Kieran Culkin Revealed The Outrageous Thing A Director Said To Him When He Was Six Years Old

16 hours ago 5

I definitely wouldn't speak to a child this way.

Kieran Culkin is having another pretty big year. His performance in the Jesse Eisenberg film A Real Pain is getting serious awards season love — and who knows, we may even see him accepting an Oscar for it.

Kieran Culkin with a beard looking up thoughtfully while standing outside a modern building. They are wearing a hoodie

Now, if you're familiar with who Kieran is at large, you know he's been acting for a long-ass time. He acted alongside his older brother Macaulay in the first two Home Alone films when he wasn't even ten years old. Here he is in Father of the Bride at age eight:

Steve Martin and Kieran Culkin stand indoors; the adult wears a red sweater, the child wears a plaid shirt. They appear curious or surprised

In a recent appearance on the Smartless podcast, Kieran revealed an outrageous experience with a director when he was just six years old — and it's a bit shocking, tbh.

Joe Maher / Getty Images for BFI

Kieran recounted filming a commercial that had “something to do with learning disabilities" as his "first professional experience" in the acting world. "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.”

Kieran Culkin with a patterned shirt rides a bicycle, holding onto the handlebars, outside near a fence

“I have a distinct memory of being there and the director going, ‘Okay, action.’ And he starts going, ‘Dummy. Idiot. Stupid,’” Kieran recalled.

Kieran Culkin with short hair and beard in a blue sweater, standing in front of a Seachlight Pictures backdrop, likely at an event

"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?’”

Kieran Culkin sitting by a small campfire with a grill, looking thoughtful in an outdoor setting

Y-i-k-e-s. Here's hoping that child actors are being treated better on set nowadays — although, as with all things in the entertainment industry, I'm not exactly an optimist.

You can listen to the entire interview right here.

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