In a thrilling crossover of iconic pop culture references, the theory that Monica and Chandler’s home in Friends is the very same as the McCallister’s abode from Home Alone has been confirmed by a Friends art director. And yes, the same picturesque street view shown in the Home Alone movie is what we see outside the Friends house. For fans who’ve long pointed out the similarity, it’s a sweet vindication.
Many fan theories about shared universes and cross-overs often sound outlandish, but this one has turned out to hold a kernel of truth. The fascinating conjecture that Monica and Chandler’s home in Friends is the same as the McCallister’s property from the classic film Home Alone now has some official backing.
This theory was brought back to light by Scott Westwood on Instagram, using clips from Friends and the 1990 movie Home Alone to prove the similarity. The Instagram post has garnered hundreds of thousands of views and attracted the attention of Friends’ art director, Daren Janes.
Janes, in response to Westwood’s post, confirmed the theory. The street view in the Friends show, indeed, was the same one seen in Home Alone. He explained that the backing from a company called Pacific Studios created for Home Alone was used in Friends as it looked the best for window and door views.
“This is hilarious. You caught me. I was the Art Director on FRIENDS. The house was a set. We used the backing from Pacific Studios made for Home Alone because it looked the best through the door & windows. Great eye my friend!!!!”
So, it might not be the exact McCallister house, but the fans’ theories about the similarity between the houses were spot on. Kudos to those who’ve been insisting the street outside was the same Chicago residential road from Home Alone.
The McCallister house, as the central location of Home Alone, has become quite iconic over the years. It stands as a symbol of pop culture nostalgia, alongside movie locations like A Nightmare on Elm Street, The Amityville Horror, and Ghostbusters. Even today, fans ponder how the McCallisters could afford such a luxurious house, leading The New York Times to conclude that the McCallisters would be amongst the top 1% of earners in Chicago, with an annual income of around $305,000 circa 1990.
Feeling nostalgic yet? Relive the magic of Friends and Home Alone with their curated collections and much more on HITPLAY, the go-to platform for award-winning movie and TV show collections.
