Kieran Culkin Recalls Childhood Debut on 'SNL' with Brother Macaulay in Opening Monologue

The Succession star hosted Saturday Night Live for the first time with musical guest Ed Sheeran

Kieran Culkin is back on Saturday Night Live!

Nearly 30 years after his SNL debut, the Succession star, 39, returned to Studio 8H for his second appearance on the show alongside musical guest Ed Sheeran.

In his opening monologue, Kieran recalled his childhood experience when his older brother Macauley Culkin hosted the show in 1991 after starring in Home Alone.

"I have been on this very stage," the actor said. "I was on an episode of SNL back when my brother Mac hosted 30 years ago. I was 9 years old, I got to be in three sketches — two of which are non-problematic."

"And at the end of the show, I got to be on the stage for the good nights," he added as a flashback clip came on the screen. "So, there's my brother and the cast is lifting him up on their shoulders. ... My brother's up there, he's got his arm up all victorious and I'm down there on the ground like, 'Me, I want uppies!'"

"So, check out what I do next. I asked Kevin Nealon to pick me up! He goes, 'Yeah, okay, sure.'"

"Anyway I wanted to show that clip for two reasons," Kieran continued. "One, in the hopes that someone from the cast will pick me up again at the end of the show. And two, because I have waited 30 years to be back on this stage and say, 'We've got a great show for you tonight, so stick around, we'll be right back!'"

On Friday's episode of The Tonight Show, Kieran told host Jimmy Fallon that he still remembers "little snippets" of his first appearance, including when his mom embarrassed him in front of Nealon, 67.

"I remember, during rehearsal day, being on the stage, and I was with my mom. Kevin Nealon walks by and she grabs him and she goes, 'Oh, hey, you're great. By the way, you're my son's favorite!' "

A young Kieran told his mother, "I told you, he's my second favorite. Dana Carvey is my favorite."

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Earlier in the interview, Kieran said hosting SNL has been a "dream" of his. "It's just surreal," he told Fallon, 47, a former cast member on the sketch comedy show.

"Everyone says, 'Just try to capture moments of something because it just moves so fast.' And I can't really do that because there's just so much work to be done!" the actor added.

Kieran's series Succession was renewed for a fourth season last month.