section_path: Career/2003–2017: Screen hiatus and theater work
section_name: 2003–2017: Screen hiatus and theater work
paragraph_text: 2003–2017: Screen hiatus and theater work
  
  Igby Goes Down was the first gig that profoundly impacted Culkin's personal life. He realized in the midst of the film's success that acting had become his career, which was "terrifying" because he was never granted the decision to pursue it. As he needed time to figure out whether he genuinely wanted to be an actor or not, he took a break from the film and television industries and only focused on the acting jobs that interested him the most.
  
  Culkin mostly gravitated towards theatre during his hiatus, starting as a replacement for Jake Gyllenhaal in Kenneth Lonergan 's West End production of This Is Our Youth (2002–2003) at the Garrick Theatre. The "dream play" was the second gig that deeply affected Culkin, as he spent eight years convincing Lonergan to let him play the co-lead role of Warren Straub. For Gina Gionfriddo 's After Ashley (2005) at the Vineyard Theatre, he played a young man growing up in a dysfunctional family. The role won him an Obie Award for Distinguished Performance. In 2006, Culkin starred in Eric Bogosian 's off-Broadway revival of SubUrbia, and made his on-Broadway debut by appearing in Julia Cho 's one-act play First Tree in Antarctica. He reunited with Lonergan for The Starry Messenger (2009), a cosmic drama, at the Acorn Theatre. Culkin headlined multiple revival runs of This Is Our Youth as Dennis Ziegler for the Sydney Opera House, the Steppenwolf Theatre Company, and the Cort Theatre.
  
  Culkin made his intermittent return to the screen with Derick Martini 's Lymelife (2008), a teen comedy film, executive-produced by Martin Scorsese. His next release was Kieran and Michele Mulroney 's comedy-drama Paper Man (2009), which disappointed critics. In Edgar Wright 's action comedy Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010), Culkin portrayed the titular character's "cool gay roommate" Wallace Wells. He was frequently described by critics as one of the film's scene stealers, although it bombed at the box office. Culkin played a small role in Lonergan's psychological drama Margaret (2011), before starring in the critically panned comedies Movie 43 (2013) and Quitters (2015). On television, he had a guest role in the second season of the crime drama series Fargo (2015). The following year, he starred in the ensemble cast of Todd Solondz 's anthology film Wiener-Dog (2016). Culkin recalled feeling comfortable with acting while he was filming the science fiction comedy Infinity Baby (2017), and began settling into it being something he would do for a living.
  
  Igby Goes Down was the first gig that profoundly impacted Culkin's personal life. He realized in the midst of the film's success that acting had become his career, which was "terrifying" because he was never granted the decision to pursue it. As he needed time to figure out whether he genuinely wanted to be an actor or not, he took a break from the film and television industries and only focused on the acting jobs that interested him the most.
  
  Culkin mostly gravitated towards theatre during his hiatus, starting as a replacement for Jake Gyllenhaal in Kenneth Lonergan 's West End production of This Is Our Youth (2002–2003) at the Garrick Theatre. The "dream play" was the second gig that deeply affected Culkin, as he spent eight years convincing Lonergan to let him play the co-lead role of Warren Straub. For Gina Gionfriddo 's After Ashley (2005) at the Vineyard Theatre, he played a young man growing up in a dysfunctional family. The role won him an Obie Award for Distinguished Performance. In 2006, Culkin starred in Eric Bogosian 's off-Broadway revival of SubUrbia, and made his on-Broadway debut by appearing in Julia Cho 's one-act play First Tree in Antarctica. He reunited with Lonergan for The Starry Messenger (2009), a cosmic drama, at the Acorn Theatre. Culkin headlined multiple revival runs of This Is Our Youth as Dennis Ziegler for the Sydney Opera House, the Steppenwolf Theatre Company, and the Cort Theatre.
  
  Culkin made his intermittent return to the screen with Derick Martini 's Lymelife (2008), a teen comedy film, executive-produced by Martin Scorsese. His next release was Kieran and Michele Mulroney 's comedy-drama Paper Man (2009), which disappointed critics. In Edgar Wright 's action comedy Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010), Culkin portrayed the titular character's "cool gay roommate" Wallace Wells. He was frequently described by critics as one of the film's scene stealers, although it bombed at the box office. Culkin played a small role in Lonergan's psychological drama Margaret (2011), before starring in the critically panned comedies Movie 43 (2013) and Quitters (2015). On television, he had a guest role in the second season of the crime drama series Fargo (2015). The following year, he starred in the ensemble cast of Todd Solondz 's anthology film Wiener-Dog (2016). Culkin recalled feeling comfortable with acting while he was filming the science fiction comedy Infinity Baby (2017), and began settling into it being something he would do for a living.