Catherine O'Hara Recalls Being Mistaken for Macaulay Culkins Mom

Catherine O’Hara may have played Macaulay Culkin’s mom in the Home Alone movies, but she is not his mother in real life — a fact people sometimes forget.

The actress, 69, told Sunday TODAY on Thursday, February 8, that Culkin, 43 asked her to present his award at the Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony in Los Angeles in December 2023, noting that she was honored to be invited by her onscreen son to attend.

“Out of the blue, he asked me. And my first reaction was, ‘Aww,'” she said. “I told my husband, ‘Aww.’ It just was the sweetest idea. But I didn’t know what it was going to be like, and it was just lovely and I’m so happy I got to be there and see him receive that. He seemed so happy. He’s got a lovely fiancée, two sweet kids.”

During a photo session at the event, O’Hara said she was mistaken for the actor’s mom by a photographer.

“What was funny, when after you do the presentation, then they have the honoree come and stand before the unveil, the star. And then we all pose. We pose, pose, pose,” she recalled. “His mother was not able to make it at that time. But we’re all posing, posing, posing. ‘Now Natasha, now so-and-so. OK, now just you and the mother.’ And I walk away and he said, ‘Just with the mother.’ Yeah. No, with the mother.’ ‘I’m not — you know I’m not his real mother.’”

She continued: “Then he puts his arm around [me], he goes, ‘Oh no, my mom wasn’t able to make it.’ Well then, I’m honored to be here. Thank you.”

During her speech in December, O’Hara — who referred to herself as his “fake mom that left you home alone not once but twice” — reflected on watching Culkin survive childhood stardom.

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“This beautiful 10-year-old little boy was called a superstar, a moneymaker, one of the hottest leading young men in Hollywood,” she said. “How does anyone survive that? I believe you’d have to possess a certain quality, a gift that dear John Hughes obviously recognized in Macaulay.”

As referenced by O’Hara, Culkin’s real mother, Patricia Brentrup, was not in attendance. His brother Succesion’s Kiernan Culkin was also not there. Macaulay was supported by fiancée Brenda Song and their two kids.

“You are absolutely everything,” Macaulay told Song at the ceremony. “You’re my champion. You’re the only person happier for me today than I am. You’re not only the best woman I’ve ever know, you’re the best person I’ve ever known.”

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