Macaulay Culkin Allegedly Claims Joe Pesci Bit Him And He Faced Bee Swarms And Gators As A Kid Actor

Macaulay Culkin has reopened a darker chapter of 1990s Hollywood, claiming that fame came with real danger long before modern child-actor protections existed.

The former child star says he survived bee swarms, wild animals and a disturbing on-set incident involving Joe Pesci, leaving him with scars that followed him well into adulthood.

Speaking in recent interviews, Culkin described his childhood career as physically risky, emotionally confusing and largely unchecked, adding that looking back now, he is 'lucky to be alive'.

He claimed that these events left him with financial, psychological, and bodily wounds that affected his life long after the cameras had stopped filming.

'Thousands of Live Bees' and Gator‑Filled Water

He still remembers filming My Girl when he was just eleven, where they dumped thousands of live bees on him for a scene.

'They actually released, like, thousands of bees on me,' he recalled in disbelief during a recent interview.

He recalled that once the cameras stopped filming, he was instructed to flee the swarm by running directly into the woods.

'The bee handler gave me a piece of advice,' he said. 'He says, 'Human beings run faster than bees fly.' I was like, 'But I'm 10.''

Moreover, he also claimed that other shootings forced him to jump into water that was home to snapping turtles, alligators, and poisonous snakes.

Culkin further maintains that such circumstances would never be permitted under current kid-safety regulations. He felt that the demands of the production took priority over his safety.

Joe Pesci's 'Accidental' Bite

Culkin also shared an episode involving his on-screen adversary, Joe Pesci, during the set of Home Alone.

'He sank his teeth into my finger,' Culkin said, adding that he still has a noticeable mark decades later.

As a kid, Culkin felt scared and confused by Pesci's intensity. He didn't know where the acting ended, and real life began.

As a child, he didn't fully understand that this kind of behaviour wasn't appropriate in the business. 'You should have seen his face because he knew he bit a 9-year-old,' Culkin recalled. 'Back then, it was just like, 'Who is this creep?''

Only in retrospect, he claims, has he seen how troubling it was that the incident was dismissed in the name of realism and comedy. Since then, the memories represent how his limits were consistently disregarded on set.

Abuse Allegations and Financial Control

Culkin also claimed that his early career caused mental and financial harm in addition to the physical risks.

He has talked about being forced into project after project as his fame grew globally, feeling more like a commodity than a child.

He took legal control of his earnings and removed his parents from direct financial decision-making. At the age of 15, he went to court to have them removed as trustees.

Moreover, he has accused his father, Kit Culkin, of being mentally and physically abusive, a charge Kit has denied.

According to Macaulay, his success has created tension rather than stability in the household. His perception that no adult was genuinely putting his well-being first during those years of peak popularity was strengthened by the combination of on-set danger and off-set upheaval.

Addiction and the Long Shadow of Early Fame

Culkin has been open about his struggle with addiction over the years. He says the chaos, anxiety, and lack of support from his childhood made it hard to cope. He wants people to know just how little protection child actors had back then and how easily their well-being got sacrificed for the sake of a movie.

'I'm lucky I made it out,' Culkin said.

His story has reignited debate about child safety in entertainment, highlighting why strict regulations, consent and accountability are essential when children are placed in the public eye.

For Culkin, survival was not guaranteed. It was earned.