After 10 seasons, American Horror Story has a new fan-favorite actor, who is none other than the iconic Macaulay Culkin. While much of the anticipation for American Horror Story: Red Tide came from the return of beloved AHS actors Sarah Paulson and Evan Peters, seeing the screen return of actor Macaulay Culkin was also on fans’ minds. Since 1990, Culkin has been notable as one of the most successful child actors of all time, with his most famous (and inescapable) character being Kevin McCallister in Home Alone.
While Culkin made several successful films in the 1990s, he primarily left his acting career during the 2000s and 2010s, only doing a few guest star bits here and there. As such, Culkin has always been associated with his childhood characters, particularly his Home Alone role because it’s played on repeat annually during the holiday season. When it was announced that Culkin, then a 40-year-old actor who had been on a long hiatus, would be joining the cast of American Horror Story season 10, fans were both excited and skeptical as to how he would perform.
By the end of Red Tide’s premiere episode, Macaulay Culkin’s Mickey had hands-down become the season’s best character, delivering an endearing performance where he held his own against some of American Horror Story’s most notable alumni actors. Expectations were low for Culkin as an out-of-nowhere, suspected stunt casting addition to the American Horror Story family, and he delivered beyond belief. Culkin hadn’t acted in a widely well-regarded film or show in decades, so there was no telling how he would blend in with the high-concept, performance-driven series. In a wonderful turn of events, Culkin is the primary actor from Red Tide that audiences can’t wait to have back for more.
Culkin’s acting was genuine, and he brought a level of pure humanity that the show had been missing for a while. Even when Mickey succumbed to taking The Chemist's black pills, going against his earlier reservations, he was still a character who viewers wanted to cheer for. He was almost like a puppy dog with how sweet his character was compared to everyone else in AHS: Red Tide’s corrupt Provincetown, which made audiences more protective of Mickey when other characters like Belle (Frances Conroy) treated him like dirt. Newcomers in American Horror Story don’t typically get the characters who are the most beloved, which makes Macaulay Culkin an anomaly for new, well-known actors who had a lot to prove coming in.
Ryan Murphy has brought in several big names over the years to contribute to the ensemble American Horror Story cast like Lady Gaga, Cuba Gooding Jr., and Neil Patrick Harris, with others like Kathy Bates and Angela Bassett staying for the long run. Some of the famous actors brought in truly work out by integrating well with the cast while bringing their own new mannerisms to the show, whereas some just don’t, and it usually means they don’t return. For the first time in a while, a major actor has been welcomed into the American Horror Story family with open arms and universal praise, and there’s already built-up excitement for what Macaulay Culkin can bring to future seasons.