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CNN Live At Daybreak

Sundance Film Festival: Where Are They Now?

Aired January 23, 2003 - 05:45   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: This week the Hollywood buzz is from Park City, Utah, that's where the annual Sundance Film Festival is going on.
Our Anderson Cooper is in the middle of it all. He shows us how two childhood stars are trying to forge a new identity as grownups.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): At this year's Sundance Film Festival, former child star, now a 22-year-old, Macaulay Culkin is hoping to be the comeback kid.

MACAULAY CULKIN, ACTOR: When I stopped, I figured I wasn't going to do it ever again and that was it.

COOPER: Culkin is not the only one-time child star dreaming of a second start.

TATUM O'NEAL, ACTOR: This has always been what I wanted to do, I just needed to grow up. I was 8 years old when I did "Paper Moon."

COOPER: Thirty years ago, Tatum O'Neal won an Oscar for "Paper Moon." She was only 9 years old. She went on to star in "The Bad News Bears" and a number of teen movies. For a while in the 1970s, O'Neal was Hollywood's highest paid child actor.

CULKIN: OK, come and get me.

COOPER: Macaulay Culkin became an overnight success at the age of 10 when he starred in "Home Alone." By 14, he was reported to have earned nearly $30 million.

CULKIN: It just became so big, I didn't even really realize it, well, even while it was happening. I mean I was aware that you know there were photographers, you know, and people sitting outside my apartment and stuff like that, but I really never really clicked exactly. You know I almost -- I almost thought everyone was like this.

COOPER: Success didn't last. Culkin's parents split up. Upset with his father's handling of his career, he turned his back on Hollywood, abandoning acting.

CULKIN: It was something that just became out of my control and something that wasn't fun anymore and so I had to take a step back from it for a while. COOPER: Culkin got married at 17, separated by 19. He's recently appeared in two stage productions, but Sundance is his return to the screen. The film is called "Party Monster," a true story about a New York club kid who commits a brutal murder. It is an adult role that requires adult acting.

CULKIN: It's different. I think when you're a child they have to kind of coax you into doing something. They won't you know -- when you're an adult, they understand. I think they just let you just run out there.

COOPER: Tatum O'Neal says she stopped acting to marry tennis star John McEnroe with whom she had three kids. Now, nearly 40, she's gone through a bitter divorce and a very public battle with drugs. Her film, "The Technical Writer," marks a comeback she hopes will last.

O'NEAL: I think that everyone has a -- has a journey, and I think that mine just unfortunately played out on a public stage.

COOPER: Both stars seem pleased to have their childhoods behind them, eager to see what will come next.

O'NEAL: I'm from an acting family and they say I'm good at it so I should just keep doing it. I'm really good. I like it.

CULKIN: When you're trying to figure out what you want to do with the rest of your life and then just determine that this is something I really -- I really love doing.

COOPER: Anderson Cooper, CNN, Park City, Utah.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: And stay with CNN for more of great interviews with the stars. Today at 10:45 a.m. Eastern Time, 7:45 a.m. Pacific Time, actor David Arquette will talk about his new movie. Won't want to miss that.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com







Aired January 23, 2003 - 05:45   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: This week the Hollywood buzz is from Park City, Utah, that's where the annual Sundance Film Festival is going on.
Our Anderson Cooper is in the middle of it all. He shows us how two childhood stars are trying to forge a new identity as grownups.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): At this year's Sundance Film Festival, former child star, now a 22-year-old, Macaulay Culkin is hoping to be the comeback kid.

MACAULAY CULKIN, ACTOR: When I stopped, I figured I wasn't going to do it ever again and that was it.

COOPER: Culkin is not the only one-time child star dreaming of a second start.

TATUM O'NEAL, ACTOR: This has always been what I wanted to do, I just needed to grow up. I was 8 years old when I did "Paper Moon."

COOPER: Thirty years ago, Tatum O'Neal won an Oscar for "Paper Moon." She was only 9 years old. She went on to star in "The Bad News Bears" and a number of teen movies. For a while in the 1970s, O'Neal was Hollywood's highest paid child actor.

CULKIN: OK, come and get me.

COOPER: Macaulay Culkin became an overnight success at the age of 10 when he starred in "Home Alone." By 14, he was reported to have earned nearly $30 million.

CULKIN: It just became so big, I didn't even really realize it, well, even while it was happening. I mean I was aware that you know there were photographers, you know, and people sitting outside my apartment and stuff like that, but I really never really clicked exactly. You know I almost -- I almost thought everyone was like this.

COOPER: Success didn't last. Culkin's parents split up. Upset with his father's handling of his career, he turned his back on Hollywood, abandoning acting.

CULKIN: It was something that just became out of my control and something that wasn't fun anymore and so I had to take a step back from it for a while. COOPER: Culkin got married at 17, separated by 19. He's recently appeared in two stage productions, but Sundance is his return to the screen. The film is called "Party Monster," a true story about a New York club kid who commits a brutal murder. It is an adult role that requires adult acting.

CULKIN: It's different. I think when you're a child they have to kind of coax you into doing something. They won't you know -- when you're an adult, they understand. I think they just let you just run out there.

COOPER: Tatum O'Neal says she stopped acting to marry tennis star John McEnroe with whom she had three kids. Now, nearly 40, she's gone through a bitter divorce and a very public battle with drugs. Her film, "The Technical Writer," marks a comeback she hopes will last.

O'NEAL: I think that everyone has a -- has a journey, and I think that mine just unfortunately played out on a public stage.

COOPER: Both stars seem pleased to have their childhoods behind them, eager to see what will come next.

O'NEAL: I'm from an acting family and they say I'm good at it so I should just keep doing it. I'm really good. I like it.

CULKIN: When you're trying to figure out what you want to do with the rest of your life and then just determine that this is something I really -- I really love doing.

COOPER: Anderson Cooper, CNN, Park City, Utah.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: And stay with CNN for more of great interviews with the stars. Today at 10:45 a.m. Eastern Time, 7:45 a.m. Pacific Time, actor David Arquette will talk about his new movie. Won't want to miss that.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com