Macauley Culkin’s Traumatic Experience Filming the Iconic Death Scene in “My Girl”
Every millennial who watched “My Girl” as a kid likely still feels traumatized by the death scene in the 1991 film – and it turns out even just filming it was terrifying. Macauley Culkin, who played 10-year-old Thomas J in the family classic, was stung to death by bees in a devastating twist, and as the actor recently revealed on the On Film … with Kevin McCarthy podcast, he was horrified to learn they’d be using the real deal on set.
Macauley Culkin revealed he was horrified to learn they’d be using the real bees on set of his classic film “My Girl.” ©Columbia Pictures/courtesy Ever
A Nightmare on Set
Culkin explained that the film’s crew used a technique to attract the bees to his hands, making the scene look realistic. “The way they did that, they wouldn’t do that today. They put this stuff on my fingertips that smells like the queen bee so [the bees] were actually attracted to my hands and I wasn’t a threat.” He added that “they actually released thousands of bees on me, imagine that! I’m not joking, those are real bees. That would not fly today.” Culkin was warned to get away from the insects as fast as possible after each take, and he recalled the bee handler’s advice: “human beings run faster than bees fly”.
Culkin’s character, 10-year-old Thomas J, was stung to death by bees in the 1991 film, which also starred Anna Chlumsky. ©Columbia Pictures/courtesy Eve
A Difficult Childhood
Culkin shot to fame in 1990 as the star of Christmas classic Home Alone, in which he played Kevin McCallister, and went on to become a household name as a child star. However, behind the scenes, Culkin was struggling with the pressures of fame and a difficult relationship with his father, Christopher “Kit” Culkin. In an episode of the Sibling Revelry podcast earlier this year, Culkin revealed why he’d decided to walk away from Hollywood at a young age, citing feelings of being “trapped” and “tired” of the industry.
Culkin said that producers “actually released thousands of bees on me,” but “that would not fly today.” Getty Images
The former child star hasn’t spoken to his father in more than three decades and has accused him of being “abusive” and “narcissistic”. Culkin claimed that after his parents’ break-up, a judge had ordered the teenager to have “visits” with his father, but he refused, daring the judge to arrest him for not wanting to visit his “abusive father”.
The child star revealed that he did four takes of the devastating death scene, and only “got a stinger in my neck.” REUTERS
A Legacy of Trauma
Culkin’s experience filming the iconic death scene in “My Girl” is a testament to the lasting impact of traumatic events on child actors. The film’s use of real bees on set would not be allowed today, and Culkin’s story serves as a reminder of the importance of prioritizing child safety and well-being in the entertainment industry. For more on Macauley Culkin’s story, read the full article Here.
Image Source: nypost.com
