In the annals of cinema history, The Breakfast Club, an influential movie by Universal Studios, marked its indelible footprint in February 1985. This groundbreaking film turned the tides for its young star cast, propelling actors Molly Ringwald, Ally Sheedy, Emilio Estevez, Anthony Michael Hall, and Judd Nelson into the spotlight. Known as ‘The Brat Pack,’ these performers gained recognition for their remarkable character portrayals of various high school archetypes who find themselves trapped in a weekend detention under the strict watch of a grumpy vice-principal, portrayed by Paul Gleason.
Thrust into the dizzying vortex of Hollywood fame, the lives of ‘The Brat Pack’ members became the chatter of the nation, with their romantic involvements making headlines, despite some of them being mere adolescents. As the 1980s rolled on, the composition of the ‘Brat Pack’ evolved, expanding to count Demi Moore, Rob Lowe, and Robert Downey Jr. among its ranks. Pooling their on-screen charisma, these actors teamed up in multiple other successful 1980s comedies like Weird Science, The Outsiders, and Pretty in Pink, to list a few.
As we commemorate the 40th anniversary of The Breakfast Club on Saturday, February 15, one cannot help but revisit the personal dramas and family dynamics of its Cast. When John Hughes unveiled The Breakfast Club, Molly Ringwald was already making waves in the film industry, thanks to her role in Hughes’ immensely popular romantic comedy Sixteen Candles (1984).
Interestingly, Ringwald, who was merely 16 during the production of The Breakfast Club, made media headlines for her romantic associations with Dweezil Zappa, son of music legend Frank Zappa, and rapper Ad-Rock of the Beastie Boys during the 80s. Later in her life, Ringwald tied the knot with a book editor, Panio Gianopoulos, in 2007, and the pair has since ushered three children into their family.
Ally Sheedy, another crucial member of the Brat Pack, was in her 20s when she depicted the high school outsider Allison Reynolds in The Breakfast Club. Sheedy had already made herself known in Hollywood with her stellar performance in the 1983 film WarGames, side by side with Matthew Broderick and Dabney Coleman.
In her off-screen life, Sheedy walked down the aisle with actor David Lansbury in 1992, and the couple welcomed their son Beckett two years later. However, their marital journey hit a roadblock in 2008 when they filed for divorce.
Emilio Estevez, another pivotal character of The Breakfast Club, hails from one of the most illustrious families in Hollywood as the son of The West Wing’s Martin Sheen and actress Janet Sheen and sibling of Charlie Sheen, Ramon Estevez, and Renée Estevez. Estevez’s personal life also sparked media interest when he embarked on a relationship with actress Mimi Rogers and then had an on-set fling with his co-star Demi Moore in St. Elmo’s Fire between 1984 and 1986.
Despite being engaged for a while, Estevez and Moore decided to split before they could exchange marital vows. Estevez then embarked on a relationship with winemaker Sonja Magdevski, to whom he remained engaged from 2006 to 2015.
Anthony Michael Hall, another intriguing persona from The Breakfast Club, admitted to having a short-lived romantic affair with Ringwald during their tenure on the film in 1984. Hall went on to marry Lucia Oskerova, an actress famous for her role in The Last Sharknado: It’s About Time, in 2020, and the couple added a member to their family in 2023 with the birth of their son, Michael Anthony Hall II.
Lastly, Judd Nelson of The Brat Pack fame was romantically linked to Shannen Doherty, star of Beverly Hills 90210, in 1993, although the relationship was short-lived. The actor was seen rallying for Doherty in the public eye during her courageous battle against stage 4 cancer.
Nelson, who was also romantically involved with former Playboy model Sheila Lussier between 2003 and 2005, marked himself as a unique figure among the Brat Pack members by avoiding participation in the various narratives concerning the group’s shared history, highs, and lows.