Dive deep into the fascinating behind-the-scenes stories of Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, where legendary actor Tim Curry reveals his amusing lie to Ivana Trump about her hotel room, and director Chris Columbus candidly discusses the lasting ‘curse’ of Donald Trump’s infamous cameo, offering fans unparalleled insight into this holiday classic.
Home Alone 2: Lost in New York stands as a cherished holiday classic, a festive caper that continues to captivate audiences with Kevin McCallister’s misadventures in the Big Apple. More than three decades after its release, the film still generates buzz, particularly concerning the candid recollections of its stars and creators about the production. Recent revelations from actor Tim Curry and director Chris Columbus have shed new light on unexpected encounters and enduring controversies surrounding the movie’s filming at the iconic Plaza Hotel, then owned by Donald Trump.
Tim Curry’s Plaza Predicament: Lying to Ivana Trump
Tim Curry, who delivered an unforgettable performance as the meticulously vexed concierge, Mr. Hector, found himself in a peculiar situation during his stay at the Plaza Hotel. In a recent career retrospective interview with The Guardian, Curry recounted an amusing interaction with Ivana Trump, who served as the hotel’s president at the time.
“She knocked on my door and said, ‘Are you happy in your room? Do you like the way it looks?’ And I loathed it actually,” Curry confessed, recalling the moment he had to offer a polite but untrue affirmation. This anecdote highlights the unique atmosphere of filming in a location owned and run by such prominent figures, adding a layer of comedic irony to Curry’s role as the hotel’s meticulous but ultimately outsmarted concierge.
Curry also remembered Donald Trump’s keen interest in introducing his then-girlfriend, Marla Maples, to director Chris Columbus. Trump reportedly expressed, “I’ve got to get Marla to meet Chris Columbus because she’s a brilliant actress,” a remark Curry inwardly dismissed, thinking, “Yeah, I’m sure.”
The Enduring “Curse” of Donald Trump’s Cameo
While Curry’s interaction with Ivana was a lighthearted moment, Donald Trump’s brief cameo in the film has become a point of contention for director Chris Columbus. Trump, then a flamboyant real estate tycoon, owned the Plaza Hotel and famously stipulated his appearance in the movie as a condition for filming there.
“We paid the fee, but he also said, ‘The only way you can use the Plaza is if I’m in the movie.’ So we agreed to put him in the movie,” Columbus revealed in a 2020 interview with Business Insider. Initially, the cameo was met with an unexpected reaction.
“When we screened it for the first time, the oddest thing happened. People cheered when Trump showed up on-screen. So I said to my editor, ‘Leave him in the movie. It’s a moment for the audience.’” However, Columbus now views the decision differently.
Over 30 years later, Columbus describes the cameo as “an albatross for me” and “a curse,” expressing a desire for it to be removed. In an interview with the San Francisco Chronicle, he even jokingly alluded to fears of deportation if he were to cut the scene, referencing Trump’s past policies.
Trump, for his part, has countered this narrative. In 2023, he posted on Truth Social, claiming that Columbus and others “begged” him to appear in the film, and that his cameo was instrumental to its success. Columbus vehemently denies this, stating, “there’s no world I would ever beg a non-actor to be in a movie. But we were desperate to get the Plaza Hotel.”
A Legacy Entangled: Fan Reactions and Controversies
The debate surrounding Trump’s cameo highlights how deeply external events can intertwine with cinematic legacies. For fans of Home Alone 2, the cameo has become a curious footnote, often discussed with mixed feelings depending on individual perspectives. In 2019, a controversy erupted when CBC, Canada’s national broadcaster, cut Trump’s cameo along with other minutes from the film’s broadcast, sparking a reaction from the then-President himself, who joked that “the movie will never be the same!”
Ultimately, Tim Curry’s iconic performance as Mr. Hector remains a fan favorite, a testament to his comedic timing and theatrical prowess. The behind-the-scenes stories, from Curry’s polite fib to Columbus’s complicated feelings about a political figure’s mandatory appearance, add rich layers to the film’s enduring appeal. These tales ensure that Home Alone 2: Lost in New York continues to be a topic of discussion, moving beyond simple nostalgia to a deeper appreciation of the cinematic and cultural threads that make up its storied history.
