Why Daniel Stern, star of "Home Alone," won't attend the movie's 35th anniversary celebration in person

Daniel Stern remains a memorable part of the beloved holiday film Home Alone, yet he has no plans to attend celebrations marking its enduring popularity, even as the movie reaches its 35th anniversary. The actor, 68, shared with PEOPLE that he prefers the quiet life on his Ventura County, California, farm. "I don't leave my farm," Stern said. "It's no offense to the movie. I'm just ... a phone call, Zoom call, I'm in. But... I'm a bit of a homebody."

Stern portrayed Marv, one of the two burglarsalongside Joe Pescis Harrywho attempt to rob young Kevin McCallister, played by Macaulay Culkin, while his family is away. Fans particularly enjoy the sequences where Kevin sets up elaborate booby traps, including hot doorknobs, a falling iron, and swinging paint cans, to thwart the intruders.

Known also for films like City Slickers and its sequel, as well as narrating the original TV series The Wonder Years, Stern reflected on the impact of being part of such a cherished movie. "I love knowing that everybody loves it," he said. "But, like, actual people come at me and say, 'We love it.' It's a little overwhelming sometimes."

The film continues to be enjoyed by audiences of all ages through streaming platforms and seasonal broadcasts in theaters and on cable. While Stern anticipated the movie would be well-received, he never imagined it would achieve such iconic status. "I did know that it was a gem of a movie," he explained. "John Hughes wrote the funniest script I've ever read. I was rolling on the floor laughing. It was so funny, but also full of heartthe kid, the neighbor helping him, and the reunion with his mother. It was very emotional."

The storys emotional core centers on Kevins family, who accidentally leave him home alone, as they rush to return to him before Christmas. The original film had one sequel with the same cast, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, which also featured Tim Curry, followed by several later installments with different actors.

Macaulay Culkin has shared plans for a potential new installment, describing his character as a "widower or a divorcee" raising a child. "I'm working really hard and not paying enough attention, and the kid is kind of getting miffed at me and then I get locked out," he said. "The son is the one setting traps for me, and the house is some sort of metaphor for our relationship."

Home Alone is currently available for streaming on Hulu and Disney+.

Author: Sophia Brooks