Home Alone fans stunned after realising hated Friends character is in the movie

There's hundreds of weird and wonderful crossovers in the film and TV universe, so it can be hard to keep track of your favourite stars' acting accolades.

But our lapses in memory make the moment you recognise a character from one thing is also part of the cast of another movie or series all the more incredible.

That's exactly how a host of Home Alone fans feel after noticing that a bloke who played a hated part in Friends joined in the classic Christmas flick.

See if you can work out who it is after watching this:

Actor Larry Hankin had a brief but still memorable role in the festive film, where Macaulay Culkin starred as mischievous kid Kevin McCallister who gets left behind while his family go to France over the holiday season.

When his mum Kate (Catherine O'Hara) realises she is one child short while on the plane, the family dash through the airport as soon as they arrive to find a payphone to call the police and alert people that Kevin is home alone.

She rings the Village Police Department who put her through to a Family Crisis Intervention officer, Sergeant Larry Balzak, aka Larry Hankin.

With a chocolate donut in one hand and the phone in the other, he proceeds to offer the concerned mum p*ss poor advice and instead flicks through a magazine on his desk.

He asked a frazzled Kate a string of irrelevant questions while being more preoccupied with his sweet treat, such as: "Has the child been involved in violence with a drunk family member? Has he been involved in a household accident? Has the child ingested any poison or is an object lodged in his throat?"

20th Century Studios

Bemused by her request, he then asks - in between mouthfuls of his donut: "You want us to go to your house... just to check on him? Let me connect you with the police department."

Larry's role in Home Alone might have been short and sweet, but we all remember the iconic scene where he munches on his ring-shaped snack and fobs Kevin's mortified mother off.

He went on to lend his acting talents to the likes of Billy Madison, Pretty Woman and Money Talks, but it was one of his future jobs which made him a recognisable face to viewers.

In the seventh episode of the first season of Friends, which was broadcast in 1994, Larry made his debut appearance as the loathsome Mr Heckles - who you might better know as the weird neighbour who lived underneath Monica and Rachel's apartment.

He was only credited as 'the weird man' for his cameo in The One With The Blackout, but he was later introduced more formally when he kept popping back up in episodes and spouting a string of bizarre lies - and complaints.

NBC

He was a man that was no stranger to sharing bizarre lies, such as claiming to be Chandler's roommate or accusing Monica and Rachel of disturbing his oboe practice, despite not actually playing the oboe.

Mr Heckles popped up in three more episodes of Friends before bowing out in the aptly named 'The One Where Mr Heckles Dies' - although he then reappeared in a flashback in the equally appropriately named 'The One With The Flashback'. He even joined in Friends: The Reunion back in 2021.

People can't believe the same guy starred in both the iconic Home Alone film as well as the legendary sitcom, and that it took them all these years to realise it.

One social media user said: "Can someone confirm my hunch as to whether this policeman from Home Alone is Mr Heckles from Friends?"

Another wrote: "Mr Heckles is in Home Alone. WHO KNEW?!"

A third added: "I was today years old when I realised Officer Larry Balzak from Home Alone is also Mr. Heckles from Friends!"

A fourth wrote: "Holy crap!!! The policeman eating the donut in Home Alone is Mr. Heckles from Friends! How have I never noticed this before?"

And a fifth added: "Watching Home Alone for the millionth time and just noticed Mr Heckles from Friends is the police officer." Well, you're not the only one.