Kieran Culkin reminds wife about bet for more kids at Oscars 2025

Kieran Culkin ended this awards season at Sunday’s Oscars the way he began it — with an outrageous speech — but this time with a hilarious callback to a bet with his wife.

Culkin, who won Best Actor in a Supporting Role for his part as the mourning Benji in A Real Pain, dropped an f-bomb almost immediately upon taking the stage, which the broadcast bleeped out for audiences at home. Then he got more reflective, telling the crowd, “I’ve been acting my whole life, it’s just been part of what I do, so I felt like this was never part of my trajectory. But, however, I got here.”

After the customary thanks, he then asked for a few more minutes of everyone’s time to tell a story about his wife, Jazz Charton. As those who watched last year’s Emmys may recall, Culkin reminded everyone that he “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.”

“She said that because you didn’t think I would win,” he joked. Culkin then recalled that he and his wife were walking to their car after the show, and his wife said, “‘Oh God, I did say that, I guess I owe you a third kid,’ and I turned to her and I said, ‘Really, I want four.’ And she turned to me, and I swear to God this happened, it was just over a year ago, and she said, ‘I will give you four when you win an Oscar.'”

Culkin said they shook on it, and he hadn’t brought it up to her — until now, on the Oscars stage. Addressing his wife in the audience, he added, “I just have this to say to you Jazz, love of my life, ye of little faith: No pressure. I love you. I’m really sorry I did this again. Let’s get cracking on those kids, what do you say?”

A Real Pain, which was written and directed by Jesse Eisenberg, follows polar opposite cousins David (Eisenberg) and Benji, who tour Poland to honor their late grandmother. As they explore their family history, old tensions and traumas resurface, making for a more complicated and, at times, exceedingly awkward but incredibly emotional trip. The film was also nominated for Best Original Screenplay at Sunday’s ceremony.

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Culkin’s win on Sunday was one of the most widely predicted heading into the ceremony, given that the Succession star had won all of the major precursors, including at the BAFTAs, Golden Globes, SAG Awards, and more.

In true Roy family tradition, Culkin beat out his onscreen Succession brother, Jeremy Strong, who was nominated for his role in The Apprentice. He shouted out Strong at the top of his speech, calling him “amazing” and “great” in the film, before getting back on track with his remarks.

Culkin was also up against Anora‘s Yura Borisov, A Complete Unknown‘s Edward Norton, and The Brutalist‘s Guy Pearce for the award.