Triple the talent.
Ever since Macaulay Culkin‘s acting debut in the late ’80s, the Culkins have been one of the most iconic actor families in Hollywood. Of the seven siblings, only three pursued acting as a profession: Macaulay, Kieran, and Rory Culkin.
Throughout their distinct, varied, and beloved careers, the three actors have been able to deliver a number of outstanding and memorable performances that audiences have fallen in love with over the years.
Whether it’s a beloved child performance like Macaulay’s in My Girl, an underrated gem like Rory’s in Gabriel, or an iconic work in a cult classic like Kieran’s in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, these performances prove that talent runs in the Culkin family
10Kieran — ‘Scott Pilgrim vs. the World’ (2010)
Edgar Wright‘s massive cult classic Scott Pilgrim vs. the World may not have performed particularly well upon release, but it quickly became the widely quoted, universally loved fan favorite that it is today.
In a cast as stacked with stars as that of Scott Pilgrim, it’s hard for a relatively limited performance to stand out, but that’s precisely what Kieran Culkin’s does.
He plays Wallace Wells, the protagonist’s cool gay roommate, and brings the kind of charm and energy to the role that makes him such a beloved character.
9Macaulay — ‘My Girl’ (1991)
Best remembered for having one of the most heartbreaking character deaths in any children’s movie, My Girl has a ton of heart and a level of originality not usually seen in films of its type.
Macaulay Culkin’s career was the first of his siblings’ to really take off, and his work on this beautifully bittersweet movie was one of the biggest reasons why.
He gives his character an earnest, wide-eyed demeanor with apparent ease, and his chemistry with his co-lead, Anna Chlumsky, is off the charts.
8Rory — ‘Signs’ (2002)
Nowadays, M. Night Shyamalan is famous for being one of Hollywood’s most hit-or-miss directors, and although it has a mixed reputation, Signs is arguably one of the director’s most entertaining hits and one of the most creative alien invasion movies in recent memory.
Aside from being a genuinely scary and atmospheric sci-fi horror drama, it’s an interesting exploration of themes like family bonding over grief, meaning that its emotional core largely relies on the performances.
Everyone does a fantastic job, but Rory Culkin shines in one of the most convincing child performances of the 2000s.
7Kieran — ‘The Mighty’ (1998)
A moving dramedy about friendship and human connections, The Mighty is the story of two young outcast boys who kindle an unlikely friendship. Sweet and modest, it’s as touching as crowd-pleasers can get.
Kieran Culkin and Elden Henson play a pair of lovable co-leads, and they are phenomenal together.
Kieran in particular imbues his flawed character with a surprising amount of layers and nuance for such a young actor, balancing the comedic and dramatic elements of the script like an absolute pro.
6Macaulay — ‘Saved!’ (2004)
In the ’90s, Macaulay took a break from acting and stepped away from the public eye.
One of his earliest comeback roles came in Saved! in 2004, and it proved that he still very much had the spark that had made him famous as a child.
Early 2000s teen comedies were a genre all of their own, and Saved! is definitely one of the ones that deserve a lot more recognition.
The script doesn’t demand much of Macaulay, but he still manages to find ways to make his character stand out.
Perfectly coupled with the film’s irreverent sense of humor, his performance is one of the funniest of his career.
5Rory — ‘You Can Count On Me’ (2000)
The feature directorial debut of Oscar winner Kenneth Lonergan, You Can Count On Me uses simplicity and wit to charm audiences with the story of a single mother who doesn’t really know how to feel about her estranged brother’s return to town.
Young Rory was only 11 years old when the movie (his acting debut, no less) came out, and he was already a natural.
It’s no easy feat to hold your own against actors of the caliber of Laura Linney and Mark Ruffalo, but Rory does, delivering a performance with a sincerity that thespians multiple times his age can only dream of channeling.
4Kieran — ‘Igby Goes Down’ (2002)
There’s no space for debate that Kieran’s work in the dramedy Igby Goes Down is one of the actor’s greatest performances.
The movie is clever and quirky, putting a cool spin on the coming-of-age genre that relies largely on Kieran’s work.
Culkin plays a young man whose strange upbringing has rendered him unable to cope with the struggle of growing up, and he does a surprisingly convincing and enthralling job.
All the characters and performances are fantastic, but Kieran and his poignant portrayal of Igby are undoubtedly the two best parts of Igby Goes Down.
3Macaulay — ‘Home Alone’ (1990)
Home Alone is the quintessential ’90s Christmas classic, and its Kevin McCallister is one of those magical roles that, whenever you think of Macaulay Culkin, you can’t help but think of that iconic screaming expression on the poster of this audience darling.
Simply put, Macaulay is the main reason why the movie works as well as it does, and has aged as well as it has. It’s not a particularly complex performance, but it doesn’t need to be: With incredible charm and just the right amount of bloodthirst sprinkled in, Culkin created one of the subgenre’s most famous characters.
2Rory — ‘Gabriel’ (2014)
Few people have seen the 2014 indie character dramaGabriel, which is an absolute shame, because Rory’s performance in it is a tour de force that proves he’s every bit as talented as his better-known older brothers.
If Rory’s engrossing take on a troubled young man with mental health issues doesn’t have your jaw on the floor at least a couple of times by the time the credits roll, you probably watched the wrong film.
Gabriel is fascinating in its own right, but its main draw is Culkin’s incredibly layered performance, which will have you fearing his character and feeling deeply for him equally often.
1Kieran — ‘Succession’ (2018-2023)
Kieran Culkin’s astonishingly good performance as Roman Roy in Succession is the crown jewel of the Culkin trio’s collective acting careers, a masterpiece of a performance as a walking enigma of an immature, energetic young man.
Kieran, who has been nominated for two Emmys for his work on the show, is the kind of actor whose mere presence automatically makes every scene he’s in all the better.
It definitely helps that his character is one of the best-written of Succession, but his incredible effort in humanizing Roman while keeping him idiosyncratic and thoroughly fun to watch is every bit as commendable as the writing.
