Kieran Culkin took home the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor at the 97th Academy Awards, capping off a successful season after dominating television awards.
Culkin earned the prestigious award for his role as the chaotic yet lovable Benji in Jesse Eisenberg’s A Real Pain, marking his first-ever nomination and win.
In his acceptance speech, Culkin expressed gratitude to his manager, his mother, Eisenberg, and his wife, Jazz Charton. He also took the opportunity to jokingly remind his wife that he still wanted more children.
He recalled a moment from a year ago when, during his Emmys speech, he publicly mentioned wanting a third child. He explained, “A year ago, I was on a stage like this, and I very stupidly, publicly, said that I want a third kid from her because she said if I won the award, I would, she would give me the kid.” Culkin shared that after the Emmys, his wife reminded him of the promise, saying, “I guess I owe you a third kid.” But he quickly responded, “Really? I want four.”
Kieran Culkin, who has two children with his wife Jazz Charton, humorously referenced a promise she made during his Oscar acceptance speech. He shared with the audience, “She said, ‘I will give you four when you win an Oscar.’” His comment, which got a big laugh from the crowd, was followed by, “Jazz, love of my life, ye of little faith. No pressure. I love you.”
Culkin secured the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, defeating other nominees Guy Pearce for The Brutalist, Edward Norton for A Complete Unknown, Yura Borisov for Anora, and his fellow Succession co-star Jeremy Strong for The Apprentice. Culkin was widely seen as the frontrunner in this category, having previously won the Golden Globe, BAFTA, Independent Spirit Award, SAG Award, and several critics’ awards leading up to the ceremony.
Written and directed by Jesse Eisenberg, A Real Pain follows two cousins, played by Culkin and Eisenberg, as they journey through Poland on a Holocaust tour to honor their late grandmother. Culkin’s character, Benji, is unfiltered and easy to connect with, while Eisenberg’s character, David, is more reserved and follows the rules. The film skillfully balances serious themes like Jewish identity, generational trauma, and mourning, with the comedy that arises from the mismatched relatives. Culkin’s ability to deliver humor earnestly helps the film navigate these heavy topics.
During his Oscar acceptance speech, Culkin thanked Eisenberg for the film, calling him a “genius.” He added with a smile, “I would never say that to your face. I’m never saying it again. So soak it up.”
It wasn’t certain that Culkin’s portrayal of Benji would make it to the big screen. When the final season of Succession ran long, Culkin considered stepping away from the film to spend time with his family. However, Emma Stone, last year’s Best Actress Oscar winner and producer of the project, persuaded him to stay on by reassuring him they could make it work without him, even though that wasn’t entirely true.
Culkin recalled, “She let me off the hook completely,” and added that it was only after getting off the phone with her that he realized, “Oh (expletive), I’m doing this movie.”
Culkin made his film debut at the age of 7 in Home Alone, where he played the younger cousin of his brother Macaulay Culkin’s iconic character, Kevin McCallister. His first major award nomination came with a Golden Globe nod for the 2002 film Igby Goes Down. But it was his role as Roman Roy in Succession, nearly two decades later, that brought him widespread recognition and acclaim, earning him both a Golden Globe and an Emmy Award for the series’ final season.
After his win, Culkin reflected on his portrayal of Benji, saying, “Sometimes people will say, ‘Oh, you’re a lot like that character.’ I didn’t feel that way until I played him, and now I feel like I’ve taken something from the role.” He added with a smile, “But I’d like to think I’m a bit more put together than Benji. I’d like to think I’ve figured some things out.”