The Iconic Role John Mulaney Almost Auditioned For As A Child
Funnyman John Mulaney has made headlines recently for more than just his ability to crack jokes. The comedian announced his split from ex-wife Anna Marie Tendler in May 2021, following a 60-day stint at a rehab facility. Mulaney then surprised everyone by rebounding with actor Olivia Munn, proving that 2021 truly was the year of celebrity couples we never saw coming (we're looking at you, Bennifer 2.0)!
Per People, the unlikely duo went on to share their pregnancy news during an episode of "Late Night With Seth Meyers" in September 2021. Talk about a whirlwind year! Mulaney himself admitted as much on the show. "In the spring I went to Los Angeles and met and started to date a wonderful woman named Olivia. She's kind of held my hand through that hell, and we are having a baby together," he shared, adding that he "was nervous" to spill the beans.
The couple introduced their baby to the world in December 2021 on Instagram. "Meet Malcolm Hiệp Mulaney. He has his whole life ahead of him. He hasn't even tried seltzer yet," the proud papa joked in the caption. It's much too early to tell, but fans might already be wondering whether Malcolm will grow up to be a comedian like his dad, or an actor like his mom. However, what fans might not know is that the former "SNL" writer once passed up the role of a lifetime when he was a child.
John Mulaney could've been a famous child star, like Macaulay Culkin
John Mulaney was active in the entertainment circuit, even as a kid. In fact, he was once in a sketch comedy group for children called Rugrats, per UCB Comedy. Perhaps because of this, he was approached by a talent scout who asked him to audition for the role of Kevin McCallister in the cult film franchise "Home Alone," as reported by the Chicago Tribune. "Someone from a talent scouting place came and said, 'There's this new movie about this boy who wishes his family would disappear,'" Mulaney revealed on a 2016 episode of "Live With Kelly." "And they asked my parents, 'Would your son like to audition for it?'"
Naturally, neither Mulaney nor his parents could imagine how the film would blow up and impact pop culture. In fact, "Home Alone" grossed more than $285 million, according to Box Office Mojo, and vaunted its actors to stardom. Looking back on it now, the stand-up comic admits that he "could have never done a better job" than the "amazing" Macaulay Culkin, who played the main character in both "Home Alone" and its sequel, "Home Alone 2: Lost In New York." However, because Mulaney was so young at the time, his parents made the decision as to whether or not he could audition for the film ... and they chose an odd moment to tell him their thoughts.
John Mulaney's parents broke the news at an odd moment
As John Mulaney revealed on a 2016 episode of "Live With Kelly," his parents took a few days to think over the potential audition. When they finally did give their answer, their timing was memorable, to say the least. "I went to the doctor one day to get a booster shot, and before he gave it to me, my mom said, 'Your dad and I have talked it over and we don't want you to audition for that movie,'" Mulaney recalled, adding that the doctor gave him the injection mere seconds later.
Ultimately, while it seems that the actor Macaulay Culkin was meant for "Home Alone," this may have had more to do with a young Mulaney and his parents' choice than anyone realized. For a time, Culkin seemed ill-equipped to handle the public scrutiny that accompanied his fame — but these days, he's distancing himself from Kevin McCallister by tapping into his scarier side.
Culkin starred in Season 10 of "American Horror Story," which the show plugged on Twitter with a photo of Culkin posing in fur alongside co-star Leslie Grossman. Like Mulaney, Culkin also welcomed a baby in 2021 with partner Brenda Song, so it seems the two stars are linked in more ways than one.