And the award for most cringe performance goes to… Kieran Culkin
Get Insider Analysis On Westminster Via Email Signup
"Free Westminster Email View - Get Yours Now!"
The Emmys can be uncomfortable with high-profile performances, celebrity interviews and heartfelt thank-yous. However, Kieran Culkin’s behavior deserves recognition for creating an especially awkward moment.
The actor who plays Roman Roy in Succession won the award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series. During his acceptance speech, to everyone's surprise, he expressed his desire for more children to his wife.
Once he received the award, Culkin, who is 41 years old, started off by giving a shoutout to his crew, fellow cast members, and the person who created the show, Jesse Armstrong. He then switched gears and started getting emotional as he thanked his mother, Patricia, for bringing him into the world and for giving him a wonderful upbringing. The moment was truly touching. Following that, Culkin expressed his gratitude towards his manager, Emily Gerson Saines, for ensuring that his name was still being mentioned at a time when nobody else was talking about him. Everything was going well up to that point.
Soon after that emotional moment, he didn't hesitate to make his partner Jazz Charton, who is 35 years old, feel uncomfortable: "I appreciate you sharing your life with me and giving us two wonderful children," he expressed. He then added, "But Jazz... I desire more. You mentioned that there's a possibility, if I triumph!"
Charton's reaction said everything about how she felt: she covered her face with both hands while the camera zoomed in on her. She must have been feeling quite ashamed. (If I were in her shoes, I would feel mortified...)
Appearing to acknowledge that he was wrong, Culkin spoke to journalists later on and admitted: "Rather than speaking to her privately and like a decent person, I publicly shamed her, which was extremely impolite."
Although I appreciate that he apologized for his actions, I find what he did quite disturbing. This behavior seems to be happening more frequently among both famous individuals and everyday people, and it troubles me greatly. To put it simply: why do people feel the need to share private information publicly?
When I saw what happened with Culkin, it felt like I was watching a scene from the TV show itself. It was like when Shiv announced that she would be her father's successor before it was decided, or when Kendall tricked Logan with the cruise line scandal. The whole situation reminded me of Roman, who tends to act impulsively or manipulate people he cares about to get what he wants, often in a very public way. I don't believe that Culkin's apology makes up for the fact that he shared such a personal part of their lives with millions of people.
I don't mean to imply that he's a wicked mastermind or that he doesn't love and value her - they have a beautiful family. However, the joke he meant to include in his speech turned out to be very thoughtless and insensitive.
When celebrities share their personal desires on a public platform, it's not a new phenomenon. One such instance that comes to mind is when Drake proclaimed his love for Rihanna at the 2016 VMAs. Even though she was receiving the esteemed Vanguard award and all the attention was rightfully on her, he took advantage of the moment to disclose that he had been in love with her since he was 22. He even attempted to kiss her, ignoring the fact that she appeared uneasy.
There are numerous instances where ordinary individuals tend to make their private matters extremely public. This includes gender reveal events, marriage proposals held in front of several people, and grandiose flash mob dates. There are also certain individuals who have a strange habit of announcing their own engagements during someone else's wedding, which is completely inappropriate!
Undoubtedly, Culkin possesses remarkable acting skills as evident in his depiction of Roman which was remarkable. He succeeded in evoking emotions like compassion, rage, joy, and sadness from the viewers with mastery in comedic delivery of his lines. His outstanding performance undoubtedly merits recognition and success.
However, reality does not always have to copy creativity (or the other way around). Kieran should keep in mind that he needs to learn this lesson...