Macaulay Culkin Reveals the One Role He Wishes He Hadn’t Missed

Macaulay Culkin has opened up about a significant career regret, sharing details about an acclaimed film role that slipped through his fingers during his self-imposed acting hiatus in the mid-1990s.

The 44-year-old “Home Alone” star recently appeared on “Hot Ones,” where he candidly discussed his decision to step away from Hollywood as a teenager and the unexpected discovery of a script that made him realize what he had missed during his time away from acting.

The Script Discovery That Sparked Regret

During his appearance on the popular interview show, Culkin reflected on his years away from the entertainment industry, explaining how he had been methodically reviewing scripts during his break. However, one particular project managed to escape his attention entirely until he made an accidental discovery years later.

“I remember about two years later, clearing out the house and throwing out the old scripts and I saw the one that I didn’t read was Rushmore, I was like, ‘Oh dang,'” Culkin revealed during the interview.

The 1998 Wes Anderson-directed film “Rushmore,” which ultimately starred Jason Schwartzman, had been on Culkin’s radar for the lead role of Max Fischer, a precocious 15-year-old student at the prestigious Rushmore Academy. The character, described as ambitious, brilliant, and eccentric, seemed like a perfect fit for Culkin’s acting abilities and on-screen personality.

The film featured an impressive ensemble cast including Bill Murray, Olivia Williams, Owen Wilson, Luke Wilson, Brian Cox, and Connie Nielsen, making it a prestigious project that would have aligned with Culkin’s desire for quality material during his selective period.

Culkin expressed genuine regret about missing the opportunity, acknowledging both his admiration for Schwartzman’s eventual performance and his belief that he could have brought something special to the role. “But at the same time, I’m like, ‘Oh man, that would have been a ball and a biscuit.’ I probably could have done that one,” he shared.

Understanding His Career Hiatus

The missed opportunity with “Rushmore” occurred during a deliberate period when Culkin had stepped back from acting to focus on other aspects of his life. As he explained during the interview, this decision was part of a broader strategy to reclaim his childhood and pursue normalcy after years of intense fame.

“You have to understand…at least then, I was retired for at least like six or seven years. I went to high school. I got married way too young. Things like that, you know,” Culkin explained.

Despite his general satisfaction with his decision to take a break, the actor admitted that he had been “actually pretty good at reading” scripts during this period and was “kind of voraciously reading through” potential projects, making the oversight with “Rushmore” particularly notable.

The role eventually went to Schwartzman, who earned critical acclaim and won the 1999 YoungStar Award for Best Performance by a Young Actor in a Comedy Film for his portrayal of Max Fischer.