Kieran Culkin Recalls First Professional Gig At 6 Where Director Berated Him To Get Him To Method Act: “What’s Wrong With You?”

Story by Natalie Oganesyan

Image from Deadline

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Kieran Culkin recounts a harrowing childhood acting experience where a director berated him to provoke a method acting response.

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At just 6 years old, Culkin landed his first professional gig, but the director's harsh tactics to get an authentic performance left a lasting impact.
Culkin, now a breakout star on Succession, reflects on how that early experience shaped his approach to acting, prioritizing authenticity over directorial manipulation.

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Kieran Culkin, Sean Hayes, Will Arnett, Jason Bateman, Succession, A Real Pain, Smartless