Kevin McCallister became Richie Rich as a child star.

The holiday season is here, which means Macaulay Culkin is at the front of our minds once more.

The iconic Home Alone actor was one of the biggest child stars ever on the planet, and during his early 1990s heyday, he was one of the highest-paid stars—child or adult—in the world.

He was in such high demand that when he and his father delayed production on the film The Good Son for nine months, the studio didn’t even blink.

Joe Roth, then-chairman of 20th Century Fox, told The New York Times in 1991, “There are no 11-year-old kids that sell tickets like Macaulay. To get the kid in a lead part, that’s a great asset

Look, if Joe Blow were cast in a movie and Mel Gibson is suddenly available in nine months, you wait nine months. This is not the first picture pushed back because of casting.”

Though he’s largely shied away from blockbusters since he was a teen, Culkin is still making the world laugh thanks to his self-effacing humor. On his birthday in 2020, he tweeted, “Hey guys, wanna feel old. I’m 40. You’re welcome.”

Culkin has largely taken a break from the spotlight, and he’s earned it; he’s also earned millions along the way.

Find out Macaulay Culkin’s net worth and how he made it before most kids even have their first growth spurts.

How did Macaulay Culkin get famous?

Culkin achieved worldwide fame as one of the most prolific child stars of his generation. When he was just 4 years old, Culkin was already appearing in theater productions and TV movies, but his big breakout blockbuster was John Hughes‘ Uncle Buck, in which he starred alongside the late, great John Candy.

The following year, Culkin would get the role that would define his career, for better or worse, for the rest of his life: Kevin McCallister in Home Alone.

From there, Culkin went on to star inmore classics, including the heartbreaking My Girl, kids’ favorite Richie Rich, animated feature The Pagemaster, and thriller The Good Son.

He also struck up a close friendship with Michael Jackson, appearing in his “Black or White” music video and becoming godfather to Jackson’s daughter, Paris.

Culkin retired from child stardom at the ripe old age of 14, though he’s dipped his toe back into the industry as an adult, with roles on shows like American Horror Story and Righteous Gemstones and movies including Saved! and Party Monster.

Related: Ho Ho Hilarious! These Are 57 of the Funniest Christmas Movies Ever Made

What is Macaulay Culkin’s worth in 2024?

Culkin’s net worth is estimated at a cool $18 million.

He revealed in a 2018 interview with Ellen DeGeneres that he never realized he was wealthy until he was an adult because he didn’t have access to his finances until he turned 18—four years after he “retired.”

“I didn’t see it until I turned 18, I call it the ‘Slip of Paper’ meeting, where they pretty much put a number on a piece of paper and slide it across the table and then—boom! There you go,” he said.

“So I felt like some kid worked really, really hard, and I inherited all of his money pretty much. I had kind of no real sense, but at the same time, it allows me to treat everything like a hobby really.

I do nothing for my dinner nowadays, so I can do all kinds of projects.”

How much does Macaulay Culkin make in royalties from Home Alone?

Culkin doesn’t make royalties from Home Alone.

What does Macaulay Culkin do for a living?

Macaulay Culkin still acts occasionally, but is able to pick and choose the projects he works on thanks to the money he made as a child star.

His most recent projects include a season of American Horror Story Double Feature: Red Tide, appearing in a couple of episodes of Righteous Gemstones in 2022 and the 2019 movie Changeland, directed and written by his longtime BFF Seth Green, who also co-stars in the project along with Culkin’s girlfriend and the mother of his son, Brenda Song.

He also has a website and podcast called Bunny Ears.

He’s also done a bit of modeling, walking for Gucci in November 2021.

Culkin was also in a band called The Pizza Underground, a parody band of The Velvet Underground, until 2014.

Culkin told The Guardian in 2016 that he has no issues not working.

“People feel they have to be in perpetual motion, or drown. I’ve never had a problem saying I’ve got nothing lined up,” he said. “Maybe I’ll take the next year off. I’m not much active.”

He said of his child stardom and adult career, “It’s allowed me to become the person I am, and I like me, so I wouldn’t change a thing.

Not having to do anything for my dinner, financially, let’s me treat every gig like it’s the last. If it is, I’d think: ‘Culkin, you had a good run.'”

What is Macaulay Culkin’s salary?

Culkin’s current take-home earnings are likely relatively low—but seeing as he’s sitting on a cool $18 million, we assume he’s doing just fine on his prior earnings.

Where is Macaulay Culkin now?

Today, Culkin lives with girlfriend Brenda Song and their two son, Dakota Song Culkin, born in April 2021 and Carson Song Culkin, born in December 2022.

How old is Macaulay Culkin?

Culkin has accused his father, Kit Culkin, of being abusive. Kit, who served as Macaulay’s manager, also had a reputation for being incredibly difficult on film sets.

The younger Culkin reportedly emancipated himself from his parents at age 15 and removed their access to his earnings, though he later revealed it was simply for financial reasons when his parents divorced.

“We didn’t want to go with my father. It’s always misconstrued, that I ’emancipated’ myself from my parents.

I legally took my parents’ names off of my trust fund and found an executor, someone who would look over my finances, just in case anyone wanted to stick their f—kng pinkie in the pie,” he told Esquire in 2020, noting that his parents took 15 percent of his pay for every project.

“But the next thing you know, the story was that I divorced my parents. I just thought I was doing it cleanly—taking my father’s name off, taking my mom’s name off, so my opinion is unbiased. And when I did that, the whole thing kinda ended a lot faster.”

He added, “Look, I mean, it sucks, but, it coulda been worse, you know? I wasn’t working in a coal mine. I wasn’t a child soldier.

My father was not sexually abusing me. Certain f—ed up things happened, but f—ed up things happen to kids all the time and they don’t come out the other end. I’ve got something to show for it, man.

I mean, look at me: I got money, I got fame, I got a beautiful girlfriend and a beautiful house and beautiful animals.”

Still, making that clean break had its benefits in a big way.

“Our 1994 divorce was one of the best things that’s ever happened, as it led to me leaving the industry,” Macaulay revealed on WTF With Marc Maron in 2018. (via the Mirror).

“I wanted to take a break for a while and eventually I was like, ‘I’m done guys, hope you all made your money because there is no more coming from me.'”

Macaulay said some of his father’s abuse was likely rooted in envy, noting, “My father was jealous of me. He was a bad man. He was abusive.

Everything he tried to do in life, I excelled at before I was 10 years old.”

How much did Macaulay Culkin make for Home Alone?

Culkin only made $110,000 for his foray as Kevin McCallister, but for Home Alone 2: Lost In New York, he commanded a much heftier $4.5 million.

How much did Macaulay Culkin make in Richie Rich?

Richie Rich reportedly made Culkin just that: He was rumored to have made $8 million from the movie about the silver-spooned kid.

How much did Macaulay Culkin make as a child?

In total from all of his movies before his early retirement, Culkin reportedly made a whopping $23.5 million—which would be close to $40 million when adjusted for inflation today.

How much did Macaulay Culkin make for his Google commercial?

Culkin reprised his role of Kevin McCallister for a Google Assistant commercial parodying Home Alone in 2018.

His payday for the project isn’t publicly known, but we can guess it was a big one, as he’s often been loath to look back at his Home Alone years as an adult.

How much did Macaulay Culkin make for Uncle Buck?

Culkin reportedly made $40,000 for his role in Uncle Buck.

How much did Macaulay Culkin make in American Horror Story?

Macaulay Culkin starred as Mickey in American Horror Story: Double Feature: Red Tide and quickly became a fan-favorite character.

Though his salary isn’t known, creator Ryan Murphy revealed to E! News that Culkin signed on for the role specifically because he was promised a love scene with Kathy Bates.