The actress, 75, tells PEOPLE the late comedian was \u201cthe kindest, most generous person\u201d who nearly made her break character when they worked together on the 1989 John Hughes<\/a> comedy.<\/p>\n In the movie, Candy played the flawed-but-big-hearted titular character tasked with watching his brother\u2019s kids \u2014 played by Jean Louisa Kelly, Macaulay Culkin<\/a> and Gabby Hoffmann<\/a> \u2014 following a family emergency.<\/p>\n Madigan costarred as Buck\u2019s longtime girlfriend Chanice Kobolowski, whose patience was tested by the impulsive Buck.<\/p>\n In some scenes, \u201cI’m supposed to be angry with him as his girlfriend,\u201d Madigan recalls, \u201cand he would be off camera and it was really hard to keep a straight face.\u201d<\/p>\n Amy Madigan in ‘Uncle Buck.’ \u201cI really had a lot of fun doing that. I really did. And I got to know Mr. Candy very well,\u201d she continues about the Canadian actor, who died of a heart attack in 1994<\/a>.<\/p>\n Though Madigan said she has yet to see the 2025 documentary John Candy: I Like Me, a love letter to the star directed by Colin Hanks<\/a> and produced by Ryan Reynolds<\/a>, the actress says Candy \u201creally does deserve\u201d to be honored.<\/p>\n “He was generous, generous, generous to so many people,\u201d says Madigan, who recalls Candy\u2019s \u201cgreat big heart.\u201d<\/p>\n Uncle Buck marked Madigan\u2019s second collaboration with Hoffmann, who also appeared with her Field of Dreams the same year. And this awards season \u2014 during which Madigan has been honored for her fierce performance as Aunt Gladys in the horror movie Weapons<\/a> \u2014 reunited her with Hoffmann.<\/p>\n In January, Hoffmann presented Madigan with her New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actress.<\/p>\n \u201cI was 7 years old when I last saw Amy,\u201d Hoffmann said at the ceremony. \u201cI\u2019ll be 44 in a couple of days, so that was 36 years now.”<\/p>\n Amy Madigan on Feb. 10, 2026. Hoffman recalled playing Madigan\u2019s daughter in Field of Dreams, calling Madigan \u201cthe ultimate mommy\u201d due to her amazing qualities: \u201cYour warmth, your laughter, your power, your presence, your loud, giant, beautiful heart.\u201d<\/p>\n Madigan\u2019s former costar also praised the actress’s ability to pull off her performance in Weapons.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is a feast. It is expansive and comprehensive and just delightfully disarming,\u201d Hoffmann said. \u201cShe is as fierce as she is tender. She is as sexy as she is silly\u2026 absolutely horrifying as she is completely vulnerable.\u201d<\/p>\n Amy Madigan in ‘Weapons.’ Madigan is up for Best Supporting Actress at the 2026 Academy Awards, her first Oscar nomination in 40 years. She was previously nominated in 1986 in the same category for her performance in the family drama Twice in a Lifetime.<\/p>\n \u201cAll of this was unexpected,” she says of the attention. “That\u2019s a very nice surprise,\u201d<\/p>\n![\"Amy](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/1e815ea730f7c5f0e6d11a06f40951d4.jpeg\"\/)
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Credit: Universal\/Courtesy Everett Collection<\/p>\n![\"Amy](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/5954b6652202247a56e9a5fad7a4a093.jpeg\"\/)
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Credit: VALERIE MACON \/ AFP via Getty<\/p>\n![\"Amy](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/663ec39299948d4c0844920b024f2d9a.jpeg\"\/)
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Credit: Quantrell Colbert\/Warner Bros.<\/p>\n