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Home Alone 2 director wishes he could cut out Donald Trump cameo

"It's become this curse. It's become this thing that I wish it was not there," said Chris Columbus.
Alex Hopley Editor UK 16 April 2025

Chris Columbus (no, not the one who "discovered" America, the one who directed Home Alone 2: Lost in New York) has said that he wishes he could cut the Donald Trump cameo from the film. If you're not aware, Trump appears for a brief moment in the Christmas movie, guiding lead Kevin McAllister to the front desk of his hotel.

Considering how divisive a figure Trump is nowadays, some aren't happy to see his face appear in the film. Talking to the San Francisco Chronicle, Columbus called the cameo a "curse," despite it still being popular in some crowds.

"Years later, it's become this curse. It's become this thing that I wish it was not there," he said. "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."

Still, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York remains a Christmas hit, and even if the Trump cameo may now leave a sour taste in some viewers' mouths, it's not going to completely ruin the shine of Columbus' wholesome classic.

Editor UK Alex Hopley covered the video game industry for Gamereactor, from new announcements and launches to the business behind them. He also wrote on tech, film and entertainment, and his coverage wasn't tied to any one region.
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