Chris Columbus, director of Home Alone and Home Alone 2: Lost in New York was originally assigned to helm National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation but a bizarre meeting with actor Chevy Chase led him to exit that project creating an opening that would bring the filmmaker to direct Home Alone. On The Hollywood Reporter’s Awards Chatter podcast Chris Columbus shared the strange experience involving Chevy Chase that inadvertently changed his trajectory to directing Home Alone .
Bizarre Chevy Chase Meeting Leads Chris Columbus to Unexpected Directing Opportunity on Home Alone
The project originally began when fellow Chicago native John Hughes presented Chris Columbus National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation offering the project for Columbus to direct and Hughes to produce. Columbus eagerly accepted this offer and immediately starting the project at hand including beginning second-unit filming prior to the Christmas season after previous film projects had proved to be disappointing to him. A meeting with Chevy Chase soon changed direction however. Chris Columbus noted that a surreal meeting with Chevy Chase transpired when Columbus asked Chase simple questions that elicited a rather disinterested and distracted persona. Columbus described that the meeting became even more absurd when 40 minutes into the talk Chase asked if Columbus was even directing. Chevy Chase incredibly followed up by saying he believed Columbus to be a drummer rather than film director.
Chris Columbus Departure From 'Christmas Vacation' Leads to Opportunity With 'Home Alone'
Columbus recounted the unusual Chevy Chase meeting with John Hughes who initially offered the opportunity. Hughes suggested that they have dinner to discuss this bizarre meeting which according to Columbus was even more awkward with Chase mostly ignoring Columbus. At this point Columbus made the decision to leave production on National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. He said that despite not having a sure directing job on the horizon and uncertain future he decided to bow out gracefully despite that uncertainty. John Hughes proved to be incredibly gracious in the matter because a week later the filmmaker was given a copy of Home Alone and asked to work on that project which was meant to be an uplifting Holiday themed movie . Chris Columbus described Home Alone as dodging a bullet from National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation some 35 years after those original film productions.
Macaulay Culkin’s Casting and Chris Farley’s Saturday Morning Audition Story with Columbus
John Hughes supported the casting of Macaulay Culkin as lead Kevin McCallister. Columbus admitted initially uncertainty about Macaulay Culkin during initial readings. Hughes encouraged Columbus to take a meeting with Culkin as a way to understand his ability saying that it was a great learning opportunity. After meeting 300 kids Columbus recognized that his first meeting with Macaulay Culkin was the best and the other 300 were an exercise in a "colossal waste of time”. Chris Columbus revealed that at the time Chris Farley who is remembered by fans of comedy in the 90s was in the audition line for Home Alone for role as Santa Claus and his early morning audition during a Saturday morning is still talked about among team. Columbus acknowledged that Chris Farley arrived out of shape and had just arrived from a full night out in Chicago before showing up for the audition at 7 AM. The Home Alone team noted that while he was very talented it was not right for the time however Columbus got to know him very well as the years progressed and they would recall this shared experience often.
Home Alone House Affordability Sparks Debate: Director Chris Columbus Weighs in on McCallister Jobs
The Home Alone house location at Winnetka in Illinois was a subject of speculation for many. This massive 5 bedroom 6 bathroom house has led many to ask exactly how Kevin's parents could actually afford that huge house during early nineties period along with large lavish vacation across the globe. Chris Columbus spoke directly to The Hollywood Reporter's Awards Chatter podcast on December 24 in an attempt to clarify common career speculations and theories. The massive house featured as the central element of plot that includes robbers Harry and Marv hoping for a potential big heist from this large estate.
Home Alone Director Confirms Kate McCallister's High Paying Career and Debunks Crime Connections
Columbus explained during a previous discussion with John Hughes it was confirmed Catherine O’Hara's character Kate McCallister was in the world of very successful fashion design a possible cause of a vacation trip in France. Chris Columbus further elaborated that using fashion mannequins for background detail in the basement further solidified this career point for Catherine O'Hara. Many believed Peter played by John Heard to be associated with the Mob but was actually closer to that of advertising which Hughes previously experienced professionally. While many online theorists suggest Peter had mob connections as an answer for financial status in the film Columbus completely dismissed this as being incorrect although there was substantial organized crime within Chicago at the time. The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago had at one point also previously weighed in on this discussion of Peter’s job.
Macaulay Culkin’s Interest In Home Alone House Shows His Endearing Connection to Film
The film's iconic actor Macaulay Culkin admitted a curiosity to buying the massive Home Alone house that sold recently right before the Christmas season of 2024. Macaulay Culkin mentioned considering purchasing the massive estate as a joke which would create a large spectacle to his fan base that would surely be noticed world wide for the iconic reference. Macaulay also noted this was not meant as his primary personal residency however instead would create a movie fun house allowing patrons the chance to recreate specific scenes such as the iconic stair sled scene. Culkin chose not to purchase the massive Winnetka estate instead claiming being too busy as a father with two young sons that he has with fiancee Brenda Song. Macaulay had a very important role in Home Alone that gave him world fame demonstrating how important this home and setting was in defining not only the movies but his own growth in Hollywood history