Daniel Stern said he once racked up a $7,000 (£5,505) bill on Donald Trump‘s tab during filming for Home Alone 2: Lost In New York.
The former US president famously made a cameo in the 1992 movie in which Macaulay Culkin’s Kevin MacAllister asks Trump for directions to the hotel lobby.
Stern, best known for his role as hapless criminal Marv alongside Joe Pesci (Harry) in Home Alone and the sequel, told ITV’s Good Morning Britain [via The Independent] yesterday (May 28): “I had met [Trump] that day on the shoot and that night, me and the stunt guys and some crew guys were at the hotel bar and Mr Trump walked through.
“He pointed and was very appreciative and said, ‘Drinks are on me’ and so we bought drinks for the entire bar, for the entire night. We hit him pretty good on the bill. Liam, my stunt guy, we figured it was about 7,000 bucks, which is a drop in the bucket to the man and he felt good about it, we felt good about it so that was a win-win.”
It comes after Trump recently refuted director Chris Columbus’ claims that he “bullied” his way into a cameo in the movie.
“We couldn’t rebuild The Plaza on a soundstage,” Columbus previously told Business Insider. “Trump said OK. We paid the fee, but he also said, ‘The only way you can use the Plaza is if I’m in the movie.’ So we agreed to put him in the movie.”
He added that “the oddest thing happened” when they screened the film for the first time. “People cheered when Trump showed up on-screen,” Columbus said. “So I said to my editor, ‘Leave him in the movie. It’s a moment for the audience.’ But he did bully his way into the movie.”
Trump then hit back saying: “Director Chris Columbus, and others, were begging me to make a cameo appearance in Home Alone 2… I was very busy, and didn’t want to do it.
“They were very nice, but above all, persistent. I agreed, and the rest is history! That little cameo took off like a rocket, and the movie was a big success… Now, however, 30 years later, Columbus (what was his real name?) put out a statement that I bullied myself into the movie.
“Nothing could be further from the truth. That cameo helped make the movie a success, but if they felt bullied, or didn’t want me, why did they put me in, and keep me there, for over 30 years? Because I was, and still am, great for the movie, that’s why!”