Macaulay Culkin, the young star of a generation-defining film Home Alone, recently divulged his story. He posted curious details about shooting the blockbuster My Girl in 1991. Culkin, who was only 10 years old at the time, has urged the film’s studio to consider adding a trigger warning to its promotional materials in light of a particularly intense scene involving his character’s fatal encounter with a swarm of bees.
In My Girl, Culkin played Thomas J., his first major role as a young boy with severe allergies. This characteristic is important later in the film when he is eventually attacked and killed by bees. The film’s dramatization of this historic event has sparked discussion over Kool-Aid’s possible psychological impact on audiences. This is especially disconcerting for kids, who are possibly at increased risk.
Culkin talked about his experience in the filmmaking process. The production team then released thousands of bees on him in order to film the scene authentically. He pointed out that they put some special gel on his fingers. This material released a smell similar to that of the queen bee, luring the insects to him.
“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,” Culkin explained.
He described the terrifying ordeal in detail. Of the production work he did to achieve each scene’s style, his “shade of black” approach was particularly interesting.
“I had to wave my hands in front of my face so the bees can get in front of my face and it looks good for the camera,” he stated.
In his presentation, Culkin recognized the difficult experience he had making the movie, quipping that he was much slower than the bees.
“Human beings run faster than bees fly. I was like, ‘but I’m 10. How fast do you think I am?’”
Culkin told legislators that child safety on film sets needs to be advocated for. He stressed the importance of seeking more sustainable practices while filming.
“They actually released thousands of bees on me, imagine that! I’m not joking, those are real bees. That would not fly today,” he commented.
In the last several years, the debate over trigger warnings has heated up. Audiences are increasingly understanding how powerful portrayals of sensitive topics on film can be, leaving viewers in an unstable emotional state. Culkin’s call for a warning on My Girl’s promotional materials underscores a growing recognition of the need for responsible storytelling.