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Eric André has revealed his regrets over turning down Kieran Culkin’s role in A Real Pain during an April 7 appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!
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The actor and comedian joked that he only read the first 10 pages of the script before deciding that it was “depressing” and not on-brand
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Culkin won Best Supporting Actor at the 2025 Oscars for his performance
Eric André is opening up about one of his biggest professional regrets.
During an April 7 appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, André, 42, revealed that he turned down Kieran Culkin‘s Oscar-winning role in A Real Pain. André shared that he had been sent the movie’s script and read a few pages before deciding he wasn’t interested in pursuing the role.
“I was working on something else when I read the script. I read the script. It was like 120 pages about two Jews babbling about the Holocaust, and that seemed a bit depressing to me upon first read. And I was like, ‘You know what? I’m a comedian; I want to stay in my lane as a comedian,’ ” he explained
André felt unsure if it the movie was right for “my brand.” Looking back, he told host Jimmy Kimmel it was “the biggest mistake of my entire career.”
VALERIE MACON/AFP via Getty
Eric André in November 2023
A Real Pain was directed by Jesse Eisenberg, who also appeared alongside Culkin, 42, in the film. André praised them both, saying that they are “incredibly talented.” Culkin won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor at the 2025 Academy Awards on March 3.
Kimmel, 57, went on to ask the comedian if he “really read” the script before turning down the offer.
“I read like the first 10 pages,” André candidly replied. “Who reads a script? You know how boring it is reading a script? It’s excruciating. Feels like school in summertime. All the Adderall in the world couldn’t get me to read a single script.”
He continued, joking, “I agree to movies, and I don’t even know what happens after the second act.”
Photo Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures
Kieran Culkin and Jesse Eisenberg in ‘A Real Pain’
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Culkin secured his first Oscar nomination and his first win for his role in A Real Pain. He beat out fellow nominees Yua Borisov, Edward Norton, Guy Pearce and Jeremy Strong to take home the prestigious award.
In February, Pearce, 57, predicted that Culkin would win in the category. “I’ve been nominated for a few of these awards, and I haven’t won any!” he told The Guardian “I’m not gonna win! Kieran will win, again.”
The Succession actor took home similar wins at other awards shows, including the BAFTAs and the Golden Globes.
During his acceptance speech at the Oscars, Culkin revealed that his wife Jazz Charton had promised that they could try to expand their family if he won the award.
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Kieran Culkin accepts Best Supporting Actor at the 2025 Oscars
“Please don’t play the music because I want to tell a really quick story about Jazz. About a year ago, I was on a stage like this, and I very stupidly publicly said that I want a third kid from her, because she said if I won the award, she would give me the kid,” he said, referencing his acceptance speech from the 2023 Emmy Awards.
He continued, joking, “It turns out she said that because she didn’t think I was gonna win.”
Culkin said that he referenced her promise after the Emmys and decided to up the stakes by asking for a third and a fourth baby.
“And she turned to me, I swear to God, this happened. It was just over a year ago. She said, ‘I will give you four when you win an Oscar,’ ” he said. “I held my hand out. She took it, and I have not brought it up once, until just now.”
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