Daniel Stern is reflecting back on his days in the spotlight — and sharing some sweet behind-the-scenes memories from the Home Alone 2 set.
Stern — who portrayed Marv Murchins of the Wet Bandits duo in 1990’s Home Alone and 1992’s Home Alone 2 — exclusively told PEOPLE that while he didn’t work much with Macaulay Culkin, now 44, on the first film, he got to know the pre-teen actor better while filming the sequel.
“The second time we got to be more friends,” recalls the 67-year-old father of three. “And then my kids came to visit, and then we all went to the park together, Mac and my kids, and we played tag and ran around.”
The City Slickers actor went on to praise Culkin, who was 12 years old while shooting the second movie.
“He [was] a wonderful kid and had the pressure of the world on him at such a young age and [he] handled it so brilliantly and was incredible in the movie. That’s why everybody’s watching the movie, that kid,” Stern says. “Can you imagine being a 12-year-old kid and people investing that in you? And then living your life? … I mean, he’s managed his life brilliantly.”
Stern also shared that he felt sensitive to the pressures facing child stars after working with young actors on the classic coming-of-age show The Wonder Years, in which he narrated the adult version of Kevin Arnold.
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“It’s a very dangerous route for young actors to enter show business because either you are a success and then you’re dealing with that, or you’re a failure. So we had a very caring set on The Wonder Years, and I was really just protective,” he says.
“And I’m protective of kids anyway,” Stern adds. “So I didn’t make any special effort. I’m just very protective of children in general, but especially on movie sets because the pressure can be enormous.”
Stern, who ultimately made the decision to step away from Hollywood after he had earned enough to live off the interest from his films, says his children were a large motivating factor in the decision.
“I coached all my kids’ teams. I taught in their classes,” he says. “I manned the playground in our community. I was awarded the President’s award for — it’s called the Call to Service Award for volunteerism. So I loved to give back to the community, and that became a huge part of my life.”
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These days, Stern spends most of his time managing his cattle ranch and a citrus farm in California’s Central Valley, as well as working on his passion for sculpture, which he regularly posts about on Instagram and TikTok.
In 2024, Stern released a memoir, Home and Alone. All proceeds from the book go to the Boys & Girls Clubs of America.
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