Remember Marv From Home Alone? Here’s What the Actor Daniel Stern Is Doing Today

When it comes to Christmas movies, Home Alone reigns supreme. Though Kevin McCallister reigned the movie, let’s talk about the real MVP of slapstick disasters, Marv, played by Daniel Stern. Well, we all know, this guy wasn’t just a burglar, he was a walking, talking calamity with zero self-preservation skills. Paired with the classic Pesci’s short-fused Harry, Marv is the tall, clueless half of the “Wet Bandits,” who thinks leaving flooded houses is a genius criminal signature. Turns out, it’s not.

Macaulay Culkin and Daniel Stern in Home Alone (Credits- 20th Century)

Besides his role in Home Alone, Stern has always been a comedy gold, whether he’s screeching like a horror movie victim when a tarantula strolls across his face or walking straight into Kevin’s brilliantly chaotic booby traps. From stepping on glass ornaments barefoot to taking a brick to the head like it’s just another Tuesday, Marv’s misfortune is our holiday entertainment.

While Stern’s unforgettable performance as one-half of the Wet Bandits cemented him as a comedy icon, he didn’t stop there. Today, Stern has kept busy with a mix of acting, directing, and even sculpting, yes, sculpting. Turns out, the man who gave us Marv’s high-pitched tarantula scream has a serious creative streak. Whether he’s appearing in TV shows, lending his voice to animated series, or working on his art, Stern continues to prove there’s way more to him than Marv’s misadventures.

What is Daniel Stern doing today after the Home Alone Marv role?

Daniel Stern (Credits- @realdanielstern/Instagram)

Daniel Stern’s Marv might have not succeeded in his plot to steal McCallister in Home Alone, but when it comes to the actor, he’s a total legend. While Marv was busy bungling burglaries and screaming over tarantulas, Stern was carving out a Hollywood career that’s still going strong decades later. After giving us the most hilariously chaotic criminal ever, (and reprising the role in Home Alone 2), Stern stuck around as the voice of our collective nostalgic feels in The Wonder Years.

Since then, he’s popped up everywhere. Yes, everywhere. From Hulu’s Shrill to the indie gem James vs. His Future Self, and then in 2023, he landed a stellar gig in Apple TV+’s sci-fi hit For All Mankind, playing Eli Hobson. And oh, when he’s not acting, he’s sculpting. Of course, he’s multi-talented. Since 1980, Stern has been married to Laure Mattos and the couple have three kids, (oh, one’s a senator).

Daniel Stern almost lost Home Alone Marv’s role

Daniel Stern as Marv in Home Alone (Credits- 20th Century)

Can you imagine Home Alone without Daniel Stern as Marv? It’s hard, right? Well, you know what, it almost happened. The master of bumbling burglar brilliance initially walked away from the role over a pay dispute. Though the shoot schedule was extended from six weeks to two months, the paycheck? Unchanged.

Of course, Stern felt short-changed, he “made one of the stupidest decisions in my showbusiness life”, and backed out as he shared in his memoir, Home and Alone. Though another actor stepped in, after a few days of rehearsal, producers realized what we all know now, there’s only one Marv. And yes, Stern came back, the contract intact, and cinematic history was saved.

But this wasn’t the only time Stern almost fumbled his way out of a gig. He replaced Rick Moranis in City Slickers after some back-and-forth, and he even lost the Wonder Years narration job before producers came crawling back. Turns out, being almost too good for the role is kind of Stern’s thing.

Daniel Stern left Hollywood to work on a farm

Daniel Stern with his family (Credits- @realdanielstern/Instagram)

Well, Daniel Stern isn’t bumbling around Hollywood anymore, because now he’s traded the glitz and glam for cows and tangerines. Yep, the man who once screamed his way through booby-trapped basements now spends his days on a peaceful farm in Ventura, California. He’s busy raising cattle, juicing tangerines, and sculpting intricate works of art. Well, his post-Hollywood life is basically the ultimate plot twist.

In a recent TikTok video that feels straight out of a Hallmark movie, Stern cheerfully shows off his juicing station, casually announcing,

Marv, juicing fruit? Never saw that one coming, right? And because he’s Daniel Stern, his artistic streak is thriving too. He recently showcased a beautifully detailed sculpture of a woman lounging on a chair, proving his artistic chops extend far beyond physical comedy.

This idyllic farm life comes after a Hollywood career filled with hits like Home Alone, City Slickers, and The Wonder Years. While Stern almost missed out on playing Marv due to contract disputes, his eventual casting cemented his place in cinematic history. Now, he’s thriving on his farm, far from the booby traps but still stealing hearts.