“Home Alone 2: Lost in New York” director Chris Columbus said that he’s still tormented by Donald Trump making a cameo in the 1992 film.
Columbus referenced the popular pop culture moment during an interview with the San Francisco Chronicle, saying Trump’s seven second appearance in the movie has “become this curse.”
“It’s become an albatross for me. I just wish it was gone,” Columbus lamented. “I can’t cut it. If I cut it, I’ll probably be sent out of the country. I’ll be considered sort of not fit to live in the United States, so I’ll have to go back to Italy or something.”
“Home Alone 2” followed up on the popularity of the first film. It showed the McAllister family taking a trip to Florida, only the youngest son, Kevin (Macaulay Culkin), winds up by himself in New York City. He’s pursued by the same two burglars from the first film, Marv (Daniel Stern) and Harry (Joe Pesci).
“We screened the film in Chicago, and when that moment came onscreen the audience went crazy,” Columbus added. “They cheered and they cheered and they thought it was hilarious. I think I know a lot about comedy, but I don’t, obviously, because I never thought that was going to be considered hilarious.”
Columbus told Business Insider in 2020 that Trump insisted he be included in the film, but Trump said the opposite is true.
“We paid the fee, but he also said, ‘The only way you can use the Plaza is if I’m in the movie.’ So we agreed to put him in the movie,” the director said during an interview for the film’s 30th anniversary.
President Trump addressed Columbus’ claims three years later in a Truth Social post.
“I was very busy, and didn’t want to do it,” he wrote. “They were very nice, but above all, persistent. I agreed, and the rest is history! That little cameo took off like a rocket, and the movie was a big success, and still is, especially around Christmas time. People call me whenever it is aired.”
Trump continued, “Now, however, 30 years later, Columbus (what was his real name?) put out a statement that I bullied myself into the movie. Nothing could be further from the truth. That cameo helped make the movie a success … Just another Hollywood guy from the past looking for a quick fix of Trump publicity for himself!”
During the new interview, Columbus stated, “Years later, it’s become this curse. It’s become this thing that I wish it was not there. What’s going through this guy’s mind? He said I was lying. I’m not lying. He said I begged him to be in the movie, but there’s no world I would ever beg a non-actor to be in a movie. But we were desperate to get the Plaza Hotel.”
