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Now that Kieran Culkin received high praise and recognition for his role as Roman Roy in HBO's Succession, it's a reminder that he has many excellent roles in film and television dating back to the beginning of his career. Though Culkin was not an enormous star before he was cast in Succession, he did make his name with several high-profile works, as well as projects that have become cult classics in the years since their release. Though not always cast in the leading role, Culkin easily steals scenes and makes himself a memorable part of the cast.
His performance of Roman may lead audiences to believe that Culkin has always been type-cast as the neurotic wise guy, but he has been known to explore deeply sensitive themes, especially in his early work. Like his brother, Macaulay Culkin, who starred in Home Alone, Kieran got his start as a child actor and developed his skills from there. He displayed great range from an early age, which allowed him to test the waters in terms of the genres and roles he was most interested in.
15 She's All That (1999)
Simon Boggs
When popular high school student Zack Siler breaks up with his girlfriend, he's confident he can replace her with any girl in school. His best friend disagrees, leading to a bet in which Zack has six weeks to turn awkward and unpopular Laney into the school's prom queen.
Release Date January 29, 1999
Runtime 97 minutes
Cast Freddie Prinze Jr. , Rachel Leigh Cook , Matthew Lillard , Paul Walker , Jodi Lyn O'Keefe , Kieran Culkin , Kevin Pollak
Director Robert Iscove
Distributor(s) MiraMax
The same year that Kieran Culkin shined in The Cider House Rules, he also had a smaller role in the romantic comedy She's All That. This film stars Freddie Prinze Jr. as a popular high school student whose girlfriend cheats on him. He makes a bet with his friends that he can turn any random girl in their school into the prom queen in six weeks. That person is Laney (Rachael Leigh Cook), and he succeeds. This movie has been parodied and is the focus of many spoofs over the years, but it remains a favorite from its era.
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The movie has a great young supporting cast, including Matthew Lillard, Paul Walker, Dule Hill, and Anna Paquin. It also includes a very young Kieran Culkin as Simon Boggs, Laney's younger brother. He was extremely funny in his performance, a young, bullied boy who starts to find his stride thanks to Prinze Jr.'s Zack Siler. The movie was a box office success and spawned a remake on Netflix that arrived 22 years later called He's All That.
14 No Sudden Move (2021)
Charley
2021's No Sudden Move is an HBO Max original film starring Don Cheadle, Benicio Del Toro, David Harbour, Jon Hamm, and Brendan Fraser. The neo-noir crime thriller centers on a group of criminals who work together to figure out why their simple job failed and why they were brought together.
Release Date July 1, 2021
Runtime 115 minutes
Distributor(s) Warner Bros. Pictures
No Sudden Move is a crime thriller released in 2021 by Steven Soderbergh. The film takes place in 1954 in Detroit when a gangster named Curt (Don Cheadle) needs money to get out of town and accepts a job to threaten a family as part of a blackmail scheme. He is accompanied by two other gangsters, Charley (Kieran Culkin) and Russo (Benicio del Toro). However, when he learns that Charley has orders from their recruiter (Brendan Fraser) to massacre the family, Curt kills Charley and leaves.
However, as his work in Succession showed, Culkin was on a different level than he was when he was getting his big breaks in Hollywood.
It was a little surprising to see Culkin in this role, as the man initially set to betray both Curt and Russo. However, as his work in Succession showed, Culkin was on a different level than he was when he was getting his big breaks in Hollywood. The film was released on Max and never had a theatrical distribution. However, it received high critical praise, with a 92% Rotten Tomatoes score, with most critics praising Soderbergh's direction and his cast.
13 The Mighty (1998)
Kevin Dillon/Freak
The Mighty, released in 1998, is a drama film exploring the unique friendship between Kevin, a brilliant boy facing physical challenges, and Maxwell, a socially isolated youth. As Kevin aids Maxwell in enhancing his reading skills, they embark on a journey of mutual acceptance and self-discovery, overcoming societal labels.
Release Date June 1, 1998
Runtime 100 minutes
Director Peter Chelsom
Kieran Culkin starred in The Mighty in 1998. In this coming-of-age movie, he played a 12-year-old boy named Kevin "Freak" Dillon, who was diagnosed with Morquio syndrome, which causes him to walk with leg braces and crutches. However, he is very smart and is assigned to tutor a young boy named Max (Elden Henson), who has learning challenges. Both boys find themselves tormented by a gang of bullies, although the much larger Max protects Kevin. The two become close friends as they bond over shared experiences.
Based on the young adult novel by Rodman Philbrick, the movie was not a huge box office success but it did receive positive reviews from critics, with reviews calling it a "spirited and sweet" story about the power of friendship. Sharon Stone also received praise for her performance as Freak's mother and earned a Golden Globes nomination for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role. Culkin also earned a Best Performance in a Feature Film nomination from the Young Artists Awards.
12 Solar Opposites (2022-)
Glen Kumstein / Dodge Charger (voice)
Solar Opposites is a Hulu adult animation series that centers on a family of aliens. After moving to America, they bicker about whether the country is better than their home planet. The series was created by Mike McMahan and Rick and Morty co-creator Justin Roiland, with characters voiced by Thomas Middleditch, Sean Giambrone, and Mary Mack.
Release Date May 8, 2020
Cast Thomas MIddleditch , Sean Giambrone , Mary Mack , Sagan McMahan , Justin Roiland , Tiffany Haddish
Seasons 5
Showrunner Justin Roiland
In 2022, Kieran Culkin joined the voice cast for the Hulu adult animated series Solar Opposites. Created by Justin Roiland and Mike McMahon, the series follows a family of aliens who crash-land on Earth and are forced to remain on the planet. The humor comes in their fish out of water story and the fact that they don't all agree that remaining on Earth is a good thing. There are also very bizarre side stories, including a society of humans living in the Wall of their house, SilverCops brutalizing aliens escaping from their world, and more.
Kieran Culkin joined the cast in the third season in one of the latter roles, a member of the SIlverCops named Glen Kumstein. He was a neighbor of the Shlorphians who was shot into space and joined the SilverCops. However, in the fourth season, he ended up changing his DNA to become a dog-like humanoid and then joined the GoldCops to get revenge against the SilverCops. The series has received critical acclaim, with reviews praising its humor and its ability to push on after losing one of its creators after its third season.
11 Margaret (2011)
As Paul
Margaret is a gripping television drama series chronicling the life of Margaret Thatcher, the first female Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. The show delves into Thatcher's rise to power, significant political battles, and the personal challenges she faced during her tenure. Acclaimed for its detailed portrayal and historical accuracy, Margaret features standout performances that bring the complex world of British politics to life.
Release Date September 30, 2011
Runtime 150 Minutes
Director Kenneth Lonergan
Culkin's Succession co-star J. Smith Cameron also appears in Margaret, an intense coming-of-age drama that explores the life of a teenage girl in the aftermath of a bus accident that she partially caused. He has a small part as Paul, a secondary love interest for protagonist Lisa (Anna Paquin). Due to his youth and inexperience, much like Lisa's own, he doesn't have the emotional awareness to understand what she's going through, so the pair have a difficult time connecting.
Where she rejects the innocence and joy of youth because of the accident, Culkin is able to embody it and show what she's missing.
It's a softer and less taxing role than the others in the film, but it's a much-needed respite to the high drama going on in the rest of the plot. Despite the short screen time, Culkin provides an effective foil to Lisa's tortured character. Where she rejects the innocence and joy of youth because of the accident, Culkin is able to embody it and show what she's missing.
10 The Cider House Rules (1999)
As Buster
The Cider House Rules, directed by Lasse Hallström, is a drama based on John Irving's novel. The film stars Tobey Maguire as Homer Wells, an orphan trained in medicine by Dr. Wilbur Larch, portrayed by Michael Caine. The story follows Homer as he leaves the orphanage to explore the world, grappling with complex moral issues. Charlize Theron also stars as Candy Kendall, a key figure Homer encounters on his journey.
Release Date December 17, 1999
Runtime 126 Minutes
Director Lasse Hallström
The Cider House Rules portrays complex issues and the trials of coming-of-age in an atmospheric and unique package. Based on the novel of the same name by John Irving, the film is set during World War II at an orphanage in Maine. Culkin plays Buster, an older boy living at the orphanage who takes care of the younger boys and looks up to Homer (Tobey Maguire), the protagonist. Though Homer leaves, Buster is still too young and must stay to be a role model for the other children.
Despite being so young when playing Buster, Culkin imbues the role with sensitivity, becoming a source of joy within the orphanage. The Cider House Rules was a minor box office success, but it was a huge success critically and during awards season. It won two Academy Awards, one for Best Adapted Screenplay and one for Michael Caine's Best Supporting Actor performance. While critics praised Culkin's performance, he didn't receive any nominations.
9 The Dangerous Lives Of Altar Boys (2002)
As Tim Sullivan
The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys follows a group of Catholic school friends in the 1970s, who, after being reprimanded for their comic book drawings, plan an elaborate prank to cement their renown and defy the strict authority figures in their lives. The film explores themes of adolescence and rebellion.
Release Date June 14, 2002
Runtime 104 minutes
Director Peter Care
The titular altar boys in The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys are unafraid to make their mark and rebel from the strict teachings of the Catholic school they attend. As Tim Sullivan, Culkin is part of a group of friends who find ways of expressing themselves through art, pranks, and rock music. Although the boys put up a front of not caring about the repressive forces in their lives, they struggle to fit in and find themselves in their environment.
Tim is no different, but is shown time and again to be a supportive and loyal friend to the other boys. It's in this film that Culkin starts to emerge from his child star roots and begins to be taken seriously as an actor. Though he still has his youthful innocence and energy, the things he goes through are much more adult and tragic. He is no longer used entirely for comedic relief, or as a symbol of youth, but as a fully-fledged person.
8 Lymelife (2008)
As Jimmy Bartlett
In Lymelife, Culkin teams up with his younger brother, Rory Culkin, as brothers in the film. Kiernan Culkin plays Jimmy, the older brother who returns home from the army to find the family in a mess of interpersonal drama. His performance gives insight into Scott's (Rory Culkin) behavior, as Jimmy has often played the role of protector. It's the parents who create the biggest mess, and the children, like Jimmy, must step up and fend for themselves.
Jimmy has a lot of anger in the film, and though his real-life brotherly love for Scott comes through, he balances it well with the rage of a child who feels abandoned. The movie mostly slipped by, with only a limited box office release before dropping onto home video. However, it won the International Federation of Film Critics award and went on to receive a 63% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with critics praising the cast's performances but knocking off for the script's perceived lack of depth and focus.
7 Wiener-Dog (2016)
As Brandon
Wiener-Dog is a 2016 film directed by Todd Solondz. It follows the journey of a dachshund as it passes through the hands of several eccentric and troubled owners, each experiencing significant yet disparate impacts from their time with the dog.
Release Date June 21, 2016
Runtime 88 Minutes
Director Todd Solondz
Told in a loose series of vignettes, Wiener-Dog stars Culkin as part of the ensemble cast with Greta Gerwig as his story's companion. His character, Brandon, is a drug addict whose father recently died due to complications with alcoholism. He and Dawn (Gerwig) attempt to rekindle their relationship, but it's clear that they both are lost in life and have a lot of growing to do before they can commit to anyone.
Somewhere between a coming-of-age role and one of someone struggling with adulthood, Culkin's performance makes it hard not to root for him and hope that, given time and support, he'll make it out of his hardships. Directed by Todd Solondz (Welcome to the Dollhouse, Happiness), critics mostly praised the movie, with most of the reviews crediting the black comedy and a group of actors who seemed to dive into Solondz's always off-kilter dialogue.
6 Infinity Baby (2017)
As Ben
Infinity Baby is a satirical comedy directed by Bob Byington, released in 2017. The film explores themes of parenthood and ethics through the lens of a company offering genetically engineered infants that remain perpetually young, resulting from a stem cell research mishap.
Release Date March 11, 2017
Runtime 80 minutes
Director Bob Byington
Infinity Baby has a concept that seems impossible, but the performances ground the film and make it worth the watch. Culkin plays Ben, one of the many characters who are disillusioned with their lives, and trying to do something about it. Though an adult, Ben wishes for nothing more than to not grow up and return to the comfort and simplicity of childhood.
The film is one of the more interesting of Culkin's career, a science fiction comedy that follows "babies who don't age."
He's at his best as a sarcastic cynic who can't find it in himself to commit to anyone or anything. The good news is, that only makes it more satisfying when he finally realizes how great it can be to grow up. The film is one of the more interesting of Culkin's career, a science fiction comedy that follows "babies who don't age." Joining him in the cast is Nick Offerman, Martin Starr, Kevin Corrigan, and Megan Mullally, and it remains one of the most obscure films on Culkin's resume, although one worth seeking out.
5 Fargo - Season 2 (2014 - )
As Rye Gerhardt
Fargo is a Black Comedy Crime Drama television series that is based on the film of the same name, which was originally created by the Coen Brothers. The TV adaptation was developed by Noah Hawley and follows an anthology format for each of its seasons, taking place in a different time period or location within the "Fargo" universe. So far, the series has seen big-name stars like Billy Bob Thornton, Ewan McGregor, Chris Rock, and Kirsten Dunst.
Release Date April 15, 2014
Seasons 5
Franchise(s) Fargo
Showrunner Noah Hawley
Considered one of the best seasons of the anthology TV show Fargo, season 2 features Culkin in his most outlandish and memorable characters. Rye Gerhardt is the victim at the center of the season-long investigation, as he is the son of a notorious crime boss who is killed in a murder by car. He is only a guest star, as he is killed off so quickly, but his presence is felt by the killers and the investigators alike throughout the whole season.
While Culkin didn't get any awards recognition for his smaller role here, it did lead to him taking on his bigger role in Succession just three years later.
It takes skill to make a short-lived character so prominent, but Culkin has never had trouble taking up space on-screen, and nor should he. This second season of Fargo was highly praised, earning eight Primetime Emmy nominations, although it didn't take home any of those awards. While Culkin didn't get any awards recognition for his smaller role here, it did lead to him taking on his bigger role in Succession just three years later.
4 Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World (2010)
As Wallace Wells
Based on Lee O'Malley's Scott Pilgrim series of graphic novels, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World follows the titular slacker musician (Michael Cera) as he strives to earn a record deal by winning the Battle of the Bands organized by music mogul Gideon Graves (Jason Schwartzman). After meeting and falling in love with Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), Scott learns that he must also defeat her seven evil exes. Chris Evans, Aubrey Plaza, Brandon Routh, Kieran Culkin, Anna Kendrick, and Brie Larson round out the film's star-studded and quirky ensemble.
Release Date August 12, 2010
Runtime 113 minutes
Distributor(s) Universal Pictures
Edgar Wright's 2010 adaptation of the beloved comic, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World stands out for its style, editing, and fantastic performances by a hilarious cast. Wallace (Culkin) is Scott's friend and roommate who provides fantastic commentary on the wild events of Scott's life. As one of the more mainstream projects he has been a part of, most audience members recognize the grown-up Culkin from his work on the film, which helped establish the wry wit he is known to bring to every role.
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Along with the rest of the cast, Culkin does an excellent job bringing the comic character to life and has plenty of fun doing it. The film remains a beloved comic book adaptation, and it received a slight remake years later when Netflix released the anime version, titled Scott Pilgrim Takes Off. Culklin, along with the rest of the cast of the original movie, returned to voice their characters for the anime.
3 A Real Pain (2024)
Benji Kaplan
A Real Pain explores themes of identity and loss as two estranged families confront their shared and tumultuous pasts. Through intertwining narratives, the film delves into the complexities of familial relationships and the enduring impact of unresolved grief.
Release Date January 20, 2024
Runtime 90 Minutes
Director Jesse Eisenberg
Studio(s) Topic Studios , Fruit Tree , Extreme Emotions , Rego Park
Jesse Eisenberg directed the buddy road comedy-drama A Real Pain in 2024 and received a lot of critical acclaim and award recognition for the film. The story follows two American Jewish cousins who head to Poland to visit the childhood home of their late grandmother and connect with their heritage. However, the two are nothing alike, causing frustration along the way. Eisenberg is David, the more reserved and pragmatic family man. Kieran Culkin is Benji, the more free-spirited and outspoken drifter.
The film has a high 96% fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes, and it received four Golden Globes nominations, with Culkin winning Outstanding Supporting Actor - Motion Picture.
The movie only had a small box office run, but it was highly praised by fans and critics, both for the deeply personal story and specifically for Kieran Culkin's performance as the outspoken but broken Benji. The film has a high 96% fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes, and it received four Golden Globes nominations, with Culkin winning Outstanding Supporting Actor - Motion Picture. Both Eisenberg (Best Screenplay) and Culkin received Independent Spirit Awards nominations as well.
2 Igby Goes Down (2002)
As Igby
Igby Goes Down follows the life of a rebellious teenager named Igby Slocumb, who struggles with family dysfunction and personal turmoil. Seeking to escape the pressures of his privileged upbringing, Igby embarks on a journey through New York City's underbelly, encountering various eccentric characters along the way. The film stars Kieran Culkin in the lead role, supported by Claire Danes, Jeff Goldblum, and Susan Sarandon.
Release Date September 13, 2002
Igby Goes Down is a quiet film that has flown under the radar since its release in 2002, but that's a shame because it's one of Culkin's best performances to date. Igby (Culkin) doesn't have an easy time in the world and his distant dysfunctional family is no help as he struggles to find a connection in the world. Shunted from place to place, Igby seeks solace in romantic partners, parental figures, and anyone available, but still pushes them away, or is pushed, when it counts.
In the sometimes brutal film, Culkin manages to make the audience feel deeply for the reflective Igby, who has too many walls up. Critics praised the movie for Culkin's performance, as well as a sharp and witty script that remains emotionally honest. Both Kieran Culkin and Susan Sarandon received Golden Globes nominations for their performances in the movie, which remains a respected independent release from the early 2000s.
1 Succession (2018 - 2023)
As Roman Roy
Succession is a Black Comedy and Satire television show created by Jesse Armstrong. It stars Hiam Abbass, Nicholas Braun, Brian Cox, and Kieran Culkin and follows the story of an aging conglomerate owner as he deals with his declining health and the sudden realization that one of his children will soon inherit his position and run his company.
Release Date June 3, 2018
Seasons 4
Showrunner Jesse Armstrong
Perverse, well-written, and comically tragic, Roman Roy is a career-making character who will doubtlessly define Culkin in the remainder of his work. As one of the obscenely wealthy Roy children and potential heir to his father's media empire, the immature Roman is constantly trying to prove himself and distinguish himself from his siblings. Though every season has plenty of twists in store for the Roy children, season 4 is especially hard on Roman, but Culkin knocks the performances out of the park.
Culkin won both a Primetime Emmy and Golden Globe for his work in Succession.
In the shocking conclusion of season 4, the final scenes for Kendall, Roman, and Shiv in Succession all reveal something different about the future of the characters. Based on Culkin's performance, Roman has truly become disillusioned with the games of the industry and his family, but can't stop himself from wanting his father's approval, even when it's too late. Throughout the series, Culkin has been singled out as a vital part of the show's dynamic, and it's obvious that no one else could have been Roman Roy.
English (US) ·