I wanted to.”

By
Stephanie Soteriou
by Stephanie Soteriou

BuzzFeed Staff

This article details allegations of child abuse.

Macaulay Culkin has always been incredibly open about his difficult relationship with his father, Kit Culkin, who quit his job to manage Macaulay’s career when he started to find success as a child actor in the ‘80s.

Macaulay Culkin, as a child, stands indoors wearing a light denim jacket and jeans with hands in his pockets. He smiles at the camera
Vinnie Zuffante / Getty Images

In 2001, Macaulay candidly told New York magazine: “My father was always, you know, abusive, but it didn’t get really, really, really bad until later on.”


He then went on to detail some troubling moments with his dad from his childhood, including him allegedly telling Kit during filming for his 1993 movie The Good Son that he was feeling exhausted and wanted some time off.


Macaulay was just 13 years old at the time, and although his dad had apparently agreed he could have a break in the moment, he was soon on another movie set for his next project.


Macaulay told the publication: “It just kind of clicked in my brain: OK. There’s basically nothing I can do to make this stop.”

He also alleged that his father denied him a bed to sleep on in an apparent power trip, sharing: “I was making God-knows-how-much money, and Kit was making me sleep on the couch, just because he could. Just to let you know who’s in charge and just to let you know if he doesn’t want you to sleep in a bed, you’re not going to sleep in a bed.”

Macaulay Culkin, as a child, in a checkered suit and a patterned tie, poses in front of a curtain at an event
Jeff Kravitz / FilmMagic, Inc

Macaulay also claimed that his dad would physically abuse him, his siblings, and his mom, sharing: “He beat our spirits down… You really just had to be there to see what kind of a man he was.”


Macaulay doubled down on this during a 2018 appearance on the WTF with Marc Maron podcast, where he said: “He was a bad man. He was abusive, physically and mentally — I can show you all my scars if I wanted to.”

In 1995, when Macaulay was 15 years old, his parents split, and his mom, Patricia Brentrup, filed a custody suit — which included control over Macaulay’s earnings that were in a trust fund at the time.

Closeup of Macaulay Culkin
Mitchell Gerber / Corbis/VCG via Getty Images

It was only then that Macaulay realized just how much he was worth, and at 16, he decided to gain control of his finances in a bid to help his mom. 


“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,” he 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.”


Once his name was off the trust fund, Kit didn’t show up to the final day of the custody trial, and Macaulay hasn’t seen or spoken to him since. 

And the star has now reflected on his relationship with his dad in a new Instagram post as he opened up about his “complicated relationship with Father’s Day,” which is later this month.

Macaulay Culkin wearing a patterned bomber jacket
Emma Mcintyre / Getty Images for Gucci

Macaulay — who shares two young sons with his fiancée, Brenda Song — explained that since becoming a father himself, he can view the day in a new light.

Macaulay Culkin and Brenda Song stand on a Hollywood Walk of Fame star with their child in their arms. Macaulay wears a suit, Brenda in long coat with frilled shirt
Amy Sussman / Getty Images

Sharing a Star Wars-themed PR box that he had received ahead of Father’s Day, Macaulay wrote: “If you know a little about me then you’d know I’ve had a complicated relationship with Father’s Day in the past.”

“But since becoming a papa myself I’ve decided to reinvent the wheel,” he went on. “Other than getting an hour or two of extra sleep I try to make the day a celebration of my boys more than me. After all, they are the ones who made me a father (no offense to Brenda).”

“In our house Father’s Day isn’t held in as a high regard as birthdays or Christmas but it does mop the floor of such holidays as St. Patrick’s day, Valentine’s Day, and the 4th of July,” Macaulay continued. “I try to do fun things for the boys on Father’s Day. It’s a special day.”

He then shouted out the PR company for sending him a Father’s Day care package “full of things that are more meant for my children to enjoy” as he concluded: “Father’s Day isn’t for me, it’s for the people that make me feel like a father.”

And Macaulay’s post struck a chord with his followers, who praised the star in the comments.

Macaulay Culkin at a red carpet event wearing a suit jacket over a dark shirt, smiling for the camera
Rodin Eckenroth / Getty Images

“Way to break the cycle 🖤🖤🖤” one person wrote. 


Another added: “Sorry for all you went through. Great to see you be reflective, mature, and all grown up. 👏🙌”


Somebody else concluded: “Oh this made me cry. Good cry.”

If you are concerned that a child is experiencing or may be in danger of abuse, you can call or text the National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453(4.A.CHILD); service can be provided in over 140 languages.

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