Kieran Culkin's acceptance speech was memorable© Getty

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Why Kieran Culkin was censored during his Oscars speech

You can get away with a lot at the Academy Awards but you can't cuss on live tv


Senior Writer
MARCH 3, 2025 8:01 PM EST

Kieran Culkin is one of the actors who took home a statuette last night at the Academy Awards. The 42-year-old won Best Supporting Actor for his role in A Real Pain. It was the end of an incredible awards season, with Kieran winning at the SAG Awards, BAFTA, Golden Globes, and Critics Choice. While he had plenty of practice winning and receiving awards this year, the hilarious actor still broke a rule while on stage. 

Kieran put his wife on the spot sharing a hilarious story© Getty
Kieran put his wife on the spot sharing a hilarious story

The Oscars are broadcast live, and one of the big no-nos for TV is not to cuss. Overcome with excitement, the Succession star triggered the censors, and there was a couple of seconds of silence as he dropped an F-bomb. 

Kieran was up against Yura Borisov (Anora), Edward Norton (A Complete Unknown), Guy Pearce (The Brutalist), and Jeremy Strong (The Apprentice). Kieran and Strong were costars on Succession, and he took a moment to shout out Strong, but it was censored. 

Deadline got their hands on the video, showing what he was trying to get across. Oscar winner Robert Downey Jr. handed out the award, giving each of the nominees their flowers. "He's right, by the way. Jeremy, you're amazing in The Apprentice," said Kieran, agreeing with the Iron Man star. 

"I love your work. It's f---ing great," Culkin said before covering his mouth after realizing what he did. He laughed off the censored moment saying, "I'm not supposed to single anyone out. It's favoritism. Anyway, but you were great."

© Getty
Kieran Culkin's acceptance speech was memorable

He went on to make one of the funniest speeches of the night, telling a story about how his wife, Jazz Charton, said she would give him a fourth kid if he won an Oscar one day. “It turns out she said that because she didn't think I was gonna win,” he quipped. 

The actor talked to his wife from the stage, who couldn't stop smiling and laughing. “You remember that honey, you do? Okay, then I just have this to say to you, Jazz, the love of my life… No pressure. I love you. I'm really sorry I did this again, and let's get cracking on those kids. What do you say?” Kieran continued. 

© David Jon
Jazz Charton and Kieran Culkin

A Real Pain was up for Best Supporting Actor and Best Original Screenplay, which went to Anora

© Getty
Kieran Culkin poses with his statuette

After the Academy Awards, Kieran celebrated at the Searchlight Pictures Post Oscars Celebration at Cipriani Beverly Hills. He was spotted posing with his A Real Pain costar and director, Jesse Eisenberg, and producer Emma Stone.

© Getty
Emma Stone and Kieran Culkin attend the Searchlight Pictures Post Oscars Celebration at Cipriani Beverly Hills

If it wasn't for Stone, the movie may have never been finished because Kieran was trying to drop out of the movie two weeks before they started shooting. 

Eisenberg said in a Q&A at the Palm Springs Film Festival, “Like all the money had been spent, and he was trying to drop out in New York. So one of our producers, Emma Stone, essentially like blackmailed him to come back to the movie behind my back, and literally took him off the plane with his kids and flew to Poland with him," he said. “I have a video of her holding his kid’s hands going through customs like a proof of life video that he made it," the filmmaker continued. 

© Getty
Kieran Culkin and Jesse Eisenberg

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