Brenda Song and Macaulay Culkin: Relationship Timeline

Last updated: October 10, 2026

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Brenda Song and Macaulay Culkin are engaged but not married — yet. The private couple has been together since 2017, shares two young sons, and as recently as September 2026 playfully told the press their wedding still hasn’t happened. This is the complete, up-to-date timeline of their relationship.

Table of Contents

Quick Answer

Brenda Song and Macaulay Culkin are engaged and raising two sons together, but they are not married. They got engaged in January 2022 after nearly five years of dating, and in September 2026 both of them jokingly confirmed the wedding has not happened yet. Their relationship is one of Hollywood’s most low-key success stories — long, stable, and almost entirely free of drama.

Illustration for Brenda Song and Macaulay Culkin

Who Are Brenda Song and Macaulay Culkin?

Brenda Song is an American actress who became a household name among a generation of Disney Channel viewers as the sharp-tongued heiress London Tipton on The Suite Life of Zack & Cody and The Suite Life on Deck. Born in 1988, she started acting as a child model and steadily built a career across comedy and drama, including roles in Dollface, Station 19, and — in her biggest recent project — the Netflix basketball comedy Running Point, where she stars alongside Kate Hudson.

Macaulay Culkin is one of the most famous child stars in movie history. Born on August 26, 1980, in New York City, he became a global sensation at age ten playing Kevin McCallister in Home Alone (1990) and its sequel Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992), earning a Golden Globe nomination. After a long break from acting, he reinvented himself as an adult performer with roles in Party Monster, American Horror Story: Double Feature, and Fallout, while also running the satirical pop-culture site Bunny Ears. He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2023.

Relationship Timeline

  • 2017 — They meet on set: Song and Culkin both land roles in the indie comedy Changeland, directed by Seth Green. The two strike up a friendship during filming that quickly turns romantic, and by the end of the year they are dating.
  • 2018–2020 — Keeping it private: The couple stays almost entirely out of the spotlight. They appear together only occasionally, building a quiet life together in Los Angeles while Culkin focuses on his Bunny Ears podcast and Song keeps working steadily in television.
  • April 2021 — First child: The couple welcomes their first son, Dakota, named in memory of Culkin’s late sister. The birth is announced with the same discretion that characterizes the whole relationship — no fanfare, just family.
  • January 2022 — Engaged: Song is spotted wearing a diamond ring, and sources confirm the couple is engaged. Culkin later jokingly tells interviewers that Song proposed to him, keeping even this milestone lighthearted.
  • 2022–2023 — Second son: The couple quietly welcomes their second son, Carson. By the fall of 2026, Dakota is five and Carson is three, and the parents fiercely protect both boys’ privacy.
  • December 2023 — The Walk of Fame tribute: Culkin is inducted into the Hollywood Walk of Fame with Song and their sons beside him. In an emotional speech, he calls Song his “champion” and credits her with giving him purpose and family, and with saving his life in the difficult years after child stardom.
  • June 2026 — Nine years: The couple marks their ninth anniversary with rare sweet Instagram posts about each other. Culkin reveals his “only regret” about their relationship, and fans flood the comments with emotion over how openly he speaks about loving Song.
  • September 2026 — The playful Emmys correction: At a pre-Emmys event for the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards, a photographer mistakenly refers to them as “Mr. and Mrs. Culkin.” Song laughs and sets the record straight: “Not yet! Not yet!” — adding “Soon!” Culkin echoes her: “Maybe someday — if I’m lucky!” Days later they walk the Emmys red carpet together at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, where Culkin presents and takes part in the tribute to his late Home Alone co-star Catherine O’Hara.

Latest Updates

The freshest chapter of the story belongs to fall 2026. Song has been busy promoting her role on Netflix’s Running Point, and in a September 21, 2026 interview with OK! magazine — given while promoting a partnership with Marshalls — she spoke about how motherhood reshaped her approach to fashion, saying she now hunts for ways to look stylish while still keeping up with two energetic boys. The article confirmed, again, that Culkin is her fiancé and the father of her children.

The couple’s joint Emmys appearance on September 14, 2026 was one of their rare red-carpet outings: Song in a light blue Oscar de la Renta gown, Culkin in an ivory suit. Their playful exchange about the not-yet-happened wedding became the moment everyone quoted, and it effectively reset the public record — engaged since 2022, happy, and in no visible hurry to rush the altar. For more explainers at AllAboutFacts, visit hotteamnames.com.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Brenda Song and Macaulay Culkin married?
No. They have been engaged since January 2022 but are not married. At a September 2026 Emmys-weekend event, Song clarified it herself: “Not yet! Not yet!” — with a playful “Soon!” attached.

How many children do Brenda Song and Macaulay Culkin have?
Two sons: Dakota, born in April 2021, and Carson, born in 2022–2023 (the couple has kept his exact birth date private; reports vary slightly). Culkin has spoken in interviews about how fatherhood reshaped him for the better.

How did Brenda Song and Macaulay Culkin meet?
They met in 2017 while filming the indie comedy Changeland, in which they both appeared. They started dating shortly after filming wrapped and kept the relationship out of the public eye for years.

Did Brenda Song and Macaulay Culkin break up?
No. There have been no public breakups, scandals, or separations in their relationship. Through 2026 they have appeared together at events, celebrated their ninth anniversary, and spoken warmly about their family life.

Faizi is a content writer at AllAboutFacts (hotteamnames.com), covering vocabulary, language tips, and everyday explainers.

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