The 79-year-old actor spoke about the experience during a new interview with The Academy, where he looked back on highlights from his long career. While visiting the Margaret Herrick Library, Curry was shown artifacts connected to his past roles and discussed them with archivist Louise Hilton.
Remembering his time on the popular sequel, Curry shared a lighthearted story about Culkin, who was just a young actor at the time. He recalled that the young star often stayed up late watching movies and would sometimes drift off to sleep while sitting in the makeup chair. Despite the demanding schedule, Curry said he enjoyed working with him, describing Culkin as a very pleasant and kind child.
In the film, Curry portrayed the suspicious concierge Mr. Hector at the famous The Plaza Hotel, where much of the story unfolds. While the location became iconic in the movie, Curry joked that actually staying there during production wasn’t especially exciting for him, noting that the room he was given looked out onto nothing more than a brick wall.
The movie follows Culkin reprising his role as Kevin McCallister after the massive success of Home Alone. In the sequel, Kevin accidentally boards the wrong flight and ends up alone in New York City while the rest of his family travels to Florida for Christmas. During his solo adventure, he checks into the Plaza Hotel, where his antics quickly draw the attention of Curry’s skeptical concierge.
Culkin has recently been in the headlines for a more somber reason following the death of his on-screen mother, Catherine O’Hara, who passed away on January 30 at age 71. According to reports, she died at her home in Los Angeles after a brief illness, with pulmonary embolism listed as the immediate cause of death and rectal cancer cited as an underlying condition.
The actor paid tribute to her on Instagram, posting two photos of them together and writing an emotional message about wishing he had more time with her.
Meanwhile, Curry has also been reflecting on his own health journey. In his memoir Vagabond, the legendary star of The Rocky Horror Picture Show described the frightening moment he suffered a stroke in 2012 while receiving a massage at his home in California. He explained that he initially didn’t realize anything was seriously wrong and even believed the masseur might be overreacting when emergency services were called.
However, the quick decision to call an ambulance ultimately proved lifesaving. Doctors later confirmed Curry had experienced a severe stroke that sent blood clots to his brain, requiring emergency surgery. The incident left him partially paralyzed on one side and affected his speech, though he has continued to remain active and reflective about his life and career in the years since.
