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‘A Real Pain’ Star Kieran Culkin Describes the 3 Key Factors He Uses to Choose His Projects


November 18, 2024

Over the past five years, Kieran Culkin has become synonymous with the role of Roman Roy, the immature, entitled son on HBO’s Succession. His portrayal of the volatile Roy sibling earned him widespread acclaim, including wins at the Emmys, Golden Globes, and Critics Choice Awards, among others. Now, in his first project following the iconic series, Culkin leaves behind Roy’s New York and heads for Poland in the indie feature A Real Pain.

Insights: Lessons From Kieran Culkin

  • Actors should seek out projects where they feel an instant connection to both the script and the character, ensuring it’s a role they understand and envision the background and development of.
  • Maintain flexibility in your acting process, especially when working with new dynamics. Be open to adjusting your approach and recognizing when to respond to the director’s guidance versus a co-actor’s input.
  • Don’t over-rehearse or over-plan to the point of stifling the natural spontaneity of your character. Allow for more authentic and surprising performances to reveal themselves.

Starring opposite Jesse Eisenberg, who also wrote and directed the film, Culkin plays Benji, an unfiltered, attention-seeking young man who accompanies his anxious and uptight cousin David (Eisenberg) on a trip to Poland to visit their ancestral home after the death of their Holocaust-surviving grandmother. The film, which debuted in theaters on November 1, explores the complex dynamics of family and generational trauma against the backdrop of historic events.

Critics have praised Culkin’s work in the film, with Rolling Stone calling it “the single greatest, funniest, most cringe-comic and heartbreaking performance of his career.” ABC News went even further, declaring it “Oscar-worthy.” Culkin’s portrayal also earned him a nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor at the Gotham Film Awards, with winners to be announced in December.

At a press conference attended by Casting Networks, Culkin said when he read the script for consideration, it was an “instant yes” for him, adding that he “immediately clicked” with the character. 

How Kieran Culkin Chooses a Project

He explained that when choosing a project, he evaluates three key factors: his connection to the script as a whole, his affinity for the character and his sense of whether he’s the right fit for the role. A Real Pain checked off all three boxes. “There was something about it that I just went, I know how to do this,” said Culkin of Benji and his relationship with David. “(It was) great writing. I understood this character. I got a real sense of their background. I remember feeling, ‘Oh I can picture them as kids.’ I know where they came from and how they’ve gotten this way.”

Jesse Eisenberg and Kieran Culkin hanging out at night in Poland. Photo Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures, © 2024 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.[/caption]

Adjusting to Jesse Eisenberg’s Actor-Director Dynamic

While shooting on location in Poland, the actor said he’d never been previously directed by a person he was also starring in a scene with. It took him a beat to adjust to Eisenberg’s alternating director and actor hats. “It’s a huge no-no for an actor to tell another actor how to do something. The moment he would start (doing that), my defenses went up. I had to take a moment to readjust and go, ‘Wait, this is the director talking to me now. It’s his script. Cool it, Kieran.’”

Culkin’s Process for Getting into the Character of Benji

Culkin also did not want to spend too much time rehearsing lines and planning out the blocking. According to him, Benji was already unpredictable, and too much planning could get in the way of the impulsiveness needed for the character. “You never quite know what’s gonna come out of him, so I didn’t wanna plan that ahead of time,” he said. “There was a sort of spontaneous nature to the character that lends itself to that way of working.” 

Throughout the process, Culkin praised Eisenberg not only for his writing and direction but for his collaborative approach on set. “The way he ran his set was very inclusive,” Culkin observed. “He’s curious. He wants to know what people think but he’s still at the wheel. I had a voice when it came to my character, but he also was willing to hear my opinion about other things. It felt like we were all making this film – it wasn’t just him – which was a really nice feeling on set.”

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