After 25 years, there are very few things that fans don’t already know about Home Alone. Chris Columbus’ holiday classic features Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin), who defends his home against the bumbling burglars known as the Wet Bandits (Daniel Stern and Joe Pesci). This film is not only one of the greatest Christmas films of all time but also one of the most-watched movies ever, as families revisit it every December. Yet, somehow, every year, the film’s cast and director continue to reveal behind-the-scenes secrets and debunk long-standing myths and fan theories related to Home Alone. Many of these intriguing stories involve Joe Pesci.
At the time of Home Alone’s release, Pesci was best known for his work with acclaimed directors such as Martin Scorsese and Sergio Leone, so the intimidating character actor wasn’t accustomed to making family films. His menacing presence served as a secret weapon in the movie, as Kevin appeared genuinely terrified of his character, Harry. In a fascinating revelation, Culkin himself may have been really scared of his co-star, as Pesci took things too far during several scenes—including one that resulted in an injury for Culkin, a reminder of which he still carries to this day.
One of the most memorable elements of Home Alone is undoubtedly the elaborate traps Kevin sets to defend his home from the burglars. The Wet Bandits experienced a series of fiendish pranks involving torches and feathers, enduring more physical pain than almost any other characters depicted in film. Surprisingly, it was Macaulay Culkin who walked away with a permanent injury during a scene that, in comparison to the torture inflicted on his character, seemed quite innocuous. This significant moment occurs during the film’s climax, when Kevin, after calling the police, lures the burglars to a vacant house across the street. For the first time, Harry and Marv manage to outsmart him, capturing him and hanging him on a door hook.
In this intense scene, Harry ominously lists all the things he intends to do to Kevin, including the chilling line, “I’m going to bite every one of these little fingers, one at a time.” What follows is a stark example of method acting—Joe Pesci actually bit down hard on Culkin’s finger, leaving him with a permanent scar. Macaulay Culkin recounted, “I saw his face—and I’ve never, ever seen Joe Pesci actually scared… because he’s like, ‘I just bit a kid!’” Both Culkin and his co-star Daniel Stern have recently reflected on this infamous incident. While on tour for A Nostalgic Night with Macaulay Culkin, Culkin humorously detailed the aftermath of filming that gripping scene.
Meanwhile, Daniel Stern shared his memories on Entertainment Tonight, stating, “I totally forgot about that. Joe is… he’s wonderful, I love him, he’s a dear friend, but he’s a scary dude, and he was carrying it all. We were trying in the first movie to actually be scary to start with, and then you realize we’re idiots. But there was a fear factor that set up the drama of the thing.” This anecdote exemplifies the dynamic between the actors and the lengths they went to bring their characters to life. Culkin has been sharing this story since 2004, ensuring it remains a humorous highlight from their filmmaking experience.
It’s worth noting that Macaulay Culkin wasn’t the only one who sustained injuries while working on the Home Alone films. During the shooting of the sequel, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, Joe Pesci injured himself in a scene where Harry’s hat is ignited. Despite having a stuntman for the film, he opted to perform this particular stunt himself. He later commented, “In addition to the expected bumps, bruises, and general pains that you would associate with that type of physical humor, I did sustain serious burns to the top of my head during the scene where Harry’s hat is set on fire.”
It’s surprising that this was the moment Pesci got hurt, given that his character met a similar fate in the original film when Harry’s head was torched by a blowtorch after sticking it through a doggie door. Nonetheless, accidents like these are not uncommon on film sets, especially for a franchise filled with outrageous physical comedy like Home Alone. Fortunately, Culkin and Pesci can now reflect on these incidents, laughing about them as they remember their time together performing for audiences.
The Home Alone franchise chronicles the misadventures of children who are inadvertently left alone during the festive season, resulting in a series of frantic and often hilarious attempts to defend their homes against various threats. This series began with the original 1990 film and has grown to include sequels, television films, and additional media. As the decades pass, the tales from behind the scenes, especially those involving Joe Pesci and Macaulay Culkin, continue to entertain fans and reveal a deeper layer to the beloved holiday classic.
