How Kieran Culkin finally escaped his brother's shadow: As actor gets his first Oscar nomination at 42, how he grew up sharing tiny bedroom with six siblings and dealing with 'abusive' father

He played Roman Roy - a character in one of the most messy fictional families out there - in the hit show, Succession. But actor Kieran Culkin's own history certainly holds a candle to the chaos endured by the series' beloved (albeit at times frustrating) third son. The star, 42, has branded his father Kit - who had the actor and his six siblings squashed into one bedroom in a tiny apartment - 'not a good dude'.

And for years her and his fellow brothers and sisters, many of whom also entered the showbiz world, were in the shadow of one of their own brood - adorable Home Alone protagonist Macaulay. But Kieran - who had made sporadic hit with roles in the likes of Father of the Bride, She's All That and Scott Pilgrim vs. the World - is now finally being recognised centre stage. In his most recent accolade, Kieran was nominated for an Academy Award in the Actor in a supporting role category for their parts in A Real Pain.

If he wins, it's set to be a victory lap for the star, who earlier in January celebrated his big Golden Globe win for the same category - and an Emmy for Actor In A Drama series Emmy the following week. Kieran's getting his moment in the sun after a challenging childhood - with a father his brother Macaulay called 'abusive' and branded a drunkard. Kieran - who had made sporadic hit with roles in the likes of Father of the Bride, She's All That and Scott Pilgrim vs. the World - is now finally being recognised centre stage.

The Culkins - including mother Patricia Brentrup - lived in a New York City apartment that was 'barely suitable for a couple', the actor told Vanity Fair. There didn't appear to be a lot of structure and discipline ('some of us would go to school, some would not') but the kids were pushed towards the stage - with Kit himself being a young actor - from a young age. 'My parents' friends were running a little theater, the Light Opera of Manhattan, and whenever a production needed a kid, they were like, 'What age and what gender? We've got seven of them right over here',' Kieran told the outlet.

All of them were nudged towards the spotlight, although his sister Dakota - who passed away in a car accident in 2008 - firmly resisted despite being pushed into the business. 'He's not a good dude, but he wasn't really a big part of my life after the age of 15,' Kieran added of Kit. 'Sometime in the 90s, he went away and disappeared for two, three weeks, and the babysitter remarked to my mom, "You know what's funny is their father's been gone for three weeks, and not one of them has said, Hey, where's Dad?" Nobody cared, actually. My mom was the parent, so when he wasn't there it was nicer and better.'.

The Culkins - including mother Patricia Brentrup - lived in a New York City apartment that was 'barely suitable for a couple', the actor told Vanity Fair. Pictured: Kieran (right) with Macaulay (centre) and their parents Kit and Patricia in a throwback photo. Macaulay and Kieran pictured together at the 1991 Golden Globe Awards held at the Beverly Hilton. It was his role as the youngest Roy son in Succession that would win him critical and worldwide plaudits.

And for all their familial hardships, Kieran has nothing but good things to say about his mother, who made sure all their children (and their many friends, who often visited the home) would be up and functioning. 'If I wanted chocolate milk light, but my brother wanted more chocolate, and my sister wanted hardly any, she would make it those different ways,' he told The Guardian. 'How did my mom do it?... I have no idea,' he admitted. 'So, 15 to 20 kids in the house. I can't believe I'm back at the grocery store sometimes three times a day. My mom had to do it on coupons. She would get cheap liver at Key Food, two giant gallons of milk, all that. For me, getting them to sleep is enough.'.

Kieran emotionally thanked his mother during his acceptance speech at the Emmys - before taking a swipe at his estranged father and branding him 'some guy'. The Culkin family has been embroiled in drama ever since Macaulay - now 44 - shot to fame in the 1990s courtesy of his roles in Home Alone and Uncle Buck. As a teenager aged 16 he would famously battle his now separated parents for control of his $50million fortune amid their child custody battle over him and his six siblings - before retiring from acting. He and his former manager Kit have not spoken since.

In his 2006 memoir Macaulay would accuse his father of physical and emotional abuse, alleging he threatened to hit him if he used cue cards during his 1991 SNL hosting stint aged just 11. In 2016 a now reclusive Kit said he 'didn't consider Macaulay as a son anymore' while Kieran has not seen his father since 2014. While Macaulay's sudden stardom seemed like it would be a dream come true to most children, he later admitted that he struggled with his newfound fame and began to crumble under the immense pressure that came with it. Macaulay pictured with his father in 1993.