Before Golden Globe wins and starring roles in hit HBO dramas, Kieran Culkin was “17 and stupid” on the stage. Culkin, brother of Home Alone star Macaulay, once acted in the 2000 production A Moment When alongside famed celebrity Mark Ruffalo. Twenty years later, Culkin has officially outed himself as the unnamed prankster who spiked Ruffalo and the rest of the cast.
“A Moment When” opened curtains on Ruffalo and a few other castmates as they smoked a joint. As with most major productions, it was a prop joint–at least that is what Ruffalo thought. In 2012, as he promoted the Avengers, Ruffalo shared that a “naughty young actor” replaced the faux weed with the real thing on opening night. The result? Ruffalo, and his fellow actors, performed the show for critics and excited theatergoers completely high. At that time, Ruffalo did not name the sprite who pulled the prank.
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Now, Culkin has stepped up and taken the blame in a recent interview with The Guardian. He recalled placing a real joint into a bag of prop rollies and letting the universe decide what happened. He didn’t know that the THC prop was picked until he smelled a dank waft of smoke. The prank got mixed results.
Culkin realized it was a mistake and ultimately apologized to the cast at intermission. Ruffalo was enthralled. According to Culkin, he was excited to perform the second act stoned for the first time in a decade. Another actress who had never smoked weed before claimed, “Is this what being high is? This is lovely,” he remembered.
However, one team member was far from pleased about the stunt. The stage manager commandeered the joint from Culkin. He remembered them said something like, “I don’t care whose it is, or what happened, but Kieran, give me the joint,’” Culkin shared with The Guardian. “I sheepishly handed her the roach and she said, ‘Ruin your life on your own time.’”
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The actor has played party boys and stoners, including his Golden Globe-winning performance of Benji in A Real Pain. Though his on-screen forays often step into the green light, Culkin’s days of weed pranks are thankfully behind him. This one worked out alright, for the most part. But consent is crucial in all experiences, even when getting stoned.
“I’m 42 now. I know better. I’m not going to try to get anyone high on stage again,” Culkin concluded in The Guardian.
