Macaulay Culkin Opens Up About Michael Jackson and Childhood Fame in Rare Interview

What is the price of childhood fame? If you ask Macaulay Culkin, the star of the Home Alone franchise and Richie Rich, he’ll likely tell you it’s drug abuse and being dragged into public scandals, such as allegations that Michael Jackson molested his children. Only recently did the former childhood star open up about his relationship with both Michael Jackson and his daughter, Paris, and how his career and fame made him who he is today. 

Culkin’s career began in the 1990’s, and the overwhelming amount of attention, in addition to abuse at home, led him to drugs growing up. According to Culkin, Michael was his “best friend” for a period of time and he credits the deceased pop star with helping him overcome trauma inflicted by his father.

Credit: E!Online

Culkin met Michael Jackson while performing in The Nutcracker. To this day, he speaks highly of the musician.

“He came backstage before the show. He loved dance, he was a dance man. He came backstage with Donald Trump, because they were friendly back then,” said Culkins. “I remember he looked at me like, ‘I know you from somewhere. Oh, Uncle Buck, yeah you’re funny.’ Then after Home Alone came out, he reached out to me and my family.”

“There’s no child actor self-help group. He said, ‘Do you want to hang out? Do you want to come to my house?’ He was like my best friend growing up for a stretch of my life. It was a legitimate friendship,” Culkin added.

Credit: PA Photos

When Culkin spoke at the trial in support of Jackson’s innocence, he insisted that nothing ever seemed strange.

“I never felt uncomfortable, that was the way that he was, down to his bone marrow. It never felt weird. It was just the way that it was. I looked at him for who he was,” said Culkins. “At that point, I was pretty famous and I met plenty of famous people, his fame did not make a thing. I was not enamoured by him.”

Because the duo were friends, Michael asked Culkin to be  Paris’ Godfather. It is clear that the former child star was not prepared to talk about their relationship during the podcast interview.

He told Maron:

“I am close with Paris. I’m going to warn you now; I am very protective of her so just look out. I am a very open book when it comes to things but like with her, she is beloved by me. I’m just letting you know if we want to start going down that road it’s going to be a dead-end, you know, but I mean that in the fact that I love her so much. She’s tall, and beautiful and smart. It’s great.”

Credit: Fuse TV

This new interview sheds light on Michael’s innocence, as well as the numerous downfalls to being in the spotlight — as a child or adult.

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