Kieran Culkin Reveals Director's Shocking Behaviour On Set When He Was Just 6 Years Old

Kieran Culkin recalled the uncomfortable way a director treated him during his first acting gig. 

During a new episode of the Smartless podcast, host Will Arnett asked Kieran to discuss what his first acting experience was like — and his answer left the podcast hosts nearly speechless.

The Succession star shared that he had his first acting experience when he was six years old for a commercial he couldn’t remember the name of, but noted it had “something to do with learning disabilities”.

“The concept was, I’m standing in front of a chalkboard with chalk in my hand, and I don’t know how to solve the easy thing in front of me, and the kids in the class are supposed to be calling me dummy and stupid and all that,” he explained.

Kieran told the hosts that he had “a distinct memory” of the director yelling “action” before he unexpectedly catapulted insults at the young actor, calling him “dummy”, “idiot” and “stupid”. 

Kieran said that, even at his young age, he knew the director had gone too far. 

“Even then, I’m thinking like, ‘You know, I get it. I’m six’. Like, ‘Stand here and look sad.’ I’m not fucking method [acting], I’m six. What’s wrong with you?” he added. 

“Wow!” co-host Jason Bateman replied, while Will Arnett added: “Oh my God, oh my God.” 

Back in December 2021, Kieran got candid about witnessing the challenges his older brother, Macaulay Culkin, faced due to his child stardom following his massive success in 1990’s Home Alone.

“It was pretty nuts. And I think what people sometimes fail to remember too, is that he was a kid. He didn’t really choose that. It’s something that happened to him,” the Father Of The Bride star told NPR’s Terry Gross on Fresh Air.

He added: “And I think when you’re a kid, you obviously don’t have the tools to handle something like that. So I think it might have been pretty tough.”

Listen to Kieran Culkin’s interview on the Smartless podcast below.