"I never saw him do anything"- When Macaulay Culkin spoke out in favor of Michael Jackson after assault allegations
Macaulay Culkin, who is known for his role in Home Alone, has been a long-time defender of Michael Jackson against abuse allegations. In a candid interview with Esquire in 2020, Culkin repeated his stance, saying,
"I never saw him do anything. And especially at this flash point in time, I’d have no reason to hold anything back."
It is the strange and unconventional friendship that he and Jackson shared, born of the latter's initial contact with Culkin after the release of Home Alone. However controversial it had become over the years about Michael Jackson, Culkin continued to deny any wrongdoing.
Even during the 2005 trial, he testified for the latter. The memories shared with regard to their bonding experience, including funny jokes and camaraderie moments, add a deeper layer to his loyalty.
A bond born of shared experience
Culkin explained that their connection stemmed from similar childhood experiences. According to Esquire, Michael had a similar childhood, which is to say that he didn't have one. Both endured the pressures of early fame, and Jackson, living in Neverland, felt "the same age, in a way," despite being 22 years older than Culkin.
Their friendship involved lighthearted moments, such as prank-calling people. Jackson used to do these voices, real nerdy, and Culkin would laugh and laugh.
“Hello, I’d like to buy a refrigerator. How big are your refrigerators?”
Macaulay Culkin testifying in Jackson’s defense
Macaulay Culkin last saw Jackson in 2005 at the Santa Barbara County Superior Courthouse. He testified in Jackson's defense during the People v. Michael Jackson trial. The singer was alleged to have molested a 13-year-old boy, but he was acquitted in the end.
During recess, the two briefly met in the men's room. Jackson, visibly exhausted, told Culkin,
“We better not talk. I don’t want to influence your testimony.”
They laughed and hugged before returning to court. Macaulay Culkin’s testimony was clear and unwavering. In the Esquire interview, he reinforced this stance:
“Look,” he said. “I’m gonna begin with the line—it’s not a line, it’s the truth: He never did anything to me.
Addressing the public assumptions
Macaulay Culkin acknowledged the assumptions people make about his time at Neverland.
"The guy has passed on. If anything—I’m not gonna say it would be stylish or anything like that, but right now is a good time to speak up. And if I had something to speak up about, I would totally do it. But no, I never saw anything; he never did anything," he said.
He shared a related incident with actor James Franco after the airing of the Leaving Neverland documentary. He went on,
“Here’s a good Michael Jackson story that doesn’t involve Michael Jackson at all: I ran into James Franco on a plane. I’d bumped into him two or three times over the years. I give him a little nod as we’re putting our bags overhead. Hey, how you doing? Good, how ya doing?"
He continued,
And it was right after the Leaving Neverland documentary came out, and he goes, ‘So, that documentary!’ And that was all he said. I was like, ‘Uh-huh.’ Silence. So then he goes, ‘So what do you think?’ And I turned to him and I go, ‘Do you wanna talk about your dead friend?’ And he sheepishly went, ‘No, I don’t.’ So I said, ‘Cool, man, it was nice to see you.’ ”
A lasting connection
Macaulay Culkin stays close to Jackson's family, particularly Paris Jackson, whom he is a godfather to. Their relationship is full of quirky traditions, such as stealing spoons from restaurants and then exchanging them as gifts. They even have matching spoon tattoos on their forearms.
Macaulay Culkin advised Paris with words of caution as the latter enters public life:
“Don’t forget to be silly, don’t forget to take something away from this whole experience, and don’t forget to stick something up your sleeve.”
In all that happened regarding Michael Jackson, the latter's defense by Macaulay Culkin presents the essence of a relationship that rested on shared experiences, fun times, and mutual understanding.
