But who would help Kevin McCallister find the lobby?
President Donald Trump has one of the most famous cameos in history these days, one that gets talked about every Christmas when families gather around to watch Home Alone 2: Lost In New York.
It’s just a brief appearance, but the scene was filmed at the Plaza Hotel – which was owned at the time by Donald Trump. There’s been some dispute about how the cameo came to be, with director Chris Columbus claiming that Trump would only allow production to use the hotel if he were put into a scene. But Trump disputed that back in 2023, claiming that Columbus “begged” him to be in the movie:
“30 years ago (how time flies!), Director Chris Columbus, and others, were begging me to make a cameo appearance in Home Alone 2. They rented the Plaza Hotel in New York, which I owned at the time. I was very busy, and didn’t want to do it.
They were very nice, but above all, persistent. I agreed, and the rest is history! That little cameo took off like a rocket, and the movie was a big success, and still is, especially around Christmas time. People call me whenever it is aired.
Now, however, 30 years later, Columbus (what was his real name?) put out a statement that I bullied myself into the movie. Nothing could be further from the truth. That cameo helped make the movie a success, but if they felt bullied, or didn’t want me, why did they put me in, and keep me there, for over 30 years? Because I was, and still am, great for the movie, that’s why!
Just another Hollywood guy from the past looking for a quick fix of Trump publicity for himself!”
And now Columbus is expressing his regret for putting the future president in the movie, claiming that he wishes he could remove it from the holiday classic entirely.
During an interview with the San Francisco Chronicle, Columbus called the scene an “albatross” that he can’t get rid of:
“Years later, it’s become this curse. It’s become this thing that I wish it was not there. What’s going through this guy’s mind? He said I was lying. I’m not lying. He said I begged him to be in the movie, but 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.
But it’s there. It’s become an albatross for me. I just wish it was gone.”
The director admits, though, that when screening the film, crowds loved the scene featuring Trump – and that he was surprised by the reaction:
“We screened the film in Chicago, and when that moment came onscreen the audience went crazy. They cheered and they cheered and they thought it was hilarious. I think I know a lot about comedy, but I don’t, obviously, because I never thought that was going to be considered hilarious.”
Like it or not, that scene has now become iconic after Trump went on to be elected twice as President of the United States. Deleting it now isn’t really going to change that…
