NEWSDonald Trump 'Bullied His Way' Into Making 'Home Alone 2' Cameo, Says Director Chris Columbus
Dec. 24 2023, Published 1:31 p.m. ET
When watching Home Alone 2, it's safe to say people were surprised to see Donald Trump make a cameo, and now director Chris Columbus confirmed how the former president, 77, wormed his way into the flick in the first place.
The businessman agreed to have the film, which stars Macaulay Culkin, shoot at his hotel — but under one condition.
“Like most locations in New York City, you just pay a fee and you are allowed to shoot in that location. We approached The Plaza Hotel, which Trump owned at the time, because we wanted to shoot in the lobby. We couldn’t rebuild The Plaza on a soundstage,” Columbus said in an interview with Business Insider.
Donald Trump made a cameo in 'Home Alone 2.'
“Trump said OK. We paid the fee, but he also said, ‘The only way you can use the Plaza is if I’m in the movie,'” Columbus explained. “So we agreed to put him in the movie, and when we screened it for the first time the oddest thing happened: People cheered when Trump showed up on-screen. So I said to my editor, ‘Leave him in the movie. It’s a moment for the audience.’ But he did bully his way into the movie.”
The former president 'bullied his way' into the movie, the director revealed.
Home Alone 2: Lost in New York released in 1992 — two years after the original. The flick focuses on Culkin's character, Kevin McCallister, as he finds himself off-course in the Big Apple while his family is in Florida.
- Donald Trump Claims 'Home Alone 2' Director Was 'Begging' Him to Make a Cameo, Denies Bullying His Way Into Movie
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- Macaulay Culkin Calls For Donald Trump To Be Axed From 'Home Alone 2' — Plus 5 Other Controversial Trump Cameos On The Line
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Donald Trump is currently in a lot of legal trouble.
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Actor Macaulay Culkin called for Donald Trump to be axed from the movie.
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The movie still resonates with people today — especially around the holiday season.
"I feel it's because it has an emotional connection with people. Sure, people love to laugh and it's fun, but it's centered on a specific time of the year when people are hopeful and happy. I think it's the perfect movie for people to sit around the living room with your entire family and watch it," Columbus said.
He added: "And the John Williams score helps tremendously. When we heard John's score against the picture for the first time, it was overwhelming how emotional the movie became. It changed the movie is all I can say. But it does make me feel really great to flip around the channels this time of year and Home Alone is playing on one channel and [my other directing/producing efforts] Harry Potter is playing on another, and Christmas Chronicles is on Netflix. It's a strange but good feeling."
