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Macaulay Culkin explains his retirement status

Macaulay Culkin explains his retirement status
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Macaulay Culkin has explained the logistics of his retirement status.

The former child star revealed he had "technically" filmed his last acting project, in a wide-ranging interview with the SmartLess podcast.

"Technically, I'm retired right now," Macaulay, 45, told hosts Will Arnett, Jason Bateman, and Sean Hayes.

However, he explained he frequently found work he was interested in that led him to undo his retired status.

"I retire and then, if I find something I like, I unretire, do that, and I immediately retire afterwards," the Home Alone actor said. "Every gig is my last."

Previously, Macaulay took an extended hiatus when he was 14, after the completion of 1994's Richie Rich - a break that gave him the opportunity to lead a relatively ordinary life compared to his child-actor peers.

"I quit for nearly a decade," he continued. "Just went to high school, fell in love, got drunk for the first time, things like that."

Having received the "lion's share" of his acting salary, Macaulay explained, he had had the freedom to choose what he wanted to spend his time on.

"I was in a position where I could just put my thumb up my butt and play video games all day long," he admitted. "I could do anything I wanted, really."

Disillusioned after feeling exploited by the entertainment industry, Macaulay said he had been convinced he would never take on a new acting role.

"I was doneskies. I was like, 'I hope you all made your money because there's no more coming from me,'" he said, adding he now acted for the love of it.

"I made my name. I made my mark. I made my fortune. The only reason why I even do it now is because I like to do it. Pay, pleasure, prestige - that's the only reason to do a gig."

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