Kieran Culkin and Emma Stone: Why Their Friendship Is Actually Rare in Hollywood

Hollywood breakups usually end in one of two ways. You either get the "conscious uncoupling" that feels a bit too corporate to be real, or a scorched-earth disaster where publicists have to coordinate arrival times so nobody runs into each other at the Vanity Fair party. Then there is Kieran Culkin and Emma Stone.

They didn't just date; they survived the transition from "young actors on the rise" to "industry titans" while keeping a friendship so solid it actually makes people a little confused.

Honestly, it's kinda refreshing. You’ve seen them hugging backstage at the 2024 Critics Choice Awards and shouting each other out at the 2025 Golden Globes. They aren't just polite exes. They are genuine collaborators and friends who have navigated fifteen years of fame without making it weird.

The Paper Man Days: Where It All Started

Before the Roman Roy sarcasm and the Poor Things Oscar wins, there was a weird little indie movie called Paper Man (2009). If you haven't seen it, don't feel bad. It wasn't a massive hit. But it was the set where Emma Stone and Kieran Culkin first met.

Back then, Emma was just starting her climb. She was the "girl from Superbad" who was about to blow up. Kieran was already a veteran of the industry but was still years away from the Succession mania that would define his 40s. They dated from roughly 2009 to 2011.

It was a quiet relationship. No major scandals. No tabloid wars. Just two young people in New York trying to figure out the business.

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Kieran once told Rolling Stone that it’s almost funny to even use the word "ex" for her. To him, she’s just a person who’s been in his life forever. He remembers being there when she got the call to host Saturday Night Live for the first time at age 21. She was screaming and crying on the phone, and he thought someone had died. Instead, she had just reached her life goal. He was the one rubbing her back and giving her a hug. That’s the kind of history you don't just throw away because you stopped being "together."

Working Together as Adults

Most people can't imagine working with their ex-boyfriend or girlfriend a decade later. Kieran and Emma? They seem to prefer it.

Take the 2024 film A Real Pain. It’s a brilliant, sharp movie directed by Jesse Eisenberg. Kieran stars in it, delivering what many call the performance of his career. But look at the producer credits. You’ll see Emma Stone and her husband, Dave McCary, right there under their production banner, Fruit Tree.

Basically, Emma was Kieran’s boss.

During the 2025 awards circuit, Kieran was very vocal about the fact that Emma and Dave were the ones who basically dragged him into the project. He almost didn't do it. He has this "mania," as his wife Jazz Charton calls it, where he gets anxious about roles. Emma was the one who convinced him he was the only person for the part.

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The Award Season Hugs Everyone Saw

The 2024 and 2025 awards seasons were basically a Kieran and Emma victory lap.

At the 2024 Critics Choice Awards, they both won. She won Best Actress for Poor Things, and he won Best Actor in a Drama Series for Succession. Backstage, the cameras caught them in a massive, genuine hug. It wasn't the "we're being watched" Hollywood hug. It was the "I'm so proud of you" kind.

Here’s the thing about their current lives:

• Kieran has been married to Jazz Charton since 2013. They have two kids, Kinsey and Wilder.
• Emma married Dave McCary in 2020. They have a daughter, Louise.

The four of them actually hang out. It’s not a PR stunt. Jazz is often seen laughing with Emma at events. When Kieran won his Golden Globe in 2025 for A Real Pain, he thanked his wife for putting up with him, but he also made sure to point at Emma and Dave in the crowd.

Why This Matters for Fans

We're so used to seeing celebrity relationships as disposable. We expect the drama. When someone like Taylor Swift releases a song like "When Emma Falls In Love" (which fans widely believe is about Emma and Kieran), we go looking for the heartbreak.

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But the real story here is the longevity.

Emma and Kieran have proved that the "industry" doesn't have to ruin people. They saw each other through the awkward years, the "will I ever work again?" years, and finally, the "I'm the biggest star in the world" years.

How to Build a "Culkin-Stone" Level Friendship

If you're looking to keep an ex in your life—or just maintain a friendship through massive life changes—take a page out of their book:

1. Keep it private. They never used their relationship for clout when they were dating.
2. Support the wins. Kieran was Emma’s biggest cheerleader when she was 21; she’s his producer now that he’s 43.
3. Respect the new partners. The reason this works is that Jazz and Dave are clearly part of the circle. No one is being excluded.
4. Work on yourself. Kieran has joked about being in therapy to handle his "mania." Healthy people make for healthy friendships.

If you want to see their chemistry in action (even if it's strictly professional now), go watch A Real Pain. It’s a masterclass in acting, and knowing that Emma was behind the scenes pushing Kieran to do it makes the whole thing even better.

Next time you see a messy celebrity breakup on your feed, just remember these two. It's possible to move on without moving away.