Kieran Culkin took home his first Oscar at the 97th Academy Awards, winning Best Supporting Actor for his role in A Real Pain, but his acceptance speech quickly turned into a playful negotiation with his wife, Jazz Charton. Culkin revealed that the couple had a long-standing deal—if he ever won an Oscar, she would agree to have a fourth child. “I held my hand out, she shook it, and I have not brought it up until just now,” he said, grinning at his wife in the audience.
This isn’t the first time Culkin has made his family part of an awards show speech. At the 2024 Emmys, he had publicly requested a third child after winning Best Lead Actor for Succession, joking that his wife had only made the promise because she didn’t think he would win. Now, with an Oscar in hand, he turned to Charton again and said, “No pressure, I love you, I’m really sorry I did this again, and let’s get cracking on those kids, what do you say?” The audience erupted in laughter, making the moment one of the most talked-about speeches of the night.
Culkin also took time to praise his A Real Pain co-star and director Jesse Eisenberg, calling him a “genius” before immediately backtracking, saying he would never say it to his face again. The film follows two mismatched cousins on a road trip in Poland, exploring their Jewish heritage, and had also been nominated for Best Original Screenplay. Despite losing that category to Anora, Culkin’s win was a major victory for the film and marked a career milestone for the actor.
With his mix of humor and heartfelt moments, Culkin’s speech became a highlight of the ceremony. His lighthearted approach stood out in an evening filled with more traditional acceptance speeches, and now, fans will be waiting to see if his wife holds up her end of the deal.
