Camilla Jessen
Home Alone star explains why he refuses to attend any of the film’s anniversary events.
As a major milestone approaches for Home Alone, one of its most memorable cast members says he won’t be joining any of the planned festivities.
His reasons have less to do with the film itself and more with the quiet life he has built far from Hollywood.
Daniel Stern, who played Marv — one half of the hapless “Wet Bandits” — says he’s grateful for the film’s legacy, even if he prefers to enjoy it from a distance.
Stepping back
In an interview with PEOPLE, Stern said he has no plans to attend the 35th-anniversary events.
The actor explained that he simply avoids leaving his farm in California.
“I don’t leave my farm. It’s no offense to the movie. I’m just … a phone call, Zoom call, I’m in. but… I’m a bit of a homebody,” he told the magazine.
Stern noted that the response from fans is heartfelt, but the attention itself can be intense.
“I love knowing that everybody loves it, but like, actual people come at me and say, ‘We love it’. It’s a little overwhelming sometimes,” he said.
A different life now
Since his film career tapered off, Stern has shifted to a quieter rural routine.
He lives with his wife on a farm where they raise cattle and look after citrus groves. Away from the spotlight, he also works as a sculptor.
His distance from Hollywood is not a rejection of the film that made him famous.
Stern said he still finds Home Alone “so funny” and “full of heart,” and he remains pleased by the joy it brings each holiday season.
Stern recalled that he sensed early on the production might become something special.
“I did know that it was a gem of a movie,” he said. “It was so funny, it was so true… I was hopeful that we were making a great movie. I had no idea obviously — no one could — of the longevity of its life.”
Sources: PEOPLE magazine reporting, Unilad
