Thirty-five years after its release, Home Alone remains one of the most beloved and enduring holiday films ever made. Released in 1990 and set in suburban Chicago, the John Hughes-written comedy, directed by Chris Columbus, became an instant box office sensation and a permanent fixture of the Christmas season.
What began as a high-concept family comedy has grown into a cultural touchstone that airs every December, introducing new generations to Kevin McCallister and the chaos he leaves behind.
But Home Alone did more than dominate the holidays. It launched careers, reinforced legendary ones, and assembled a cast whose influence still ripples through film and television today. As the movie celebrates its 35th anniversary, here’s a look at where the cast of Home Alone is now.
Macaulay Culkin (Kevin McCallister)
Macaulay Culkin became one of the most famous child actors in the world almost overnight, thanks to his performance as Kevin McCallister, the resourceful eight-year-old accidentally left behind during Christmas. Culkin followed Home Alone with Home Alone 2: Lost in New York and a string of high-profile films before stepping away from acting for much of his adolescence and early adulthood.
In recent years, Culkin has reemerged on his own terms. He starred in American Horror Story: Double Feature, has become a sharp, self-aware pop culture presence, and, most notably, appeared in a widely talked-about Home Instead commercial that cleverly nodded to his Home Alone legacy without feeling like nostalgia bait. Culkin is also partnered with actress Brenda Song, known for The Suite Life of Zack & Cody, and the two share children together.
Culkin has also spoken publicly about ideas for a potential Home Alone sequel centered on an older Kevin, a concept that generated buzz when discussed in interviews and articles, even if no official project has moved forward. Rather than running from his past, Culkin now seems fully comfortable engaging with it on his own terms.
Catherine O’Hara (Kate McCallister)
Catherine O’Hara gave Home Alone its emotional backbone as Kate McCallister, the mother whose frantic journey home grounds the film’s cartoon chaos in real stakes. Already a comedy legend from SCTV and her collaborations with Christopher Guest, O’Hara’s career has only grown more celebrated since.
She reached an entirely new generation of fans with her Emmy-winning role as Moira Rose on Schitt’s Creek, one of the most acclaimed television comedies of the past decade. Most recently, O’Hara stars in Apple TV+’s The Studio, a Hollywood satire that has earned her a Golden Globe nomination. More than thirty years after Home Alone, O’Hara remains one of the most respected and in-demand performers working today.
Joe Pesci (Harry)
Joe Pesci’s turn as bumbling burglar Harry made him an unlikely holiday icon, even as he was simultaneously building a fearsome reputation in crime dramas. Pesci followed Home Alone with legendary performances in Goodfellas, Casino, and My Cousin Vinny, earning an Academy Award along the way.
Though he largely retired from acting, Pesci returned in a major way for Martin Scorsese’s The Irishman, reminding audiences of his singular screen presence. Pesci remains mostly out of the public eye, but his work continues to loom large over American cinema.
Daniel Stern (Marv)
Daniel Stern’s Marv provided the physical comedy counterbalance to Pesci’s Harry. Post Home Alone, Stern continued acting in films and television, directed several projects, and became the longtime narrator of The Wonder Years, another cornerstone of nostalgic television.
More recently, Stern has focused on sculpture and visual art, maintaining a quieter but creatively active life outside the Hollywood spotlight.
John Heard (Peter McCallister)
John Heard played Kevin’s distracted but well-meaning father, Peter McCallister. Heard went on to appear in numerous films and television series over the years, including Big and The Sopranos. He passed away in 2017, but his performance remains a key part of the film’s family dynamic.
Kieran Culkin (Fuller McCallister)
Kieran Culkin was just a kid stealing scenes as Fuller, the Pepsi-loving cousin who wet the bed. While his role in Home Alone was small, Culkin’s career trajectory has been anything but.
He built a steady résumé over the years before breaking out in a major way as Roman Roy on HBO’s Succession, earning critical acclaim and multiple awards. Most recently, Culkin starred in Jesse Eisenberg’s A Real Pain, which premiered to strong reviews and went on to receive significant awards attention, further cementing his status as one of the most compelling actors of his generation.
John Candy (Gus Polinski)
John Candy’s appearance as Gus Polinski, the “Polka King of the Midwest,” is brief but unforgettable. A longtime John Hughes collaborator and one of the era’s most beloved comedians, Candy was already a major star thanks to films like Splash, National Lampoon’s Vacation, Uncle Buck and Planes, Trains and Automobiles when he joined Home Alone.
Candy re-teamed with fellow Second City alum O’Hara to deliver one of the film’s warmest and funniest sequences. Following Home Alone, he starred in Only the Lonely and Delirious, and gave a standout performance as Coach Irv Blitzer in Cool Runnings. Off-screen, Candy explored business ventures, including co-owning the Toronto Argonauts and investing in the House of Blues chain.
Tragically, Candy died of a heart attack in 1994 at the age of 43 while filming Wagons East. His legacy as a comic actor and generous screen presence remains deeply felt.
Roberts Blossom (Old Man Marley)
Roberts Blossom’s portrayal of Old Man Marley delivered one of the film’s most poignant turns. What begins as a neighborhood boogeyman reveal becomes a story about loneliness, forgiveness, and connection.
A longtime character actor, Blossom appeared in films like Close Encounters of the Third Kind and Christine. He passed away in 2011, but his brief role in Home Alone continues to resonate as one of the movie’s emotional highlights.
Terrie Snell (Aunt Leslie)
Terrie Snell may not be a household name, but her contribution to Home Alone is essential to why the film still works so well. She appears in Home Alone as Aunt Leslie, one of the relatives traveling with the McCallisters as the family’s chaotic holiday getaway kicks into gear.
While her role is smaller, she is part of the bustling ensemble that helps sell the movie’s early mayhem, all the talk, all the bodies, all the noise that makes Kevin’s getting overlooked feel weirdly plausible. Snell’s screen credits also include a mix of film and TV work beyond Home Alone, but for a lot of viewers, she is forever tied to that McCallister family orbit.
What makes Home Alone remarkable isn’t just that it still plays every holiday season. It’s that its cast went on to such varied, lasting careers. Some became icons. Some stepped away. Others reinvented themselves entirely.
Now, more than 30 years later, Home Alone isn’t just a Christmas movie. It’s a snapshot of careers at their beginnings, middles, and, in some cases, resurgences. And every December, Chicago gets to claim it all over again.
You can stream Home Alone and its sequel, Lost in New York, on Disney+.
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