Kieran Culkin’s unique approach to learning lines has left a lasting impression on his A Real Pain co-star, Jesse Eisenberg.

During a December 12 interview on Virgin Radio UK, Eisenberg, 41, marveled at Culkin’s remarkable ability to memorize dialogue almost instantly. “Kieran wouldn’t learn the lines until the morning we were shooting — and you saw the movie — you saw he has, like, monologue after monologue,” Eisenberg said.

“He was just so unpretentious. He would say, ‘What scene are we filming today?’ And I’d say, ‘It’s the scene [where] you have five pages of dialogue,’” Eisenberg explained. “And he’d say, ‘Let me take a look at it,’ as I give him my script, and he learns it in 30 seconds and he’s like, word perfect.”

This uncanny skill didn’t come as a total surprise to Eisenberg, who had heard from directors of HBO’s Succession about Culkin’s “crazed ability.” Culkin starred as Roman Roy on the critically acclaimed series from 2018 to 2023, earning praise for his sharp, quick-witted performance.

Reflecting on Culkin’s acting career, Eisenberg noted, “Maybe because he was acting since he was so young.” Culkin, now 42, made his acting debut at just 7 years old as Fuller McAllister in 1990’s Home Alone, starring alongside his older brother Macaulay Culkin.

Despite his photographic-like memory on set, Culkin admitted to Eisenberg that the retention is fleeting. “He tells me, ‘I could memorize anything in 30 seconds, but I can’t tell you the next day. I can’t tell you one word from it,’” Eisenberg shared. “It’s muscle memory — some temporary bank.”

Culkin’s extraordinary talent for rapid memorization and effortless delivery is just another testament to his evolution as an actor. From his early roles in Home Alone to his scene-stealing performances in Succession, Culkin’s adaptability and natural skill have cemented his place as one of Hollywood’s most compelling performers.