Donald Trump says he did not ‘bully’ his way into Home Alone 2 cameo and says he is behind film’s success
Donald Trump did not “bully” his way into a Home Alone 2 cameo, he has told his followers on his social media site, adding he was responsible for the film’s success.
The former US president was referring to an interview given by the film’s director Chris Columbus in 2020, where he claimed including Trump was a condition of being allowed to film inside the Plaza Hotel.
Columbus told Business Insider: “Trump said okay. 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, and when we screened it for the first time the oddest thing happened: people cheered when Trump showed up on screen.
“So I said to my editor, ‘Leave him in the movie. It’s a moment for the audience’. But he did bully his way into the movie.”
The second film in the series features perpetually missing Kevin McCallister (played by Macaulay Culkin) alone again and lost in New York, where he comes face-to-face once more with the Wet Bandits – the criminals who tried to rob his family home in the first movie.
Writing on Truth Social on Wednesday evening, Trump said: “30 years ago (how time flies!), director Chris Columbus, and others, were begging me to make a cameo appearance in Home Alone 2.
“They rented the Plaza Hotel in New York, which I owned at the time. I was very busy, and didn’t want to do it. 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 Christmastime. People call me whenever it is aired.
“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, but if they felt bullied, or didn’t want me, why did they put me in, and keep me there, for over 30 years?
“Because I was, and still am, great for the movie, that’s why! Just another Hollywood guy from the past looking for a quick fix of Trump publicity for himself!”
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Chris Columbus is the real name of the film’s director, and his back catalogue includes Gremlins, Mrs Doubtfire, and the first two Harry Potter films.
In 2021, following the 6 January Capitol Riots, Culkin joined calls for Trump to be removed from the film altogether.
Matt Damon has corroborated Columbus’s claims, telling The Hollywood Reporter in 2017 Trump often made it a condition of filming in his properties to be given a cameo.
He added though that many productions filmed it and got permission to use the building, and left the scene on the cutting room floor.
The Plaza Hotel in New York. File pic
The Home Alone films have become Christmas staples since the first one came out in 1990, and shot Culkin into stardom.
The second movie (in which Trump appears), titled Lost In New York, took more than $359m (£281m) worldwide.
Starring alongside the Republican were the likes of Joe Pesci, Tim Curry and Catherine O’Hara.
Entertainment
Gregg Wallace: Over half of allegations against MasterChef presenter substantiated, including one of unwanted physical contact
An investigation into Gregg Wallace’s “inappropriate behaviour” on MasterChef has found that more than half of the allegations against him have been substantiated, including one of “unwanted physical contact”.
MasterChef’s production company Banijay UK shared a summary of its report into historical allegations of misconduct against the 60-year-old presenter, carried out by independent law firm Lewis Silkin over seven months.
The report also said the number of sustained allegations made Wallace’s return to MasterChef “untenable”.
The investigation heard evidence from 78 witnesses, including 41 complainants.
There were 83 allegations against Wallace, and 45 of them were substantiated. All were related to MasterChef.
While the majority of the substantiated allegations related to inappropriate sexual language and humour, a smaller number of allegations of other inappropriate language and being in a state of undress were also substantiated.
One allegation of unwanted physical contact was substantiated.
Nearly all the allegations against Wallace were related to behaviour which is said to have occurred between 2005 and 2018, with just one substantiated allegation taking place post-2018.
Wallace and Anne-Marie Sterpini in 2014
Ahead of the publication of the summary, Wallace had said he had been “cleared of the most serious and sensational accusations” made against him.
Additionally, the report summary found that there were also 10 standalone allegations about other people between 2012 and 2018/2019, two of which were substantiated. Those people were not named in the summary.
The investigation found that complaints had previously been raised with the production company between 2005 and 2024.
Gregg Wallace on MasterChef. Pic: BBC/ Shine TV 2024
While the report flagged inadequate reporting procedures prior to 2016, when Endemol merged with Shine ahead of Banijay acquiring Endemol Shine in 2020, it said there were significant improvements to HR processes and training after 2016.
While the investigation said some formal action was taken by the BBC in 2017, it also noted the corporation held no information regarding concerns raised over Wallace centrally, resulting in issues being addressed as a first offence.
Sky News has tried to contact Gregg Wallace for contact today.
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