Mandy Moore Reveals the Cocktail Macaulay Culkin Introduced Her to While Filming Saved

Mandy Moore has revealed the cocktail Macaulay Culkin introduced her to while they were filming Saved in 2004: a White Russian. Speaking on a recent episode of the podcast Shut Up Evan with host Evan Ross Katz, Moore looked back on her experience shooting the teen comedy when she was 18 years old and described the set as a fun, tight-knit environment that felt like “summer camp” thanks to her young costars.

Moore said she had already enjoyed working on films like The Princess Diaries and A Walk to Remember, both of which put her alongside other young actors, and she felt that Saved had a similar energy. The movie’s cast included Jena Malone, Patrick Fugit, Eva Amurri and Culkin, and Moore recalled feeling excited to be among what she called the “cool kids table” of young Hollywood performers making interesting choices and working on respected projects.

While Moore said there was “a little bit of underage drinking” happening on set, she emphasized that nothing serious came of it. Culkin, who was of legal drinking age in Canada at the time, reportedly introduced the cast to one of his favorite drinks. Moore remembered him showing her and the others how to make a White Russian, and she immediately took to the cocktail’s combination of milk and alcohol, joking that it seemed made for her. She said she loved how it tasted, comparing it to ice cream and calling it “perfect.”

Moore also reflected on what the role of Hilary Faye Stockard meant to her career. She said she was drawn to the script because she found it irreverent, funny and likely to “move the needle.” Although the character was very different from her real-life personality, Moore believed the film would help show audiences a different side of her as an actress. She described the project as a “crazy, crazy life-changing experience” and said she intentionally hoped it would open doors to other roles by helping people see her in a new light.

In the years since Saved, Moore has continued to work in film, television and music, but she said the movie remains a memorable turning point in her career. For her, the set offered both a creative challenge and a social experience, with a cast of young actors who made the production feel lively and collaborative. The White Russian story adds a lighthearted detail to that period, highlighting the camaraderie Moore says existed among the cast as they worked on a film that she believed could change how audiences viewed her.