Brenda Song On Family And Macaulay Culkin: "I've Always Said To Be The Best Parent"

You know Brenda Song for her role as London Tipton on The Suite Life of Zack & Cody. But nowadays, we know the 36-year-old actress as a loving wife and mother. In an interview with Bustle, Song opened up about her beautiful relationship with Macaulay Culkin and their life with their two sons, Dakota and Carson.

The couple first crossed paths on the set of Changeland in 2017. Despite their public personas, they’ve managed to keep their relationship private. "We’re basic," Brenda said with a laugh. "We do our lights, we do our Elves on a Shelf, our Advent calendars."

They live in a family-friendly neighborhood in LA, where Brenda has resided since she was 19. "I have lived the life of a 30-year-old work woman since I was 11," she shared. Brenda’s parents live just 25 minutes away, often stepping in to watch the kids. Meanwhile, Christmas at their home has become a cherished tradition. "We always host Christmas. That’s our favorite time. He cooks, I bake. The house is open."

Brenda and Macaulay welcomed their first son, Dakota, in April 2021, followed by Carson in 2022. Parenthood has reshaped their lives in profound ways, and Brenda is fiercely protective of her children’s privacy. Good for them. “You could take pictures of me all day. I don’t care. But when it’s your kids, it’s different. They didn’t ask for this life.”

This protective instinct came into sharp focus during a public outing in 2023 to celebrate Macaulay’s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. While the milestone was a joyous occasion, it was also overwhelming for their eldest son. “Dak was so scared of all the cameras,” Brenda recalled. "That’s one of the reasons why we sort of keep them away [from the spotlight]. They did not understand what was happening."

"Mack and I are both very antisocial," she admitted. "Our kids have more of a social calendar than I will ever have."

One particularly sweet anecdote involves a trip to Costco. "I had just dropped off my son at preschool and was with Mack. We were sitting at Costco and it hadn’t opened yet," Brenda recalls. "Mack was sitting there going, ‘Babe’ — he had never been to a Costco before we started dating — ‘We’re sitting in a Costco. I’m wearing Crocs. Costco’s not even open yet. You’ve tamed the beast, honey.’ And I was like, ‘How dare you, sir!’"

Surprisingly, Brenda wasn't even sure if she should continue with her career. “I had two pregnancies in the same calendar year. It was a lot,” she said. “Once I stepped into motherhood, it made me question a lot: my place in this industry, my place as a woman, ageism in this industry, society’s pressures of what beauty is, what being young is. Things that I’d never questioned before. And also, my priority is my children, so I can’t just uproot my life and go live in Bulgaria for nine months to shoot a movie. I was like, ‘Does acting still fit in my life?’”

Culkin, like the supportive husband he is, told her she was “insane” for thinking that way. She ended up parting ways with her managers of 26 years and her publicist of 13 years. Now, she's thriving in her career and home life. “Family life is the most important thing,” she continued, “but I’ve always said to be the best parent, the best partner, I have to be the best me. And a huge part of that is work. I have to be able to honor that.”

As she steps into exciting new roles, like her part in The Last Showgirl and the upcoming Running Point, it’s clear she’s found a way to balance the demands of Hollywood with the joys of motherhood.

In 2020, Brenda shared a heartfelt tribute to Macaulay on his 40th birthday: "Happy 40th birthday to this magical being. My unicorn that I never thought could exist, I am the luckiest person in the world because I am loved by you."

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