10 Things To Watch With The Cast Of The Breakfast Club

John Hughes set the stage for teen movies with his 1985 classic, The Breakfast Club. Five high school students from different cliques spend Saturday detention together. Throughout the day, they get to know each other better and realize that they’re not so different, after all. Molly Ringwald portrays goody-two-shoes Claire, Judd Nelson is rebellious John Bender, Anthony Michael Hall is the academically inclined Brian, Ally Sheedy is the introverted Allison, and Emilio Estevez plays jock, Andrew Clark.

The film struck a chord with many young viewers at the time and continues to resonate with audiences today. The ensemble cast immediately rose to stardom, becoming members of what came to be known as “The Brat Pack,” and appeared in a number of popular movies throughout the 80s and continue acting today. Here’s a look at some of the cast’s other projects.

10 Molly Ringwald: Pretty In Pink (1986)

Though John Hughes didn’t direct this rom-com, he was involved in writing the screenplay. Molly Ringwald stars as Andie Walsh, who is not popular in school and mostly sticks with her friend Iona and childhood sweetheart, Duckie.

Everything starts to change when a popular boy falls in love with her. Like The Breakfast Club, Pretty in Pink examines high school cliques and whether the boundaries they create can be broken.

9 Judd Nelson: St. Elmo’s Fire (1985)

Judd Nelson isn’t the only Breakfast Club alum to star in this romantic drama; Ally Sheedy, who portrays Allison in the high school flick, appears in St. Elmo’s Fire as Leslie Hunter, one of seven close but self-centered friends. Emilio Estevez, the jock of The Breakfast Club, plays Kirby Keger here.

Set in Georgetown, the friends find themselves struggling to transition from adolescence to adulthood, realizing that life isn’t as easy or as simple as they expected it to be. Several other Brat Pack members also star, including Demi Moore, Rob Lowe, and Andrew McCarthy.

8 Ally Sheedy: WarGames (1983)

Ally Sheedy stars alongside Matthew Broderick, who is best known for his iconic role in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, another teen movie from the 80s. In WarGames, his character unknowingly hacks into a military supercomputer while scouting for new video games.

He decides to start a game of Global Thermonuclear War, accidentally setting in motion the preparation for an actual global nuclear war. He enlists the help of his girlfriend (Sheedy) to stop its onset.

7 Emilio Estevez: The Way (2010)

Emilio Estevez not only stars in but directs this critically acclaimed, poignant dramedy about a father (Martin Sheen) who travels to France to retrieve the body of his estranged son (Estevez). He died on a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela in Spain.

In an attempt to better understand his son, the father embarks on the same journey. The result is an emotional, touching, and moving exploration of a unique father-son relationship.

6 Anthony Michael Hall: Sixteen Candles (1984)

Sixteen Candles is another John Hughes project, starring Molly Ringwald and Anthony Michael Hall. Hall’s character is similar to Brian in The Breakfast Club. In fact, he’s known as The Geek.

Ringwald’s Samantha is the lead character, as she wakes on the morning of her sixteenth birthday to find that everyone has forgotten that it’s her birthday. She’s also having her first crush while feeling insecure about her body – again, similar to her character in The Breakfast Club.

5 Paul Gleason: Die Hard (1988)

The first of a successful film series, Die Hard is an action-thriller about a detective (Bruce Willis) who returns home for Christmas, only to find that his wife – among others – has been taken hostage in an office building.

The film was followed up by four sequels, though reviews became increasingly critical as the franchise continued. Paul Gleason appears in a minor role as Deputy Police Chief Robinson. Other big names in the movie include Alan Rickman, Bonnie Bedelia, Reginald VelJohnson, and William Atherton.

4 John Kapelos: Forever Knight (1992 – 1996)

John Kapelos, who plays the janitor in The Breakfast Club, portrays Detective Donald Schanke in one of his best-known roles. Forever Knight follows Nick Knight, an 800-year-old vampire who works as a homicide detective in Toronto – night shift only, of course.

After centuries of murder and bloodlust, the vampire hopes to redeem himself for his violent acts. His colleagues are unaware of his true identity, though his supernatural abilities give him an advantage when it comes to solving mysteries.

3 Ally Sheedy: Bad Boys (1983)

Ally Sheedy plays J.C., the girlfriend of teen delinquent, Mick. Mick is sent to juvenile prison after unintentionally killing the sibling of a rival gang leader, Paco Moreno.

In prison, Mick faces even more troubles, but it’s J.C. who may be at greater risk. Paco Moreno is determined to get his revenge, and he threatens J.C. to get back at Mick. Sean Penn, Esai Morales, Clancy Brown, and Reni Santoni also star.

2 Molly Ringwald: The Secret Life Of The American Teenager (2008 – 2013)

Shailene Woodley made her breakthrough with her leading role as Amy in The Secret Life Of The American Teenager. As if adolescence isn’t already daunting enough, Amy must also go through pregnancy while in high school, all while dealing with the father of her child.

Molly Ringwald plays Amy’s mom, Anne. Though she is no longer a teen herself, Molly Ringwald is known for continuing her appearances in teen dramas, now as a mother of key teen characters going through tumultuous changes.

1 Anthony Michael Hall: National Lampoon’s Vacation (1983)

The Griswold family decides to embark on a journey around the country to visit an amusement park in Los Angeles. Father and husband Clark convinces his family to leave their Chicago home and find adventure instead.

However, their journey is not without its fair share of obstacles, many of which result in comedic sequences. Anthony Michael Hall plays the young Russell Griswold, while Beverly D’Angelo plays his mom, and Dana Barron plays his sister. Randy Quaid also stars in the film.

About The Author

Svetlana Sterlin
(256 Articles Published)

After years of relocation, Svetlana Sterlin (she/her) was raised by her Russian parents in Brisbane, Australia, where she completed a BFA and contributes to ScreenRant and Our Culture Magazine. An avid cinephile and bookworm, Svetlana also writes creatively across multiple forms and genres. Her fiction and poetry appear in several printed and digital publications. Find more from Svetlana here: https://linktr.ee/svetlanasterlin.

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