Macaulay Culkin reportedly declined to perform two intimate moments in the 2000 West End production of Madame Melville, saying one of them felt too much, too soon. The episode illustrates the contrast between his child-star image and his attempt to take on more adult, challenging work after stepping back from Hollywood.

Culkin, then 20, played a student involved in a sexual awakening with his teacher in Richard Nelson’s play at the Vaudeville Theatre. A clothed Kama Sutra re-enactment remained, but directions involving his underwear being pulled down and the teacher placing a hand on his thigh were removed; Culkin said the first scene was progressing too quickly.