Mandy Moore Reveals Macaulay Culkin Got the Saved! Cast Drunk as Teenagers

Mandy Moore has sent the internet into a frenzy with a hilarious and surprising Hollywood throwback story — revealing that Macaulay Culkin was responsible for introducing her and several of her underage co-stars to alcohol while filming the 2004 cult comedy Saved! in Canada.

The Story

Speaking on a recent episode of the Shut Up Evan podcast, Moore recalled shooting the satirical teen comedy in Vancouver in 2003, when she was 18 years old. Because the legal drinking age in British Columbia is 19, Moore and much of the Saved! cast were technically underage at the time of filming.

Enter Macaulay Culkin — older than many of his castmates and apparently very familiar with Vancouver's nightlife scene. According to Moore, Culkin became the group's unofficial guide to drinking and after-hours entertainment during the production, introducing the young cast to a side of Vancouver they would not have discovered on their own.

The revelation has delighted fans of both stars, who found the image of the Home Alone icon as the unofficial social director of a teen movie cast thoroughly entertaining.

Who Was in Saved!?

For those who need a refresher, Saved! was a 2004 satirical comedy set in a Christian high school. The film starred Jena Malone, Mandy Moore, Macaulay Culkin, Patrick Fugit, Eva Amurri, and Martin Donovan. It became a cult classic — particularly among fans who appreciated its sharp-edged humour about religious hypocrisy and teenage social dynamics.

Moore played Hillary Faye, the film's antagonist — a zealously religious student who weaponises her faith against those she deems unworthy. It was a notable departure from her clean-cut pop star image at the time and one of the early roles that signalled Moore's ambitions as a serious actress.

Culkin, meanwhile, played Roland — Hillary Faye's wheelchair-using brother — in one of his more memorable post-Home Alone performances. The role showcased a dry wit and sardonic sensibility that Culkin's fans had always suspected was lurking beneath the surface.

Macaulay Culkin Then and Now

The story arrives at an interesting moment for Culkin, who has quietly become one of Hollywood's most intriguing comeback stories. After stepping away from acting for much of the 2000s and 2010s, Culkin — now 45 — has rebuilt his career steadily and on his own terms.

He appeared at the 2026 Golden Globe Awards in January to present the award for best screenplay, drawing a warm roar of applause from the audience that visibly moved him. "I know it's weird seeing me outside the holiday season," he told the crowd. "But shockingly, I do exist all year round. I promise you."

He has a recurring role in the television series Fallout, and previously appeared in Zootopia 2 in 2025 — the second-highest-grossing animated film of all time. He lives in Los Angeles with his longtime partner Brenda Song and their two sons Dakota and Carson.

Mandy Moore Then and Now

Moore has of course gone on to become one of Hollywood's most beloved figures — thanks in large part to her role as Rebecca Pearson in NBC's This Is Us, which ran for six seasons and made her a household name in a way that her early pop career never quite managed.

She has spoken openly in recent years about difficult periods in her personal life, including her marriage to and divorce from musician Ryan Adams. Her candid podcast appearances have become a regular source of honest and entertaining Hollywood stories — and the Culkin revelation is the latest in a long line.

The Internet Reacts

The story immediately went viral on social media, with fans delighting in the mental image of Macaulay Culkin chaperoning a group of teenage film stars around Vancouver bars. Many pointed out that the story says as much about early-2000s Hollywood as it does about either of the individuals involved.

Key Takeaways

• Mandy Moore revealed on the Shut Up Evan podcast that Macaulay Culkin introduced her and underage Saved! co-stars to alcohol while filming in Vancouver in 2003
• Moore was 18 at the time — the legal drinking age in British Columbia is 19
• Culkin, older than many castmates, became the group's unofficial nightlife guide
• Saved! was a 2004 satirical comedy about a Christian high school — a cult classic
• Moore played antagonist Hillary Faye — Culkin played her wheelchair-using brother Roland
• Culkin, now 45, has been quietly rebuilding his career — appeared at the 2026 Golden Globes in January
• He has a recurring role in Fallout and appeared in Zootopia 2 in 2025
• Moore is best known for her role as Rebecca Pearson in NBC's This Is Us