Macaulay Culkin explains what Kevin's dad actually does for a living to answer dark theory
Macaulay Culkin has explained his theory about what Kevin McCallister's dad does for a living in Home Alone.
What does Peter McCallister actually do for work? It's a question which has been fiercely debated among fans of the Christmas classic for years.
Given the fact that the McCallister family live in a picturesque mansion worth $5.5 million (£4.1 million) in today's money - it sold for $875,000 in 1989 - situated in the wealthy town of Winnetka, Illinois, it's pretty obvious Peter and his wife Kate don't work any old job.
And that's before you factor in the fact that the whole McCallister is jetting off to Paris and Miami for Christmas.
Advert
We're never given an official in-universe explanation for Peter and Kate McCallister's jobs either – which has led to countless speculation over the years.
The leading theory has always been that Peter is a significant figure in the world of organised crime, which explains the lavish house, luxury holidays and expensive clothes.
An extensive search for clues about Peter's career in a subreddit discussion on the topic, which includes the family house being considered the prime target in an already wealthy neighbourhood and the father being spotted in a very expensive coat in another scene.
Given how legendary the rumours are, it was inevitable that one of the Home Alone cast was asked about theory, with Culkin the latest to weigh in on the subject.
During a recent interview with Toronto Sun to promote his role in Fallout season two, Culkin floated two very well paid, but non-crime related, jobs for his fictional parents.
"I think his father was a corporate lawyer, that’s how they were able to afford such nice things and live in a nice neighbourhood," he explained.
"His mother was an interior decorator, that’s why the house was so nice."
The actor's proposed occupations echo comments previously shared by Home Alone director Chris Columbus, who suggested Peter worked in advertising while Kate was a fashion designer.
“Back then, John [Hughes, the writer] and I had a conversation about it, and we decided on what the jobs were," Columbus said in an interview with Hollywood Reporter.
He added: "The father could have, based on John Hughes own experience, worked in advertising, but I don’t remember what the father did."
While he couldn't remember Peter's exact career, Columbus did shut down any relation between the McCallister patriarch and the criminal underworld.
"Not organized crime — even though there was, at the time, a lot of organized crime in Chicago," he said.
Topics: Film, Home Alone, Macaulay Culkin, TV and Film, Christmas
Brenna Cooper