Daniel Stern Fired From ABC Pilot After Soliciting Prostitution Charge

Daniel Stern will no longer appear in ABC’s upcoming comedy pilot Do You Want Kids? after the actor was charged with a misdemeanor, prompting the production to recast his role.

Stern was officially charged on Monday with one misdemeanor count of soliciting prostitution. Prosecutors in Ventura County, California, allege the incident occurred on Dec. 10 at a hotel in Camarillo. Deadline reported that Stern’s arraignment is scheduled for Feb. 6.

Before the charge became public, Stern had been set to play the head of the family in Do You Want Kids?, a new single-camera comedy ordered as a pilot by ABC. The show explores two parallel versions of a couple’s life: one in which they have a baby and one in which they do not.

Rachel Bloom stars as Rosie, with comedian Rory Scovel playing her partner, Alex Zilbalodis. With Stern now out of the project, the network plans to recast the role. Representatives for Stern have been contacted for comment, but no public response has been issued so far.

Daniel Stern — (Photo by Michael Tullberg/Getty Images)

Stern, 68, has maintained a steady career across film and television since the 1970s, though his recent work has leaned more toward TV projects. He appeared in the fourth season of Apple TV+’s For All Mankind, which concluded in 2024, and had a recurring role on Hulu’s comedy Shrill, starring Aidy Bryant, across 10 episodes from 2019 to 2021.

Earlier in his career, Stern served as the original narrator of The Wonder Years, lending his voice to the beloved coming-of-age series. His most recognizable performances, however, remain his film roles. He is best known for playing Marv, one-half of the bumbling burglar duo opposite Joe Pesci, in the holiday classics Home Alone and Home Alone 2: Lost in New York. His film credits also include City Slickers, City Slickers 2: The Legend of Curly’s Gold, and Barry Levinson’s 1982 dramedy Diner.

In recent years, Stern has chosen a quieter lifestyle away from Hollywood. In a December interview with PEOPLE, he explained why he skipped public events celebrating the 35th anniversary of Home Alone.

“I don’t leave my farm,” Stern said. “It’s no offense to the movie…. A phone call, Zoom call, I’m in. But… I’m a bit of a homebody.” For now, Stern’s future on-screen work remains uncertain as legal proceedings move forward and ABC moves ahead with casting changes on its new pilot.

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