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Culkin opened up about his relationship with Candy and how it impacted him as a kid amid his own troubled relationship with his father in the upcoming documentary, John Candy: I Like Me.
Macaulay Culkin is reflecting on the "paternal" presence John Candy had on him while they worked together on the 1989 classic Uncle Buck, and how the late actor was one of the first to recognize how toxic his home life was.
Candy, who died in 1994 at the age of 43, is remembered by Culkin in Colin Hanks' new documentary John Candy: I Like Me, which premiered Thursday at the opening night film of the Toronto International Film Festival.
"I think he always had that really great instinct," Culkin says in the film. "I think he saw. Listen, even before the wave crested and the Home Alone stuff was happening, it was not hard to see how difficult my father was. It was no secret. He was already a monster."
The actor, now 45, recalled how Candy would subtly check in with him on set.
"All of a sudden, the fame and the money came, and he became an infamous monster. He was already not a good guy. I think John was looking a little side-eyed, like, 'Is everything alright over there? You doing good? Good day? Everything's alright? Everything good at home? Alright.'"
Culkin described that energy as "a testament to the kind of man he was," adding that Candy "was just looking out for" him. "It doesn't happen that often. It actually happened less as time went on. I wish I got more of that in my life. It's important that I remember that. I remember John caring when not a lot of people did."
The Home Alone star said Candy stood out from many adults in Hollywood who didn't know how, or didn't want to work with kids.
"I think that’s why that's one of my favorite performances, because I think he put a lot of himself into it," Culkin explained. While some actors "don't know how or don't like to work with kids" because they’re "tricky to work with," Culkin noted, "John was always really kind, and really good with" him and co-star Gaby Hoffman.
Both Macaulay and his brother, A Real Pain star Kieran Culkin, have previously spoken about their allegedly abusive relationship with their father, Kit Culkin, with Macaulay calling him "narcissistic" and "crazy" during a March appearance on the Sibling Revelry podcast with Kate Hudson and Oliver Hudson.
Macaulay said he believes his father resented him in a way, after seeing that his young son's star was quickly outpacing his own.
"He had a certain amount of resentment towards me, I think is what it was. Because he wanted to be an actor, and he kind of did some stuff. He literally got as far as like Horus on Broadway, you know, and then he did some ballet, too," Macaulay said.
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View Story"So then all of a sudden, he has this kid that didn't look anything like him, to be honest; I look a lot like my mother," he continued, "And I, right out of the bat, like, I instantly got the lead stuff in the ballet company. I instantly booked all these things like that."
"And I think he resented me for that. I think he kind of hated me a little bit for that, and so I think that's why he kind of was a little bit harsh with me," Macaulay explained.
Even with everything he endured, however, Macaulay noted that he wouldn't be the father he is today without the negative experiences he said he had growing up.
He added, "It sucks, but it makes me the man I am today. Yeah, I wouldn't be the man. I wouldn't be the father I am today if it wasn't for my experiences, you know."
John Candy: I Like Me drops October 10 on Prime Video.
