As a die-hard fan, I can’t help but feel that Rob Lowe, Judd Nelson, and Emilio Estevez never viewed being labeled as “Hollywood’s Brat Pack” as the pinnacle of their careers. Instead, they likely saw it as just another stepping stone on their paths to becoming respected actors in their own right.
It’s likely that Molly Ringwald, Demi Moore, and Ally Sheedy were taken aback, as they weren’t even mentioned in the groundbreaking June 1985 New York magazine cover story. This piece highlighted three rising stars who were, let’s say, capitalizing on their popularity, yet these actresses remained unnamed in it.
Over the past 39 years, each one has navigated that defining, bias-filled success in a unique manner. However, it’s Andrew McCarthy, who was briefly mentioned in the article but still earned the “Brat” label, who chose to delve into the lasting impact of this title on his life. He initially addressed this topic in his 2021 memoir titled “Brat: An ’80s Story”, and later revisited it in the 2024 documentary named “Brats”.
In the movie, they invited the casts from the films The Breakfast Club and St. Elmo’s Fire, both released in 1985, which earned membership for everyone involved, despite the story set in New York stating that the 1981 film Taps, starring none of these actors, was actually the first Brat Pack movie.
In an interview with The Guardian before the premiere of “Brat” last June, McCarthy stated that the term “The Brat Pack” is essentially a label given by people due to the fact that there was no formal group or entity known as the Brat Pack. It’s more about a concept of young actors who were dominating Hollywood at that time, and since we were the ones making waves in the industry during that period, we were considered part of the Brat Pack.
In reference to the article about the reporter joining in a night of partying, the filmmaker humorously commented, “It seems like no journalist has been permitted to have drinks with their subject since then.
Instead, McCarthy, who had long resisted the terminology, chose to embrace it more fully and organize a reunion with as many original members as he could find, aiming to delve into its personal and cultural significance for each of them.
Lowe, Moore, Sheedy, and Estevez gathered for a meal known as “Brats”, and so did actors Jon Cryer, Timothy Hutton (who was the lead in “Taps”), and Lea Thompson, who are all associated with Pack.
In old recordings, Ringwald could be heard, but McCarthy expressed his wish for a new take from her, stating in an interview with Us Weekly, “She mentioned she might consider it, and that was essentially where it ended.
Similarly, Nelson and Anthony Michael Hall chose not to revisit old times as they were not part of the New York adventure that unfolded during the time when the movie was released, given he was only 16 at the time.
However, despite any changes or developments, he still embodies the original, unrefined spirit, much like Brian, the wise yet wild, flare-gun-carrying individual, was perceived by the times as they wished to perceive him.
You won’t need to spend your entire Saturday to catch a glimpse of how today’s Brat Pack members appear: instead, there might be an opportunity for a quick peek.
The leading actress in the movies “Sixteen Candles“, “The Breakfast Club“, and “Pretty in Pink” was affectionately known as the queen of the Brat Pack. In 1996, Ringwald expressed her recollection of those times to Entertainment Weekly, stating that she cherished those memories “with great fondness.
In a 2018 essay for The New Yorker, she expressed concern that some scenes in the film The Breakfast Club might not be suitable in the aftermath of the #MeToo movement. She feared her daughter may find parts of it problematic, but what ultimately disturbed her most was an unexpected realization.
During her breakout decade, she appeared in films like “The Pickup Artist” alongside Robert Downey Jr., as well as the teen pregnancy drama “For Keeps”. Notable roles from the 1990s include those in “Betsy’s Wedding”, the television adaptation of Stephen King’s “The Stand” miniseries, and “Teaching Mrs. Tingle”.
In 2008, Lori Loughlin took on the role of a parent on “The Secret Life of the American Teenager,” portraying the mother of Shailene Woodley’s character, Amy, who was pregnant as a teenager. Later, she appeared in a recurring role on “Riverdale” as Archie Andrews’ mom. Additionally, Loughlin played the mother in the popular teen romantic comedy series, “The Kissing Booth.
In reality, she is a mother to a daughter and a pair of fraternal twin boys, who share a father with her second spouse, Panio Gianopoulos.
Estevez had already gained recognition as one of the rising stars in “The Outsiders” and followed it with the cult favorite “Repo Man”. However, he was later involved in an incident where he tied someone’s pants together, leading to detention in “The Breakfast Club”. Subsequently, he appeared in “St. Elmo’s Fire”, portraying Kirby who had a crush on a med student character played by Andie MacDowell.
In the June 10, 1985 issue, New York magazine labeled him as the unofficial president (and also the treasurer, since he was usually the one to foot the bill) of the Brat Pack group, as they featured Estevez, Judd Nelson, and Rob Lowe in a night out town story.
In the cast of St. Elmo’s Fire, Director Joel Schumacher stated that if he had asked everyone who their best friend was, they would all have chosen Emilio. He’s a person like that. (Estevez served as Tom Cruise’s best man when his Outsiders costar married Mimi Rogers in 1987.)
1985 marked a significant year for me as I penned the screenplay for a movie that would later transform into the 1990 comedy-thriller “Men at Work.” Not only did I have the privilege of directing this project, but I also shared the screen with my brother, the talented Charlie Sheen.
In addition, he gained recognition for appearing in the films “Young Guns” and its sequel, as well as the entire “Mighty Ducks” series, and recently reprised his role as Gordon Bombay in Disney+’s “The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers.” Off-screen, he directed Martin Sheen in “The War at Home,” penned and directed both “Bobby” and “The Way,” and more recently, “The Public” in 2018.
Estevez fathered a son and daughter with his former partner, Carey Salley, and was wedded to Paula Abdul from 1992 to 1994.
Jules from St. Elmo’s Fire, who graduated from Georgetown, finds herself in a tricky situation by having an affair with her married superior. Such a move is seldom wise. However, she has the support of her friends to help her navigate through this difficult time. Interestingly, this is the only movie of the Brat Pack where Moore appeared, but the connection persisted – not just because she had a brief romance with co-star Estevez.
The writer of the intriguing memoir titled “Inside Out” achieved stardom in Hollywood, appearing in films such as “Ghost“, “G.I. Jane“, “Now & Then“, “Indecent Proposal“, “Disclosure“, and “Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle“. During this period, she set a record for the highest-ever paycheck received by a female actor when she was compensated $12.5 million for her role in the 1996 film “Striptease“.
Lately, Moore has appeared in several productions including the Peacock drama “Brave New World”, the Amazon miniseries “Dirty Diana”, and FX’s “Feud: Capote vs. the Swans” alongside Ringwald. Oh, by the way, she’s up for an Oscar for the 2024 horror film “The Substance”.
Moore has three daughters – Rumer, Scout, and Tallulah – from her previous marriage to Bruce Willis. She tied the knot with Ashton Kutcher in 2005, but they parted ways in 2011, eventually finalizing their divorce in 2013.
Following my role as Adrift Billy in St. Elmo’s Fire, I had the pleasure of joining my Outsiders co-star once more, under the direction of Edward Zwick, for the romantic comedy About Last Night.
Lowe’s thriving career and charismatic leading-man image shone in the 1990 thriller ‘Bad Influence’, but it faced a setback following a scandal involving a sex tape. However, he managed to recover with a humorous appearance on ‘Saturday Night Live’ and memorable comedic roles as the villain in ‘Wayne’s World’ (1992) and ‘Tommy Boy’ (1995), both of which were produced by his friend Lorne Michaels.
Apart from starring in “The Stand” alongside Ringwald, Rob Lowe has been a consistent presence on television since he started playing Sam Seaborn on “The West Wing” in 1999. Highlights of his 21st century career include roles in shows like “Brothers and Sisters,” “Californication,” and “Parks and Recreation,” which led to his podcast, “Literally! With Rob Lowe.” Additionally, his portrayal of Liberace’s plastic surgeon in the 2013 HBO film “Behind the Candelabra” was critically praised for its transformation.
In 2020, Rob Lowe became the leader of a firehouse within Ryan Murphy’s extensive domain, featured in the series “911: Lone Star”. Outside his heroic duties, he collaborated on and acts in the Netflix comedy “Unstable”, shares screen time with his son John Owen Lowe, and hosts the game show “The Floor”.
The actor also shares son Matthew Lowe with his wife since 1991, Sheryl Berkoff.
He might have made the greatest shift in character, portraying the troubled, rebellious John Bender in The Breakfast Club initially, and later transforming into a rising Republican professional preparing to marry his girlfriend Leslie (Ally Sheedy) in St. Elmo’s Fire.
1985 saw Nelson, Estevez, and Lowe being considered for the part of Tad Allaghash, the flamboyant cocaine-addled friend in the film adaptation of Jay McInerney’s ’80s novel “Bright Lights, Big City,” opposite Tom Cruise who was cast as Jamie, a magazine fact-checker on a downward spiral, grappling with his life choices. However, the role eventually went to Kiefer Sutherland. (And Michael J. Fox stepped in when Cruise left the project.)
Notable moments in Brooke Shields’ career feature a Golden Globe nomination for her role in the 1988 miniseries, “Billionaire Boys Club,” portraying a slick record executive in the film “Airheads,” serving as the boss to Brooke Shields on the TV series “Suddenly Susan,” and appearing as a shady label executive who competes with Terrence Howard’s character, Lucious Lyon, on the show “Empire.
In the 2018 movie version of “Billionaire Boys Club,” Nelson portrayed Joe Hunt, the character he played as the father. His latest film roles include those in “Save Christmas,” “Dante’s Hotel,” and “South of Hope Street.
As a dedicated follower, I found myself cast as the drifting Georgetown University grad Kevin in St. Elmo’s Fire, and subsequently, the wealthy high school senior Blane in Pretty in Pink, who fell for the unconventional Andie, portrayed by Ringwald, due to her unique charm derived from her independent spirit and DIY fashion sense – definitely too cool for that school.
After that, he starred in roles such as a window dresser whose mannequin comes to life in Mannequin and a disillusioned college student alongside Robert Downey Jr. and James Spader (who were part of the Brat Pack circle), with Weekend at Bernie’s serving as a universally recognized reference.
McCarthy’s works from the late 1980s onwards featured films such as The Joy Luck Club and Mulholland Falls, yet he also dabbled in theater, having starred in Long Day’s Journey Into Night. In an interview with People magazine in 1999, he debunked the notion of the Brat Pack as a myth. Over time, he became a prolific director, working on television shows like Gossip Girl, Orange Is the New Black, The Blacklist, The Sinner, and Good Girls.
In the year 2022, he became part of “The Resident” television series for an entire season, and in 2023, he featured in the independent film “Grace Point,” alongside John Owen Lowe.
In my past, I’ve been blessed to pen captivating travel narratives that have earned recognition, and I even penned the enchanting young adult novel “Just Fly Away.” However, it wasn’t until recently that I decided to explore the profound impact of the Brat Pack phenomenon on my life, as chronicled in my 2021 memoir, “Brat: An ’80s Tale.
As a die-hard fan, I delved deeper into the cultural significance of that iconic label in the 2024 doc, “Brats.” It was an enlightening journey for me!
McCarthy has a son from his initial marriage to his longtime college love, Carol Schneider, and a daughter with Dolores Rice, whom he has been married to since 2011.
In the universe created by John Hughes, Anthony Michael Hall was known for his roles as endearing nerds in movies like “Sixteen Candles,” “The Breakfast Club,” and “Weird Science.” He even dated Ringwald in real life. So, it was surprising to see him portray the tragic antagonist in “Edward Scissorhands.
1985 marked a significant milestone for me as I became the youngest ensemble member ever of Saturday Night Live, joining the team at just 17 years old. Remarkably, this was also the season Robert Downey Jr. graced our screens, and I had the honor to serve as Indio, his son’s godfather.
Similar to Robert Downey Jr., Hall spent only one season on Saturday Night Live, but he consistently took minor roles during the 1990s before portraying Microsoft founder Bill Gates in the widely discussed TV film “Pirates of Silicon Valley” in 1999.
In a surprising transformation, Hall, initially famous as part of the Brat Pack, became almost unrecognizable when he reappeared as Gates, and later starred in the USA supernatural series “The Dead Zone,” based on Stephen King’s novel, from 2002 to 2007. Some of his notable films include “The Dark Knight,” “Foxcatcher,” “Live by Night” and “War Machine.” He also made appearances as Principal Featherhead on “Riverdale” and in recurring roles for “The Goldbergs” and “Bosch: Legacy.
Next up is the June 2024 Netflix movie Trigger Warning with Jessica Alba.
Regarding his former girlfriend Ringwald, Hall stated to Page Six in February 2020, “She’s remarkable, a fine woman. We’ve remained friends since then and I’ve caught up with her occasionally over the years.
In the year 2020, Hall tied the knot with his partner of many years, Lucia Oskerova, and in June 2023, they were blessed with a baby boy.
In The Breakfast Club, she starred as the troubled character Allison, then portrayed Leslie, a college graduate, in St. Elmo’s Fire. Notably, she served as a brideside maid during Bruce Willis’ wedding to Demi Moore in 1987.
In a 2010 interview with NPR’s Weekend Edition, she remembered thinking, “At last, these people like me! Unlike in high school, now I have real friends and we work together. I was so content. I genuinely care for these individuals.
In 1986, she made a notable appearance in the comedy film “Short Circuit,” which earned praise from the New York Times. Two years later, she played the romantic lead opposite John Candy in the comedy “Only the Lonely.” Lastly, drawing from her personal experiences, she delivered an acclaimed performance in the 1998 indie film “High Art,” where she portrayed a character dealing with sleeping pill addiction.
She’s made appearances on shows such as “Oz”, “The Dead Zone” (alongside Hall), “CSI”, “Kyle XY” and “Psych”. Additionally, she has been featured in movies like “Shutter Island”, “Welcome to the Rileys” (starring Kristen Stewart), and “X-Men: Apocalypse”.
Molly Ringwald made a guest appearance on Alyshea Sheedy’s Freeform series titled “Single Drunk Female” in 2022, sharing with Entertainment Weekly that “Our shared past requires minimal conversation. The struggle is keeping the tears at bay! Being on set with her once more was one of the highlights of my year.
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2025-02-15 18:19