Macaulay Culkin insists Michael Jackson 'didn't do anything' to him or anyone else in his first interview since the sex abuse claims in the Leaving Neverland documentary and still calls him a friend
- Macaulay Culkin said: 'No, I never saw anything; he never did anything' when asked about Michael Jackson abuse claims
- Culkin was friends with Jackson during his days as a child actor and spent time at his Neverland Ranch just like accusers Wade Robson and James Safechuck
- Culkin said: 'If I had something to speak up about, I would totally do it'
- He told Esquire James Franco asked him about the Leaving Neverland documentary and he hit back: 'Do you wanna talk about your dead friend?'
- Culkin last saw Jackson at his 2005 trial where he was accused of molesting a 13-year-old boy who had cancer
- He said Jackson looked drained but joked to him: 'We better not talk. I don’t want to influence your testimony'
Macaulay Culkin has defended Michael Jackson for the first time since child sex abuse claims against him in Leaving Neverland, saying the late singer 'never did anything'.
Culkin was friends with Jackson during his days as a child actor and the Home Alone star spent time at his Neverland Ranch where the likes of Wade Robson and James Safechuck claimed some incidents took place.
But Culkin, who was 22 years younger than Jackson, says he didn't witness any abuse.
'Look. I'm gonna begin with the line—it's not a line, it's the truth: He never did anything to me. I never saw him do anything. And especially at this flash point in time, I'd have no reason to hold anything back,' Macaulay told Esquire.
Macaulay Culkin told Esquire about Michael Jackson abuse claims: 'No, I never saw anything; he never did anything'
Macaulay Culkin and Michael Jackson are pictured together in Bermuda in 1991
Culkin explained his decision to address the claims now, in the interview for Esquire out February 18
Jackson died in 2009 and was accused of child sex abuse before and after his passing.
The 2019 docu-series came out after the #MeToo movement picked up and stories previously heard in part garnered more interest.
Culkin explained his decision to address the claims now, in the interview for the men's lifestyle magazine out February 18.
'The guy has passed on. If anything—I'm not gonna say it would be stylish or anything like that, but right now is a good time to speak up,' he said. 'And if I had something to speak up about, I would totally do it. But no, I never saw anything; he never did anything.'
Culkin appeared to explain further why he hadn't previously been more vocal in his defense of Jackson as he revealed he once shut down James Franco for asking about it.
Wade Robson (pictured left) and James Safechuck (right) speak about their childhood with Jackson in the documentary
Culkin says he didn't see Jackson do anything. They're pictured right in Bermuda in 1991
Wade Robson (left) and James Safechuck (right) claimed in Leaving Neverland that they were abused
But Culkin said: 'The guy has passed on. If anything—I'm not gonna say it would be stylish or anything like that, but right now is a good time to speak up'
'Here's a good Michael Jackson story that doesn't involve Michael Jackson at all: I ran into James Franco on a plane. I'd bumped into him two or three times over the years. I give him a little nod as we're putting our bags overhead. Hey, how you doing? Good, how ya doing?' Culkin began.
'And it was right after the Leaving Neverland documentary came out, and he goes, "So, that documentary!" And that was all he said. I was like, "Uh-huh." Silence.
'So then he goes, "So what do you think?" And I turned to him and I go, "Do you wanna talk about your dead friend?" And he sheepishly went, "No, I don't." So I said, "Cool, man, it was nice to see you."'
Culkin says James Franco (left) asked him about the Leaving Neverland documentary. He hit back, 'Do you wanna talk about your dead friend?' and Franco 'sheepishly went, "No, I don't"'
Culkin doubled down in his defense of Michael and said: 'If I had something to speak up about, I would totally do it'
In 2005, Culkin testified on behalf of the performer who was on trial for intoxicating and molesting a 13-year-old boy who had cancer. Jackson was 46 at the time and Culkin was 24.
Culkin said that after using the facilities, Jackson joked to him: 'We better not talk. I don’t want to influence your testimony.'
He said the star looked exhausted and drained, they hugged and laughed and that was the last time they saw each other.
Jackson was acquitted.
In 2005, Culkin testified on behalf of the performer who was on trial for intoxicating and molesting a 13-year-old boy who had cancer. Jackson was 46 at the time and Culkin was 24
Culkin said it was the last time they saw each other and Jackson looked drained. Jackson joked: 'We better not talk. I don’t want to influence your testimony'
Culkin explained that they had bonded when he was child because they both had fathers who forced fame on them.
Jackson would make Culkin laugh as he made prank calls asking; 'Hello, I’d like to buy a refrigerator. How big are your refrigerators?'
Now as Paris Jackson's godfather, Culkin and star's daughter have carried on the tradition of being silly.
Culkin told Esquire they steal spoons public places for 'harmless' and they even have matching spoon tattoos.
'It’s a harmless thing. It’s not like you’re ruining something, like stealing a chess piece, where the board would be incomplete,' Culkin explained.
He said he has advised Paris: 'Don’t forget to be silly, don’t forget to take something away from this whole experience, and don’t forget to stick something up your sleeve.'
Culkin said he said he bonded with Jackson as they both had fathers who pushed fame upon them. He's pictured with Parents, Kit and Patricia, and actor brother Keiron Culkin (right)
Now as Paris Jackson's godfather, Culkin and star's daughter have carried on the tradition of being silly. Culkin told Esquire they steal spoons public places for 'harmless' and they even have matching spoon tattoos
