Everyone remembers the moment. The McCallister kitchen is a chaotic swarm of pizza boxes, frantic parents, and a dozen kids who probably haven't brushed their teeth in forty-eight hours. Then, there’s Fuller on Home Alone. He’s sitting there with those oversized glasses, a mischievous grin that says "I know exactly what I'm doing," and a glass of Pepsi. He tips it toward Kevin, a silent challenge that effectively sets the entire plot of the 1990 classic into motion.
Fuller is more than just a gag about bed-wetting. He’s the catalyst.
If Fuller doesn't drink that soda, Kevin doesn't complain. If Kevin doesn't complain, he doesn't get into a fight with Buzz. Without the fight, there’s no spilled milk on the passports, no banishment to the third floor, and no "I wish my family would disappear." Fuller is the tiny, carbonated domino that knocks over the entire holiday.
Honestly, he’s kind of a legend.
The Kieran Culkin Connection
It’s easy to forget now that Kieran Culkin is a massive star—thanks to a certain show about a dysfunctional media dynasty—but his debut as Fuller on Home Alone was a family affair. At just seven years old, Kieran was literally playing the cousin of his real-life brother, Macaulay.
Director Chris Columbus and writer John Hughes were known for capturing the visceral, often annoying reality of large families. Fuller wasn't meant to be some polished child actor; he was meant to be that one relative you’re terrified to share a mattress with. It worked because the chemistry was genuine.
The glasses Kieran wore weren't just a costume choice, either. They were thick, slightly crooked, and perfectly framed the "evil genius" energy he brought to the dinner table. While Macaulay was the "Golden Boy" of Hollywood at the time, Kieran was already showing the sharp, comedic timing that would later define his career. He didn't need lines to be memorable. He just needed a can of Pepsi and a look.
Why the Pepsi mattered
In the world of Home Alone, soda is more than a beverage. It’s a biological weapon.
🔗 Read more: The Name of This Band Is Talking Heads: Why This Live Album Still Beats the Studio Records
The movie establishes the stakes early: "Fuller, go easy on the Pepsi!" It’s a line that every kid from a big family understands. There is always that one cousin who has zero bladder control but a 100% commitment to caffeine. By the time Fuller gives Kevin that infamous "wink" over his glass, the audience knows Kevin is doomed. It’s a masterclass in low-stakes foreshadowing that leads to high-stakes consequences.
The Real-World Impact of Fuller on Home Alone
Think about the psychology of the McCallister household. It is a place of frantic, upper-middle-class panic.
Fuller represents the lack of control Kevin feels. Kevin is the protagonist, sure, but he’s at the bottom of the food chain. He’s the one who gets the "boring" cheese pizza. He’s the one who gets bullied by Buzz. And he’s the one who has to sleep with the bed-wetter.
When you search for Fuller on Home Alone, you aren't just looking for a cast list. You’re looking for a shared childhood trauma. We’ve all been Kevin in that moment. We’ve all had to share a pull-out couch with a kid who drinks too much juice before bed.
Fuller is a relatable antagonist. He’s not a burglar like Harry or Marv. He’s not a jerk like Uncle Frank—who, let’s be real, is the actual villain for calling a child a "little jerk" in front of the whole family. Fuller is just a kid being a kid, which is somehow more frustrating because you can't even stay mad at him for long.
The "Wink" heard 'round the world
That wink. It’s perhaps the most debated five-second clip in 90s cinema. Was it a script choice? A Kieran ad-lib?
While the production notes from the 25th-anniversary releases don't give a definitive answer on the improvisation, the impact is undeniable. It transformed Fuller from a background character into a conspirator. He knew Kevin was annoyed. He knew the bed-wetting was a threat. He chose the Pepsi anyway. It’s a level of petty that most adults can’t even achieve.
💡 You might also like: Wrong Address: Why This Nigerian Drama Is Still Sparking Conversations
Beyond the First Movie
When the sequel, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, rolled around in 1992, the filmmakers knew they couldn't leave Fuller behind.
He’s back, he’s still drinking soda, and he’s still the bane of Kevin’s existence. This time, he’s trapped in a hotel room with the rest of the clan. The gag evolved. By the second film, Fuller isn't just a plot device; he’s a staple of the franchise's DNA. He represents the "McCallister Chaos."
Interestingly, Kieran Culkin's career took a very different path than Macaulay's. While Macaulay eventually stepped back from the blinding spotlight of child stardom, Kieran stayed in the trenches, working in indie films like Igby Goes Down before hitting it huge as Roman Roy in Succession.
Seeing the adult Kieran Culkin now makes rewatching Fuller on Home Alone a surreal experience. You can see the seeds of his future performances—the smirk, the side-eye, the ability to say everything without saying a word.
The Legacy of the Bed-Wetter
Why do we still care about a kid who pees the bed in a 35-year-old movie?
Because Home Alone is the ultimate "kid-power" fantasy, but that fantasy requires a catalyst of pure annoyance. Without Fuller, Kevin doesn't get the solitude he thinks he wants. Fuller provides the friction.
It’s also a testament to the casting. Imagine any other kid in those glasses. It wouldn't work. Kieran had a specific brand of "annoying younger cousin" energy that felt authentic because he was a younger brother in a massive acting family.
📖 Related: Who was the voice of Yoda? The real story behind the Jedi Master
What the fans get wrong
There’s a common misconception that Fuller was "mean."
If you watch the scenes closely, Fuller isn't actually mean to Kevin. He doesn't insult him. He doesn't steal his stuff. He just... exists loudly. He drinks his soda and enjoys his life. The tension comes entirely from Kevin's reaction to him. In a way, Fuller is the most well-adjusted person in that house. He’s unbothered. He’s hydrated. He’s living his best life.
How to Handle Your Own "Fuller" This Holiday Season
If you find yourself hosting a family gathering and you’re worried about a real-life version of Fuller on Home Alone ruining your guest linens, take a page from the McCallister playbook—but do it better.
- Hydration Management: If you have a Fuller, the soda goes away at 7:00 PM. No exceptions.
- The Pizza Rule: Order enough cheese pizzas. The entire conflict started because Kevin’s cheese pizza was eaten. It’s a $15 fix for a $500 problem.
- The Third Floor is a Privilege: Don't use the attic as a punishment. If you have kids who don't get along, separate them before the explosion happens.
Fuller is a reminder that families are messy. They are loud, they are intrusive, and they occasionally wet the bed. But as Kevin eventually realizes, being "home alone" isn't all it’s cracked up to be. Even a cousin who drinks too much Pepsi is better than a house full of silence and burglars.
Next time you sit down for your annual rewatch, give Fuller a little credit. He didn't just drink the Pepsi; he started the legend.
Next Steps for the Ultimate Fan: To truly appreciate the performance, watch Home Alone and Home Alone 2 back-to-back, specifically focusing on Kieran’s background reactions. Then, jump straight to an episode of Succession. The evolution of that specific brand of "Culkin Charisma" is one of the most fascinating trajectories in Hollywood history. If you're hosting a movie night, make sure you serve Pepsi in glass bottles—it's the only way to honor the icon.