Macaulay Culkin Net Worth (Money & Salary)
Macaulay Culkin Net Worth (Money & Salary)
March 13, 2025
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What Is Macaulay Culkin’s Net Worth, Salary, and Career Earnings?
An American actor, Macaulay Culkin possesses a net worth of $18 million. He rose to fame in the 1990s from a series of blockbuster films, most notably “Home Alone,” “Home Alone 2: Lost In New York,” “My Girl,” “Richie Rich,” “Uncle Buck,” and “The Good Son.”
At the height of his career, Culkin was among the highest-paid and most influential actors in the film industry, regardless of age. His earnings from his most prominent movies are outlined in the section that follows.
Although Culkin stepped back from acting in the late 1990s and early 2000s, he has since reemerged, taking roles in television, film, and independent productions. Over the years, he has been the target of numerous inaccurate tabloid narratives about his personal life. The media appears unable to recognize that he lives a relatively normal life away from Hollywood and celebrity gossip columns. Seth Green, a fellow actor and childhood friend, often defends Culkin. On Marc Maron’s podcast, Green emphasized that Mac doesn’t concern himself with media portrayals. It seems Culkin is content living a low-profile life while enjoying his wealth.
Macaulay Culkin Salary Per Movie
In Culkin’s first significant film, “Uncle Buck,” released in 1989, he earned $40,000. A year later, he skyrocketed to fame through “Home Alone,” receiving $100,000 for his work. This film established him as a household name, and for the subsequent four years, he became a seven-figure star.
In 1991, he earned $1 million for “My Girl.” The following year, he made $4.5 million for his role in “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York.” Interestingly, despite achieving such success, he chose a pay cut to $1.5 million for the 1993 thriller “The Good Son.”
The year 1994 marked the pinnacle of Culkin’s earnings as a film star, starting with “Getting Even with Dad,” for which he received $8 million—an amount he matched in the live-action adaptation “Richie Rich.”
Between 1989 and 1994, these seven films collectively earned Culkin $23.5 million, which, when accounting for inflation, equates to around $40 million today.
- “Uncle Buck” (1989): $40 thousand
- “Home Alone” (1990): $100 thousand
- “My Girl” (1991): $1 million
- “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York” (1992): $4.5 million
- “The Good Son” (1993): $1.5 million
- “Getting Even with Dad” (1994): $8 million
- “Ri¢hie Ri¢h” (1994): $8 million
Total: $23.5 million
The total of $23.5 million earned from 1989 to 1994 is equivalent to $40 million today, adjusted for inflation.
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Early Life
Career
Beginning his entertainment career at the age of four, Culkin participated in small theater shows and made-for-TV films, as well as various minor television and film roles. One noteworthy performance from this era was alongside John Candy in John Hughes’ 1989 film “Uncle Buck.”
His major breakthrough occurred in 1990 when he was cast as Kevin McCallister in “Home Alone,” directed by John Hughes. This role earned him a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor, in addition to an American Comedy Award and Young Artist Award. The following year, he appeared in a Saturday morning cartoon series called “Wish Kid,” hosted “Saturday Night Live,” and featured in Michael Jackson’s “Black or White” music video. Later in 1991, he co-starred with Anna Chlumsky in “My Girl.” In 1992, he received $4.5 million to reprise his Kevin role in “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York,” a significant increase from the $110,000 he earned for the original film. Culkin transitioned into a darker role in 1993, playing Henry in the drama thriller “The Good Son,” earning an MTV Movie Award nomination for Best Villain. Interestingly, he also trained at the School of American Ballet and featured in a filmed adaptation of “The Nutcracker.” After a streak of underperforming films in 1994, including “Getting Even with Dad,” “The Pagemaster,” and “Richie Rich,” Culkin took a four-year break from acting while attending a private high school in NYC.
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After Acting Hiatus
Upon returning to the screen in 1998, Culkin appeared in Sonic Youth’s music video for “Sunday.” Two years later, he landed a role in the play “Madame Melville” in London’s West End. In 2003, Culkin returned to films by portraying a drug addict and murderer named Michael Alig in “Party Monster.” The next year, he featured in a supporting role in the indie hit “Saved!” which garnered him positive reviews. He also lent his voice to Seth Green’s animated series “Robot Chicken.” In 2006, he published a semi-autobiographical book titled “Junior,” detailing his rise to fame and his complicated relationship with his father. Culkin’s acting endeavors resumed in fall 2007 with the dark comedy “Sex and Breakfast.” Subsequently, he starred in the NBC series “Kings.” In 2011, he appeared in Adam Green’s avant-garde film “The Wrong Ferarri,” which was filmed entirely on an iPhone. A co-produced video in December 2013 showcasing Culkin eating cheese pizza went viral on YouTube, intended as a parody of Andy Warhol eating a Burger King Whopper in “66 Scenes from America.” It also served as a promotion for The Pizza Underground, his New York-based comedy rock band centered around pizza themes. In May 2014, during a UK tour, he abruptly walked off stage during a kazoo solo as a band performance escalated with booing and beer being thrown at him, resulting in the cancellation of subsequent shows. By 2016, it was announced that The Pizza Underground would be disbanding.
Culkin made a cameo in Seth Green’s film “Changeland” in 2019. In February 2020, it was confirmed he would join the cast of the tenth season of “American Horror Story.”
As a publisher and CEO of “Bunny Ears,” a parody of “Goop,” he runs a satirical pop culture website and podcast.
VALERIE MACON/AFP/Getty Images
Google Ad
Following the breakup of his band, Culkin continued to create web content and podcasts while appearing in multiple TV commercials. Notably, he reprised his role from “Home Alone” in a 2018 advertisement for Google Assistant.
and scenes from the movie were recreated, where Kevin, notably, was 28 years older compared to his role in the original film.
Macaulay received $1 million for his appearance in this commercial.
Personal Life
Mac had a previous engagement with Mila Kunis, which they ended. He was married to actress Rachel Miner from 1998 until 2002. Since 2017, Culkin has been in a relationship with his “Changeland” co-star Brenda Song. They welcomed their son, Dakota, on April 5, 2021. The couple chose the name Dakota in memory of Macaulay’s sister, who tragically passed away in 2008 after being struck by a car. In December 2022, they celebrated the arrival of their second child.
Real Estate
Macaulay possesses apartments in both New York City and Paris. In 1999, he invested $1.73 million in a three-bedroom, two-bathroom full-floor loft in New York City. This property was listed for sale in January 2025 with an asking price of $7.75 million.
In August 2022, Culkin and Song purchased Kiefer Sutherland’s home located in the Toluca Lake neighborhood of Los Angeles for $8 million. Constructed in 1935, this 4,879-square-foot residence features five bedrooms, six bathrooms, and a .6-acre lot that boasts a swimming pool, a putting green, and a terrace complete with a fireplace and pergola. This acquisition occurred shortly after the couple sold their single-story home in Los Angeles, which was listed at $3.25 million.
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Data is current as of 2023 and 2024, with projections extending to 2025 and 2026. Additionally, we have provided forecasts for 2027 and 2028.
Post Title: Macaulay Culkin Net Worth (Money & Salary)
Last Updated: March 13, 2025