Kieran Culkin Reflects on Sister Dakota's Death and Keeping Her Memory Alive 16 Years Later: 'Losing a Big Piece of Myself'

Mar. 15, 2025

Kieran Culkin continues to grieve his sister, Dakota Culkin’s death.Photo:Paras Griffin/Getty

Paras Griffin/Getty

Kieran Culkinlost a “big piece of himself” when his older sister, Dakota Culkin, died in 2008.

TheSuccessionactor, 42, grew up in alarge familywith six siblings, includingMacaulay Culkinand Dakota.

Kieran Culkin remembers his sister Dakota Culkin.Jamie McCarthy/Getty

Jamie McCarthy/Getty

“I only knew who I was because of who my siblings are,” Culkin toldCBS Sunday Morningin an interview published on Sunday, Nov. 3. “So, to lose one was losing a big piece of myself.”

Culkin says the pain of Dakota’s death is something he’s had to learn to live with.

“Losing one of my favorite people in the world, it doesn’t get better,” he continued. “It doesn’t get easier, but you get used to it.”

Culkin found a way to keep his sister’s memory close to him in the years following her death. He said hisSuccessioncharacter Roman Roy’s humor reminded him of his sister’s humor.

“After a couple seasons, I realized there was some stuff that Roman did that I was like, ‘Oh, that’s my sister,’ ” he explained. “‘That was her sense of humor.’ She could find exactly what the right thing to make fun of you was that would get to you, but be really funny and make the room laugh. That was her.”

The siblings were extremely close growing up, Culkin said. They stuck together and Culkin took on a protective brother role, always making sure everyone was accounted for.

“Whenever the door would open to let the kids in,” he shared. “I used to stand aside and count to make sure all six of them got in before I got in. That’s how I remember growing up, too. I couldn’t fall asleep until they all fell asleep. I only existed because they did around me.”

Dakota was the second child of Kit Culkin and Patricia Brentrup. At the time of her death in 2008, Dakota had recently moved from New York City to Los Angeles to pursue a career in film production, her friend Andrea Poetold PEOPLE.

Kieran Culkin in January 2024.Neilson Barnard/Getty

Neilson Barnard/Getty

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“She was very low-key [about her name], but at the same time proud of her siblings,” Poe said. “She was very close to Macaulay. They would talk frequently on the phone or go out to eat.”

Culkin, who has two children —KinseyandWilder— withJazz Charton, 36, said it’s difficult knowing that their children will never meet their aunt.

“I accepted at the time that this is going to be forever, and it’s never going to be fine. It’s always going to be devastating,” the actor toldThe Hollywood Reporterof the grief. “I still weep about it out of nowhere. Something funny she did will pop in the head and make me laugh, and then I’m weeping.

source: people.com