where are the stars of the Christmas classic that has marked generations

• “The Secret Agent” is named best film of the year by The Hollywood Reporter

The comedy about Kevin McAllister, the boy abandoned by his family on the eve of the holidays, continues to air on television every year and inspires advertising campaigns, memes, nostalgic discussions and even new products.

The story created by John Hughes – which combines physical humor, light-hearted suspense and Christmas spirit – helped turn the film into a global phenomenon. In Brazil, it has become a practically obligatory presence in the end-of-year program, accompanying family traditions as common as planting the tree or preparing dinner.

Over the course of three and a half decades, some actors have gone on to established careers, others have stepped away from the spotlight, and some have acquired new meanings over time.

Next, see how six actors from the original cast are doing, and what happened to some of the names who have already left us.

Macaulay Culkin—Kevin McAllister

The child star who conquered the world with Kevin continued in productions such as Meu Primeiro Amor, Esqueceram de Mim 2 and Riquinho, in addition to participating in Michael Jackson’s Black or White music video in 1991. In 1994, he decided to move away from acting to devote himself to his studies and only returned to it in the early 2000s, without however repeating the same euphoria of his early years.

He struggled with alcohol and drugs and, over time, took different paths: he wrote a book, fronted a rock band, launched a website and a pop culture podcast. At 45, he has already been married three times, is the father of two children and returns to the forefront, particularly at Christmas, when he stars in advertisements that play with his own story.

Catherine O’Hara — Kate McAllister

Eternalized as a desperate mother who travels halfway around the world to reunite with her son, Catherine O’Hara has maintained a prolific and award-winning career. At 71, he continues to perform and recently appeared in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. In interviews, he revealed that he was born with situs inversus, a rare condition in which the organs are in an inverted position in the body.

A veteran of films directed by Martin Scorsese, Joe Pesci was already a proven star when he played one of the bumbling thieves who harass Kevin. In the 1990s, he maintained an intense work schedule, but slowed down after Lethal Weapon 4 (1998). At 82, he returned to the forefront with The Irishman (2019), a role which earned him several awards and brought the public closer to his career.

Pesci’s scene partner in the thieves duo, Daniel Stern shone in the first two films of the franchise. In the United States he was also known for being the adult narrator of Kevin Arnold in The Incremental Years, a cult series broadcast in Brazil on TV Cultura. At 68 years old, he is still active and recently appeared on the Apple TV series For All Mankind.

The older brother who turned Kevin’s life into chaos has continued to star in film and television, with recent appearances on Chicago Med and Better Call Saul. Now aged 48, his career has however been marked by police episodes: he was arrested in December 2021 for domestic violence and, in 2022, he began to be the subject of an investigation for an alleged rape which occurred in 2017.

Brother of Macaulay in real life, Kieran had been acting since childhood, but hit his stride as an adult. At 43, he has accumulated major awards, including the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor in 2025 for A Real Pain and the Emmy for Best Actor in a Drama Series for Succession, in 2023.