Kieran Culkin Says Director Called Him ‘Dummy. Idiot. Stupid’ During First Acting Gig at Six Years Old to Get Him Into Character: ‘What’s Wrong With You?’

Kieran Culkin appeared on the latest episode of the “Smartless” podcast (via People) and remembered an uncomfortable incident that occurred on his first acting job when he was six years old. The Emmy winner was filming a commercial that had “something to do with learning disabilities.” The director allegedly called Culkin an “idiot” to try and help him get into character, but Culkin was only a child and didn’t understand.

“First professional experience I had was a commercial when I was six,” Culkin said. “The concept was I’m standing in front of a chalkboard with chalk in my hand and I don’t know how to solve the easy thing in front of me. And the kids in the class are supposed to be calling me a dummy and stupid, all that.” 

“I have a distinct memory of being there and the director going, ‘Okay, action.’ And he starts going, ‘Dummy. Idiot. Stupid,’” Culkin said. I’m thinking like, ‘I get it. I’m six. Stand here and look sad. I’m not fucking Method. I’m six. What’s wrong with you?’”

Culkin continued to act as a young child in movies such as “Home Alone” and “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York,” which both featured his brother, Macaulay, in the lead role. Culkin also starred opposite Steve Martin and Diane Keaton in “Father of the Bride” and its sequel, “Father of the Bride Part II.”

The actor recently made headlines for telling the Los Angeles Times that he had no clue what “Home Alone” was about when he was making it and when he watched it for the first time at the movie’s premiere.

“I had no idea what that movie was about when I saw it, and I was in it,” Culkin said. “I was at the premiere, and I was dying laughing. It was the funniest thing I had ever seen. I had no idea what the movie was about.”

Culkin has been making the press rounds in recent weeks to support his performance in Jesse Eisenberg’s “A Real Pain.” He won best supporting actor honors from the New York Film Critics Circle and the Los Angeles Film Critics Association thanks to his role in the movie. Culkin is also nominated for a Golden Globe.