Wet Bandit actor Daniel Stern has a very different life nowadays
After starring in Home Alone and its sequel, one of the main actors who helped make the iconic films what they are stepped away from movies.
This was probably helped in part by the unique clause he placed in his contract which earned him millions for the role.
Daniel Stern, who played Marv, was originally offered $300,000 to star in the original film, and ended up tenporarily pulling out after they extended the shoot dates by a couple weeks before producers tempted him back.
Upon being asked to return for Home Alone 2, he had found out his Wet Bandit co-star Joe Pesci was earning significantly more, $3 million (£2.36 million), so Stern fired his agent and asked for a pay bump.
Stern (left) was one half of the iconic Wet Bandits (20th Century Studios)
He said: “I knew they couldn’t do the movie without me, but I was also insecure, since I almost blew it the first time.
“I didn’t want to be too greedy when I loved the movie and the part so much.”
He ended up getting the studio to agree to $1.5 million (£1.18million), but more importantly got them to agree to being paid 1% of the gross of the film.
This blossomed into a $3.59 million slice of a $359,000,000 pie.
Now, I know what you’re thinking.
Stern now lives a much more quiet life (Daniel Stern via Instagram)
So he stepped away from movies because he made a load of money and ran off into the sunset, right?
Wrong. Kind of.
Stern opened up about the experience of Hollywood on his website, revealing that he was married and a father by the age of 23, and so ‘obviously had to just focus on [his] show business career’.
He went on to say that he ‘needed’ to step away from films.
He said: “I did a lot of great movies but there came a point where I missed being away from my family.
“I decided to stop traveling so much, stay home and focus on my family and my other artistic passions.
“The result of that decision is that I have a wonderful family life and this body of work.”
The body of work in question is varied.
As well as a few roles here and there, he has worked as an artist, focusing particularly on creating bronze sculptures.
Stern with one of his sculptures ‘Roberto’ (Daniel Stern via Instagram)
He also documents his life on social media, including showing his life living on a farm.
He said in a recent TikTok: “I live on a farm and we grow tangerines here.”
Stern also described a cute interaction with his son in a recent interview with the New York Times, saying: “My son said to me: ‘You’re a seasonal superstar’. Every year you come around.”
Regarding the documenting on social media of his quite life of farming and art, the Wet Bandit said in a recent interview with Entertainment Tonight: “The social media thing is interesting in that it’s much more intimate and much more me and I can do silly things on it.
“We’ve got pickers and growers. We’re job creators that way you know, it’s wonderful to see it.
“We give a portion of it to food banks and stuff like this. It’s a wonderful life and just for me personally, I need the solitude myself. I just need the solitude, and I got it.”Featured Image Credit: 20th Century Fox/x/RealDanielStern
Topics: Home Alone, Art, Film, TV and Film, Christmas
Michael Slavin
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Published 15:16 20 Dec 2024 GMT
Home Alone actor who earned millions from special contract reveals the worst injury he got filming the movies
Daniel Stern starred as Marv Murchins in the first two Home Alone films
One of the main actors from the Home Alone films who made millions via his special contract has revealed the one stunt that left him ‘purple’ due to the injuries he suffered while being pranked by Kevin McCallister.
Both Home Alone and Home Alone 2: Lost In New York follow Kevin McCallister as he takes on the terrible career criminals known as the Wet Bandits.
The Wet Bandits, made up of Harry Lyme (Joe Pesci) and Marv Murchins (Daniel Stern), take on the young Chicago boy twice during Christmastime after first trying to steal from the McCallister family home and then attempting to ransack a toy store in New York City.
How Kevin got left behind in Home Alone
20th Century Fox
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On both occasions, Kevin – played by the superbly talented Macaulay Culkin – is left alone at Christmas and has to fend for himself, doing his utmost best to get one over both of the Wet Bandits and stop them in their tracks.
A major way in which he does that is through is traps; first in his family home in Home Alone followed by his uncle’s NYC townhouse in Home Alone 2.
And jeez, they don’t half look like they hurt. The question is, which hurt the most?
Marv actor Daniel Stern revealed exactly this during a Reddit AMA (Ask Me Anything) in which he took questions from film fans asking about his career.
Standing on glass baubles after taking an iron to the face were just two of the prank Marv was subjected to by Kevin (20th Century Fox)
Stern revealed earlier this year that he earned millions extra in royalties for Home Alone 2 after inserting a special clause into his contract for the film.
On the pranks set out by Kevin, one Redditor asked Stern: “Hey, thanks for coming to Reddit. Enjoy your stay.
“Something that has always puzzled me. Did you ever get an injury from home alone? If so how bad was it?”
Responding, Stern revealed it wasn’t the paint-pot pendulums of Home Alone that were the worst. Nor was it the electrocution scene in Home Alone 2, which is no surprise the fact they didn’t actually electrocute him.
The falling iron down the ventilation shaft in Home Alone also wasn’t the McCallister prank that sprung to mind.
Marv and Harry were taught a lesson by Kevin (20th Century Fox)
Instead, one particular scene from Home Alone 2 left him black and blue in real life. So much for stunt doubles and special effects.
“So happy to be on Reddit,” Stern responded.
“My daughter Sophie has been on for years telling me I have to join the conversation.
“Now about your question… oddly, the most bruising stunt I did was in Home Alone 2. There’s a scene where I have to climb a tower of old TV sets, bookcases, and other seemingly simple bits of debris.”
The scene that left Stern black and blue (20th Century Fox)
Stern added: “But it turned out to be a lot more complicated than I imagined. I must’ve hit every corner of every chair and table, take after take.
“When I was getting out of my costume at the end of the day I noticed a lot of bruising on my legs. And three days later, both legs were purple to toes to ‘you know where’.”
The scene in question is after Marv falls face-first into an empty townhouse that Kevin has boobytrapped, leaving him struggling to get out of the basement and take on the child alongside Harry.
Given that Stern earned an extra $3.59 million for Home Alone 2 after agreeing to receive one percent of box office takings in his contract for the film, he was definitely made to earn that extra dough.Featured Image Credit: 20th Century Fox
Topics: Celebrity, Christmas, Health, Home Alone, Macaulay Culkin, Reddit
Tom Earnshaw
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Updated 10:25 18 Dec 2024 GMTPublished 12:16 17 Dec 2024 GMT
Home Alone actor inserted special clause into his contract that earned him millions in royalties
Daniel Stern starred as one half of the Wet Bandits, Marv, in both Home Alone and its sequel
One of the main faces in the Home Alone universe revealed he inserted a special clause in to his contract that saw him pocket millions after the sequel was released.
Daniel Stern starred as Marv Murchins, one half of the Wet Bandits, alongside his partner in crime Harry Lyme (Joe Pesci) in Home Alone and it’s sequel, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York.
Trying to steal everything and anything from the McCallister household when they head to Paris to celebrate festivities, the criminal duo didn’t expect mum and dad to leave behind eight-year-old Kevin, played by none other than Macaulay Culkin.
Why Kevin was left behind in Home Alone
Credit: 20th Century Studios
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What comes next is one of the most iconic plots in cinematic history, as Kevin does his best to boobytrap his family home from Marv and Harry.
Stern, now 67, revealed he almost didn’t take the part in the initial Home Alone film, which was released in 1990.
This was after filming was upped from six weeks to eight, but the $300,000 (£236,000) on offer to him remained the same. After leaving the film, producers called him back after not liking his replacement.
After this, he described backing out of the movie as ‘one of the stupidest decisions in my show business life’.
The Wet Bandits with Kevin in Home Alone 2 (20th Century Fox)
Fast forward to Home Alone 2: Lost in New York and despite knowing his luck in not saying no to the initial film, Stern also knew his worth had increased, with Home Alone making $500 million (£393 million) worldwide in theatres.
And he wasn’t happy with the $600,000 (£472,000) he was offered after realising Pesci was earning up to $3 million (£2.36 million).
His stance saw him depart from his agent, who had suggest he take an improved $800,000.
Instead, Stern demanded $1.5 million alongside two percent of the gross profits of the sequel.
Daniel Stern wanted more than he was offered (Paul Archuleta/FilmMagic)
“I knew they couldn’t do the movie without me, but I was also insecure, since I almost blew it the first time,” he said.
“I didn’t want to be too greedy when I loved the movie and the part so much.”
Stern secured his $1.5m but the studio compromised on the percentage of profits, lowering this to one percent rather than the two.
But given how much Home Alone 2 made at the box office, Stern was still laughing all the way to the bank with his one percent.
A classic scene (20th Century Fox)
During its cinematic run, the sequel grossed $359,000,000 (£282,000,000) worldwide.
With his one percent put to that, Stern took an extra $3.59 million.
In 2024 money, with inflation factored in, that’s about $8.07 million. Arguably the Wet Bandits’ biggest and most successful heist to date; you can understand why they didn’t need to return for a third film.Featured Image Credit: 20th Century Fox
Topics: Home Alone, Money, Christmas, US News, Film, Celebrity, Entertainment, Macaulay Culkin
Tom Earnshaw
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Updated 12:09 19 Dec 2024 GMTPublished 09:22 19 Dec 2024 GMT
Home Alone star who earned millions from special clause in contract now has a very different life
Daniel Stern leads a life which is very different to his legendary character in Home Alone
Daniel Stern might have starred as a bumbling burglar in Home Alone, but the actor isn’t as daft as his character Marv Murchins in real life.
In fact, the 67-year-old is so savvy that he managed to pocket a few extra millions after inserting a special clause into his contract for the second instalment of the Christmas film.
It’s money which Marv and his sidekick Harry Lime (Joe Pesci) could only dream of – and it helped set Stern up for his drastic change in career.
Home Alone trailer
Credit: 20th Century Fox
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The Bushwhacked star, from Maryland, previously revealed that he wasn’t going to accept the $300,000 (£236,000) he was offered to take part in the original Home Alone.
He threw in the towel after the length of filming was extended by another two weeks, but producers managed to get him to return after they didn’t like his replacement.
As we all know, the 1990 comedy became an absolute hit – so when negotiations began for Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, Stern knew he had some leverage.
After learning that his co-star Pesci was earning up to $3 million (£2.36 million) as one half of the Wet Bandits, Stern ditched his agent and demanded a pay rise.
“I knew they couldn’t do the movie without me, but I was also insecure, since I almost blew it the first time,” he said. “I didn’t want to be too greedy when I loved the movie and the part so much.”
Considering one of the biggest names to star in Home Alone was only paid a few hundred pounds, you can see why Stern was treading lightly.
Stern earned millions from his iconic role in Home Alone (20th Century Fox)
The James vs. His Future Self actor wanted $1.5 million (£1.18million) to step back into the shoes of Marv, as well as two percent of the gross profits of the sequel.
Although the studio agreed to bump up his salary, they shook hands on one percent instead of two – but Stern has still raked in millions as a result.
Home Alone 2: Lost in New York grossed $359,000,000 (£282,000,000) worldwide, of which the actor took a $3.59 million slice.
This equates to around $8.07 million today, with inflation factored in, so it’s no wonder that Stern is now living his best agricultural life these days.
He left behind the chaos that came with chasing Kevin McCallister around in favour a quieter life, trading the bright lights of Hollywood for hard work on a farm.
Stern is now a cattle rancher, but has also found time to devote to his passions, writing and sculpting, too.
The actor, 67, now lives on his farm and is a cattle rancher (X/@RealDanielStern)
He often shares snippets of his new lifestyle on social media, where he documents his adorable side quests.
In one, Stern – who boasts 88,000 TikTok followers and nearly 25,000 YouTube subscribers – brags about the delicious fruits which he has grown, before showing how he turns them into juice.
Another clip shared by the actor shows an incredible life-size clay sculpture he had just completed.
Stern – who dubs his cattle his ‘friends’ – seems to be loving the slower pace that farm life brings, as well as his newfound popularity on social media.
The Home Alone star discussed the reasoning behind his drastic lifestyle change on his website.
Stern wrote: “When I was a kid, I was a terrible student but I excelled in all things artistic – theatre, choir, band, woodshed, metal shop, ceramics, and sculpture.
“I dropped out of high school when I was seventeen and moved to New York to become an actor.
“I got married and was a father by the time I was 23, and obviously had to just focus on my show business career.
“I did a lot of great movies but there came a point where I missed being away from my family. I decided to stop traveling so much, stay home and focus on my family and my other artistic passions.
“The result of that decision is that I have a wonderful family life and this body of work.”Featured Image Credit: 20th Century Fox/TikTok/realdanielstern0
Topics: Celebrity, Home Alone, TV and Film, US News, Viral, Money, Social Media
Olivia Burke
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Published 12:47 18 Dec 2024 GMT
Macaulay Culkin pocketed extra £14,000,000 for Home Alone 2 after securing unique contract clause
Home Alone was a box office smash, with the sequel also bringing in millions
Iconic child actor Macaulay Culkin found himself more than £14 million richer after the release of Home Alone 2 due to a unique clause inserted in his contract for the sequel.
Arguably the most famous and successful child star of all time, Culkin starred in the first Home Alone back in 1990 before its successor, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, two years later.
With other films to his name including Richie Rich, he came a certified Hollywood star by the age of 14, before he took a hiatus from acting at the aged 15 returning eight years later.
How Kevin got left behind in Home Alone
20th Century Fox
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Home Alone saw the New Yorker star as eight-year-old Kevin McCallister as he defends his family’s Chicago mansion from two rather awful criminals known as the Wet Bandits.
Harry and Marv, played by Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern, target the McCallister home after the family fly to Paris to celebrate Christmas.
The problem for everyone involved is that Kevin is accidentally left behind by mum and dad Kate and Peter, played by Catherine O’Hara and John Heard. And for those still curious, the reason for him being forgotten about was recently clocked by avid fans.
Macaulay Culkin and brother Kieran both starred in Home Alone (Dave Benett/Getty Images)
Home Alone was an instant success, bringing in $476.7 million at the box office during its theatrical run; an amount equivalent to roughly $1.15 billion in 2024 with inflation factored in.
It meant that when discussions started about a holiday-themed sequel to the blockbuster, the actors involved knew their worth more than ever.
That included one half of the Wet Bandits, with Daniel Stern initially rejecting his contract for the film because he felt he was worth more.
Culkin earned $110,000 (£86,500) for the original film; an amount that ballooned to a whopping £5 million (£3.93 million) for the sequel set in New York.
Macaulay Culkin in Home Alone (20th Century Studios)
But his real earnings from the film came after its release, pocketing almost £20 million extra on top of the initial five for the actual acting.
That’s because he had a special clause inserted in to his contract for the sequel. And it was all to do with the success of the first film.
According to Stern’s new 2024 memoir, Home and Alone, he revealed that Culkin was given five percent of the box office takings for Home Alone 2.
Despite the sequel earning less than the initial film, it still grossed a humongous $359 million (£282.5 million).
Home Alone is a classic (20th Century Fox)
This meant that Culkin’s five percent cut of the takings came in at a cool $17.95 million, which equated to £14.1 million.
Inflation factored in, that’s worth a whopping £31.71 million in 2024.
Back in the 1990s, Culkin ended up with a trust fund worth $50 million. Operated by his parents, he ended up taking both their names off of it for one very particular reason.