Breakfast Club Cast Reunites: See the Amazing Then and Now Photos After 40 Years

The cast of 1980s
Teen favorite film \”The Breakfast Club\”
brought together after many years to mark an occasion that made fans feel both nostalgic and thrilled.

On Saturday, Molly Ringwald, Judd Nelson, Ally Sheedy, Emilio Estevez, and Anthony Michael Hall reunited in Chicago for the 40th anniversary celebration of their legendary movie during an animated panel discussion at the Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo.

Hosted by Josh Horowitz for a special episode of his Happy Sad Confused podcast, the cast members shared sincere recollections, insider anecdotes, and poignant reflections on their journey from
teenage stars
to cultural icons.

Although several members had reunite before, this was the first occasion that Emilio participated with them since the movie came out in 1985.

\”Having missed out on all my previous high school reunions, this seemed like an opportunity I really needed to seize for myself,\” Emilio told the audience.

Feeling this one was extra special as it’s set in Chicago, where we filmed it; plus, it marks the 40th anniversary, and since I adore all of them, everything aligned perfectly for this moment.

For Molly, who portrayed the refined Claire, the reunion signified bidding farewell to a cherished character she had embodied for years.

She quipped, \’We can finally retire the cardboard cutout,\’ then added with emotion, \’It’s so touching that we’re all here together.\’

What does The Breakfast Club refer to?

The 1985 film directed by John Hughes, frequently hailed as the ultimate high school movie, centers around five teenagers from distinct walks of life who find themselves together in detention for an entire Saturday. As the hours pass, the \”princess,\” the \”jock,\” the \”rebel,\” the \”nerd,\” and the \”outcast\” realize they share deeper connections with each other than they initially thought.

Emilio, who played the role of the golden-boy athlete Andrew, spoke about the movie’s lasting influence. He said, \”It\’s one of those films that withstands the passage of time. The movie appeals across generations. We felt fortunate to be part of such an opportune moment.\”

Judd, who portrayed the rebellious John Bender, looked back on the distinctive vision of director John Hughes, who died in 2009. \”Hughes truly intended for all of us to engage in the creation of this film,\” Judd recalled. \”He genuinely enjoyed our company. It wasn’t until later that I realized how uncommon it was for a director to appreciate actors so much. He was also one of the first writers capable of crafting characters as teenagers without diminishing their depth.\”

The panel included stories about the audition process, with Anthony Michael Hall recalling how Hughes never even handed him a script. “John just called up and said, \’I want you to come in.\’ He didn\’t give me a script. He just asked me, \’What do you think about this? What do you think about that?\’\”

Early memories

Molly also shared her early memories of working with Hughes. “Originally, he was going to do The Breakfast Club before Sixteen Candles. But then he wrote Sixteen Candles, turned it into the studio, and they said, \’Oh, we want to do that one first.\’ So they put The Breakfast Club on hold.”

She disclosed that various actors were initially thought of for the parts, such as John and Joan Cusack. She mentioned, \”It was planned for John Cusack to portray Bender and Joan Cusack to be cast as Allison. But following \’Sixteen Candles,\’ he handed me the screenplay.\”

The movie turned out to be both critically acclaimed and commercially successful, grossing more than $50 million at the box office despite having only a $1 million budget. The collective of actors swiftly gained recognition as part of the so-called \”Brat Pack,\” a label created by the press for a cluster of youthful performers often featured in youth-focused movies.

During a different event earlier this year, Molly discussed her complex emotions regarding the \”Brat Pack\” tag. She explained, \”The term was derived from the Rat Pack. It sort of diminished our efforts. That’s how I perceived it.\”

Molly elaborated on her role as Hughes\’ inspiration, mentioning that he allegedly penned \”Sixteen Candles\” after coming across her photograph. She recalled, \”He shared this with me. There wasn’t much for me to relate to back then. By that age, I had actually been involved in more film projects than John, yet I was merely 15 years old. Life hadn’t offered me many experiences.\”

At first, it didn’t strike me as odd, but now it does,\” she confessed. \”I’ve always found it very flattering, yet when I look back, there definitely seemed to be something unusual about it.