Kieran Culkin shocks fans by leaving brother Macaulay out of Oscars 2025 acceptance speech

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Kieran Culkin delivered an emotional, expletive-filled acceptance speech as he became a first-ever Oscar winner — but left out a very famous family member.

The actor, 42, achieved a clean sweep this awards season by scooping up Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Jesse Eisenberg’s A Real Pain at Sunday’s ceremony.

And while he gushed over his ‘love’ for wife Jazz Charton and even gave Succession co-star Jeremy Strong a shout-out, Kieran failed to mention his older brother Macaulay Culkin, 44, during his speech.

Fans were left shocked by the move as Macaulay and Kieran, along with being brothers, famously shared the silver screen as children in Home Alone (1990).

Meanwhile, many fans celebrated the win and marveled at how much Kieran resembles the beloved child actor, which is now married to a Disney Channel icon.

Some even admitted that it was the first time learning that Macaulay and Kieran are siblings.

Kieran Culkin delivered an emotional, expletive-filled acceptance speech as he became a first-ever Oscar winner — but left out a very famous family member

Kieran Culkin delivered an emotional, expletive-filled acceptance speech as he became a first-ever Oscar winner — but left out a very famous family member

Kieran also made no mention of their other five siblings or their parents. Kieran, like Macaulay, has been estranged from their dad Kit for years.

Kieran received his Best Supporting Actor gong from presenter Robert Downey Jr., 59, who won in the same category the year prior for Oppenheimer (2023).

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Kieran beat out The Apprentice’s Jeremy Strong, The Brutalist’s Guy Pearce, Anora’s Yuriy Borisov and A Complete Unknown’s Edward Norton for the coveted award.

Once his name was called, Kieran planted a kiss on glam wife Jazz before briskly making his walk to the stage inside the famous Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.

‘Oh, my God, that’s crazy. I don’t even know. Mr. Downey, sir, thanks for handing this to me,’ said Kieran after taking the Oscar from Downey Jr. ‘This means a lot coming from you.’

With Downey having heaped praised on Strong’s role in the Donald Trump biopic just moments before Kieran won, the actor also took a moment to spotlight his former Succession co-star’s performance.

‘He’s right, by the way, Jeremy, you’re amazing in The Apprentice,’ Kieran gushed.

Kieran was then suddenly bleeped out as he accidentally dropped an F-bomb while speaking to Strong from the stage.

While he gushed over his 'love' for wife Jazz Charton and even gave Succession co-star Jeremy Strong a shout-out, Kieran failed to mention his older brother Macaulay Culkin , 44, during his speech; Macaulay seen in October 2024

While he gushed over his ‘love’ for wife Jazz Charton and even gave Succession co-star Jeremy Strong a shout-out, Kieran failed to mention his older brother Macaulay Culkin , 44, during his speech; Macaulay seen in October 2024

Fans were left shocked by the move as Macaulay and Kieran, along with being brothers, famously acted together as children; the brothers seen in 1990

Fans were left shocked by the move as Macaulay and Kieran, along with being brothers, famously acted together as children; the brothers seen in 1990

While some took issue with Kiera not mention his brother, many celebrated the actor's win and expressed that Macaulay must be 'proud'

While some took issue with Kiera not mention his brother, many celebrated the actor’s win and expressed that Macaulay must be ‘proud’ 

‘I love your work, it’s f***ing – I’m not supposed to single anyone out here, but you were great, and I’ve already lost whatever speech I prepared,’ he said with a laugh.

Kieran then directed his focus to A Real Pain director Eisenberg, who he called a ‘genius.’

‘I’m never saying it again, soak it up,’ he teased before moving on to Jazz, who previously ‘promised’ to give him four kids if he wins an Oscar.

The couple, who wed back in 2013, are already parents to daughter Kinsey Sioux and son Wilder Wolf.

‘I love you Jazz. I have to thank my wife Jazz for absolutely everything, for giving me my favorite people in the world,’ he said. ‘Please don’t play the music because I want to tell a really quick story about Jazz.’

He then went on to recall his 2023 Emmy Awards acceptance speech, in which he ‘stupidly publicly’ asked Jazz for a third child. 

‘About a year ago, I was on a stage like this, and I very stupidly publicly said that I want a third kid from her, because she said if I won the award, she would give me the kid,’ he told the audience.

‘It turns out she said that because she didn’t think I was gonna win,’ teased the Succession star. ‘People came up to her and were like really annoying her. I think it got to her.

‘But anyway, after the show, we’re walking through a parking lot. She’s holding the Emmy. We’re trying to find our car. Emily, you were there so you’re a witness, and she goes, “Oh, God, I did say that. I guess I owe you a third kid.” And I turned to her, and I said, “Really, I want four.”

‘And she turned to me, I swear to God, this happened. It was just over a year ago. She said, “I will give you four when you win an Oscar.”‘

Kieran received his Best Supporting Actor gong from presenter Robert Downey Jr ., 59, who won in the same category the year prior for Oppenheimer (2023)

Kieran received his Best Supporting Actor gong from presenter Robert Downey Jr ., 59, who won in the same category the year prior for Oppenheimer (2023)

Once his name was called, Kieran planted a kiss on glam wife Jazz before briskly making his walk to the stage inside the famous Dolby Theatre in Hollywood
Once his name was called, Kieran planted a kiss on glam wife Jazz before briskly making his walk to the stage inside the famous Dolby Theatre in Hollywood

Once his name was called, Kieran planted a kiss on glam wife Jazz before briskly making his walk to the stage inside the famous Dolby Theatre in Hollywood

Kieran then said he and his wife shook hands and that he hadn’t ‘brought it up once, until just now.’ 

‘You remember that, honey, you do?’ he asked. ‘Okay, then I just have this to say to you, Jazz, love of my life…No pressure. I love you.

‘I’m really sorry I did this again, and let’s get cracking on those kids. What do you say?’ Kieran concluded with a chuckle as they audience cheered.

The 97th Academy Awards are honoring the best films of 2024, with the star-studded ceremony being held at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.

Conan O’Brien, 61, is making his debut as Oscars host, after joking: ‘I only agreed to host so that I could get invited.’

This year’s ceremony has an unusually unsettled field in many of the most high-profile categories, including best picture and most of the acting categories.

Emilia Pérez leads the nominations this year with 13, including for best picture, actress (for Karla Sofía Gascón), supporting actress (for Zoe Saldaña), director (for Jacques Audiard), adapted screenplay and original song.

Gascón stars as the title character, a former Mexican drug lord who comes out as a transgender woman and fakes her own death in order to reinvent herself as a pro-social force, while Saldaña plays an ethically challenged lawyer who helps set up her new identity.

The actor, 42, achieved a clean sweep this awards season by scooping up Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Jesse Eisenberg 's A Real Pain at Sunday's ceremony

The actor, 42, achieved a clean sweep this awards season by scooping up Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Jesse Eisenberg ‘s A Real Pain at Sunday’s ceremony

'Oh, my God, that's crazy. I don't even know. Mr. Downey, sir, thanks for handing this to me,' said Kieran after taking the Oscar from Downey Jr. ' This means a lot coming from you'

‘Oh, my God, that’s crazy. I don’t even know. Mr. Downey, sir, thanks for handing this to me,’ said Kieran after taking the Oscar from Downey Jr. ‘ This means a lot coming from you’

azz, who previously 'promised' to give him four kids if he wins an Oscar. The couple, who wed back in 2013, are already parents to daughter Kinsey Sioux and son Wilder Wolf

azz, who previously ‘promised’ to give him four kids if he wins an Oscar. The couple, who wed back in 2013, are already parents to daughter Kinsey Sioux and son Wilder Wolf

'You remember that, honey, you do?' he asked. 'Okay, then I just have this to say to you, Jazz, love of my life…No pressure. I love you'

‘You remember that, honey, you do?’ he asked. ‘Okay, then I just have this to say to you, Jazz, love of my life…No pressure. I love you’

The Brutalist landed in second place with 10 nominations, including for best picture, director (for Brady Corbet), actor (for Adrien Brody), supporting actor (for Guy Pearce), supporting actress (for Felicity Jones), and original screenplay.

Brody stars as a Jewish Hungarian architect who immigrates to the US after surviving the Holocaust. The epic historical drama follows his character László Tóth’s attempts to realize his creative vision even as it conflicts with the petty desires of his wealthy benefactor (Pearce).

Wicked tied it for 10 nominations, including for best picture, actress (for Cynthia Erivo), and supporting actress (for Ariana Grande).

The blockbuster musical is an adaptation of only the first half of the musical of the same name, a reimagined prequel to The Wizard Of Oz starring Erivo as Elphaba, future Wicked Witch of the West, and Grande as Galinda Upland, who becomes Glinda the Good

Other best pictures nominees include Anora, A Complete Unknown, Conclave, Dune: Part Two, I’m Still Here, Nickel Boys and The Substance.

The closely watched race for best actor in a leading role got a major shakeup just a week before the Oscars at the Screen Actors Guild Awards, when Timothée Chalamet scored a shock win for his Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown.

Prior to that win, Brody was seemingly the favorite after winning best actor awards at the New York Film Critics Circle Awards, the BAFTAs, the Golden Globes and the Critics Choice Movie Awards.

Ralph Fiennes has also doggedly stayed in the running for his role as a British Cardinal struggling to keep a secretive papal election from dissolving into competition and intrigue.

The critically acclaimed film has scored multiple actor wins at smaller ceremonies and festivals for Fiennes, as well as multiple awards for the entire acting ensemble, which Fiennes has accepted on more than one occasion.

The former Tonight Show host is about to MC one of the most unpredictable Academy Awards ceremonies in recent memory. Emilia Pérez leads this year's nominations with 13

Emilia Pérez leads this year’s Oscar nominees with 13 nominations, including for best picture, actress (for Karla Sofía Gascón), supporting actress (for Zoe Saldaña) and director

The Brutalist landed in second place with 10 nominations, including for best picture, director (for Brady Corbet), actor (for Adrien Brody), supporting actor (for Guy Pearce), supporting actress (for Felicity Jones), and original screenplay

The Brutalist landed in second place with 10 nominations, including for best picture, director (for Brady Corbet), actor (for Adrien Brody), supporting actor (for Guy Pearce), supporting actress (for Felicity Jones), and original screenplay

Wicked tied it for 10 nominations, including for best picture, actress (for Cynthia Erivo), and supporting actress (for Ariana Grande)

Wicked tied it for 10 nominations, including for best picture, actress (for Cynthia Erivo), and supporting actress (for Ariana Grande) 

Those three co-frontrunners are competing against Colman Domingo for Sing Sing and Sebastian Stan for his performance as a young Donald Trump in The Apprentice.

The best actress category also has no clear frontrunner. Demi Moore has been lauded for her comeback performance in the satirical body-horror film The Substance, which earned her best actress honors from the Critics Choice Awards and the Golden Globes, as well as several critics’ organizations.

But her win a week before the Oscars at the SAG Awards suggests she may be in a prime spot to snatch the Oscar after being nominated for the first time.

Anora star Mikey Madison, who plays an adult dancer who impetuously marries the son of a Russian Oligarch, was widely acclaimed and was honored by several critics’ organizations early in the season.

Her chances increased significantly after she won the BAFTA for best lead actress, which she followed up with an Independent Spirit Award win in the gender-neutral lead performance category.

Emilia Pérez star Karla Sofía Gascón was once a favorite for the award, but she was widely criticized after racist and Islamophobic tweets — some quite recent — that had somehow gone unremarked upon were translated into English and reported on.

Since then, Gascón has sat out awards ceremonies after her posts came to light. After multiple half-hearted apologies, Netflix reportedly opted to stop paying for Gascón’s travel and accommodations for awards shows, though a source told People that she still plans to attend the Oscars.

Before the controversy, her nomination was seen as historic, as she is the first openly transgender woman to be nominated in the best actress category.

The other nominees are Wicked star Cynthia Erivo, who has failed to capture any major awards, and the Brazilian actress Fernanda Torres, who stars in the historical drama I’m Still Here. She had her own controversy after a clip of her appearing in blackface in a comedy sketch from a Brazilian TV series 17 years ago resurfaced in January.

In the supporting actress category, the nominees including Monica Barbaro for A Complete Unknown, Ariana Grande for Wicked, Felicity Jones for The Brutalist, Isabella Rossellini for Conclave and Zoe Saldaña for Emilia Pérez

Saldaña appears to be the current favorite after a string of wins at the Golden Globes, BAFTA Awards, SAG Awards and Critics Choice Awards.

But some of those early awards had voting periods that cut off prior to the controversy around Gascón surfacing, which could potentially harm her chances from voters who were turned off of Emilia Pérez altogether.

The supporting actor category seems the easiest to predict, Kieran Culkin’s string of wins for A Real Pain making him the favorite.

This year's best lead actor race is up in the air after Timothée Chalamet's recent SAG win for A Complete Unknown

This year’s best lead actor race is up in the air after Timothée Chalamet’s recent SAG win for A Complete Unknown

Anora's Mikey Madison is a late-breaking best actress co-frontrunner after recent wins and controversy that erupted after offensive tweets from Emilia Pérez's Karla Sofía Gascón resurfaced

Anora’s Mikey Madison is a late-breaking best actress co-frontrunner after recent wins and controversy that erupted after offensive tweets from Emilia Pérez’s Karla Sofía Gascón resurfaced

Demi Moore is the other major frontrunner for the satirical body-horror film The Substance. She has won multiple major awards this season

Demi Moore is the other major frontrunner for the satirical body-horror film The Substance. She has won multiple major awards this season

The other nominees include Yura Borisov for Anora, Edward Norton for A Complete Unknown, Guy Pearce for The Brutalist and Jeremy Strong for The Apprentice.

Among the best picture nominees, Emilia Pérez once seemed like the most likely winner, but Gascon’s offensive posts have threatened its chances.

The Palme d’Or–winning Anora got a late boost with wins for best picture at the Directors Guild of America Awards and the Producers Guild of America Awards, which are considered two of the best predictors of Oscars success by awards-season prognosticators, and its win at the Independent Spirit Awards didn’t hurt.

The best director category seems likely to be a three-man race between Anora’s Sean Baker, The Brutalist director Brady Corbet and Emilia Pérez’s Jacques Audiard.

This year’s original song category features two cutes from Emilia Pérez, El Mal and Mi Camino, the new Elton John song Never Too Late, from the documentary of the same name about him, Like a Bird from Sing Sing, and the latest Diane Warren effort The Journey.

The Academy Awards begin at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT and can be watched on ABC and, for the first time, on a streaming service, Hulu.

Subscribers to premium services including Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, AT&T TV and FuboTV can also also catch the ceremony live.

Oscar winners 2025 full list – see who received honors for this year’s Academy Awards

 Best Picture

Anora – WINNER

The Brutalist 

A Complete Unknown 

Conclave 

Dune: Part Two 

Emilia Pérez 

I’m Still Here 

Nickel Boys 

The Substance 

Wicked

Anora was the biggest winner of the night as Mikey Madison earned Best Actress

Anora was the biggest winner of the night as Mikey Madison earned Best Actress

Best Director 

Jacques Audiard — Emilia Pérez

Sean Baker — Anora – WINNER

Brady Corbet — The Brutalist

Coralie Fargeat — The Substance

James Mangold — A Complete Unknown

Actress in a Leading Role

Cynthia Erivo — Wicked 

Karla Sofía Gascón — Emilia Pérez

Mikey Madison — Anora – WINNER

Demi Moore — The Substance 

Fernanda Torres — I’m Still Here 

 

Actor in a Leading Role

Adrien Brody — The Brutalist – WINNER

Timothée Chalamet — A Complete Unknown 

Colman Domingo — Sing Sing 

Ralph Fiennes — Conclave 

Sebastian Stan — The Apprentice

 

Actress in a Supporting Role

Monica Barbaro — A Complete Unknown 

Ariana Grande — Wicked 

Felicity Jones — The Brutalist 

Isabella Rossellini — Conclave 

Zoe Saldaña — Emilia Pérez – WINNER

Zoe Saldana was recognized in the Best Supporting Actress category for Emilia Perez

Zoe Saldana was recognized in the Best Supporting Actress category for Emilia Perez

Actor in a Supporting Role

Yura Borisov — Anora 

Kieran Culkin — A Real Pain – WINNER

Edward Norton — A Complete Unknown 

Guy Pearce — The Brutalist 

Jeremy Strong — The Apprentice 

Animated Feature Film

Flow – WINNER

Inside Out 2

Memoir of a Snail 

Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl

The Wild Robot

Cinematography

The Brutalist — Lol Crawley – WINNER

Dune: Part Two — Greig Fraser

Emilia Pérez — Paul Guilhaume 

Maria — Ed Lachman 

Nosferatu — Jarin Blaschke

Original Screenplay

Anora — Sean Baker – WINNER

The Brutalist — Brady Corbet & Mona Fastvold 

A Real Pain — Jesse Eisenberg

September 5 — Moritz Binder, Tim Fehlbaum; co-Written by Alex David

The Substance — Coralie Fargeat

Sean Baker earned three individual honors for Anora in addition to Best Picture

Sean Baker earned three individual honors for Anora in addition to Best Picture

Adapted Screenplay

A Complete Unknown —  James Mangold and Jay Cocks 

Conclave — Peter Straughan – WINNER

Emilia Pérez — Jacques Audiard with Thomas Bidegain, Léa Mysius and Nicolas Livecchi

Nickel Boys — RaMell Ross & Joslyn Barnes

Sing Sing — Clint Bentley, Greg Kwedar; Story by Clint Bentley, Greg Kwedar, Clarence Maclin, John ‘Divine G’ Whitfield

Achievement in Production Design

The Brutalist 

Conclave 

Dune: Part Two 

Nosferatu 

Wicked – Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales – WINNER

Achievement in Sound

A Complete Unknown

Dune: Part Two – WINNER

Emilia Pérez 

Wicked 

The Wild Robot

Dune: Part Two won Best Achievement in Sound as Gareth John, Richard King, and Ron Bartlett are seen left to right

Dune: Part Two won Best Achievement in Sound as Gareth John, Richard King, and Ron Bartlett are seen left to right

Original Song 

El Mal – Emilia Pérez – Clément Ducol, Camille, and Jacques Audiard – WINNER

The Journey – The Six Triple Eight

Like A Bird – Sing Sing

Mi Camino – Emilia Pérez

Never Too Late – Elton John: Never Too Late

Original Score  

The Brutalist — Daniel Blumberg – WINNER

Conclave — Volker Bertelmann

Emilia Pérez — Clément Ducol and Camille 

Wicked — John Powell and Stephen Schwartz

The Wild Robot — Kris Bowers

Live-Action Short Film

A Lien 

Anuja 

I’m Not a Robot – WINNER

The Last Ranger 

The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent

Animated Short Film

Beautiful Men

In the Shadow of the Cypress – WINNER

Magic Candies

Wander to Wonder

Yuck!

Documentary Feature Film

Black Box Diaries

No Other Land – WINNER

Porcelain War 

Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat 

Sugarcane

No Other Land took home Documentary Feature Film as Basel Adra, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal, and Yuval Abraham are seen left to right

No Other Land took home Documentary Feature Film as Basel Adra, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal, and Yuval Abraham are seen left to right

Documentary Short Film

Death by Numbers 

I Am Ready, Warden

Incident 

Instruments of a Beating Heart 

The Only Girl in the Orchestra – WINNER

International Feature Film

I’m Still Here (Brazil) – WINNER

The Girl With the Needle (Denmark)

Emilia Pérez (France) 

The Seed of the Sacred Fig (Germany)

Flow (Latvia) 

Makeup and Hairstyling

A Different Man

Emilia Pérez 

Nosferatu

The Substance – Pierre Olivier Persin, Stéphanie Guillon, and Marilyne Scarselli – WINNER

Wicked 

 

Achievement in Costume Design

A Complete Unknown — Arianne Phillips

Conclave — Lisy Christl

Gladiator II — Janty Yates and Dave Crossman 

Nosferatu — Linda Muir

Wicked — Paul Tazewell – WINNER

Blockbuster Wicked did not come away empty handed as Paul Tazewell became the first Black male winner of Achievement in Costume Design

Blockbuster Wicked did not come away empty handed as Paul Tazewell became the first Black male winner of Achievement in Costume Design

 

Achievement in Film Editing

Anora — Sean Baker – WINNER

The Brutalist — David Jancso

Conclave — Nick Emerson 

Emilia Pérez — Juliette Welfling

Wicked — Myron Kerstein 

 

Visual Effects

Alien: Romulus

Better Man

Dune: Part Two  – WINNER

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes

Wicked