The Breakfast Club Acting Review

            John Wilden Hughes Jr. was born on February 18, 1950 and died on August 6, 2009 who is a film director, producer, and screenwriter. During the 1980’s and 1990’s he has directed and scripted some of the most successful films. Besides The Breakfast Club, he has directed “National Lampoon’s Vacation” (1983), “Sixteen Candles” (1984) which also starred Molly Ringwald and Anthony Michael Hall, “Weird Science” (1985), “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” (1986), and “Pretty In Pink” (1986) also starring Molly Ringwald. The casting director of The Breakfast Club is Jackie Burch who is also the casting director for “Sixteen Candles” too. A casting director’s job is to negotiate fees and contracts for the actors and act as a liaison between the director, actors, and their agents.

            Emilio Estevez born May 12, 1962, is an actor, director, screenwriter, producer, and vintner. His first role was in a drama that was produced by the Catholic Paulist Order. Shortly after that, he made his stage debut along with his dad Martin Sheen, in the play Mister Roberts. During the 1980’s Emilio got much attention. He was a member of the “Brat Pack” which included him, and fellow actors and actresses of The Breakfast Club: Anthony Michael Hall, Judd Nelson, Molly Ringwald, and Ally Sheedy. As well as Rob Lowe, Andrew McCarthy, and Demi More. Emilio is said to have been the leader of the “Brat Pack.” The name “Brat Pack” is a name given to a group of teenagers who have starred together in the 1980’s teen, coming of age movies. The two most notable films including the “Brat Pack” are The Breakfast Club and “St. Elmo’s Fire.” Emilio played Andrew Clarke the “athlete.” Throughout his years of the “Brat Pack” Emilio starred in more movies, including “The Outsider” as Keith “Two – Bit” Matthews, “Repo Man” as Otto Maddox, “The Mighty Ducks” as well as it’s sequels as Gordon Bombay. After that as an adult in 1990, Emilio directed, wrote, and starred in a TV show along with his brother Charlie, “Men at Work”, a comedy about garbage men. Besides acting his directorial debut was with the film “Wisdom” which made him the youngest person ever to write, direct, and star in a movie.

            Paul Xavier Gleason born on May 4, 1939 and died on May 27, 2003 is a film and television actor. Paul is known for his roles on TV shows such as “All My Children” as Dr. David Thornton, and movies including The Breakfast Club as Principal Richard Vernon, “Trading Places” as Clerance Beeks, and “Diehard” as Dwayne T. Robinson. At the young age of 16, Paul ran away from home and hitchhiked all the way to the East Coast sleeping on benches and playing baseball as he went. He signed a professional baseball contract with the Cleveland Indians and played for two seasons (1959 – 1960). During his last season in 1960, a trip to the West Coast landed him an introduction with Ozzie Nelson and eventually a guest appearance on his show, “Ozzie and Homer”, thus leading to Paul’s acting career. After this he then moved to New York City and eventually joined The Actors Club Studio where he studied for four years and then moved to Los Angeles. Paul’s final appearance before his death is in independent film called “The Boat of Caleb,” where he plays James Paddington. Paul died of Pleural Mesothelioma, a form of lung cancer from asbestos. He’s thought to have gotten exposure to asbestos from when he would work on building sites as a teenager with his father.

            Michael Anthony Thomas Hall who is known professionally as Anthony Michael Hall was born on April 14, 1968. He began his acting career in commercials and on stage as a child. His screen debut was in 1980 in “The Gold Bug” which he played the young Edgar Allan Poe. He first gained notice in the 1982 film “Six Pack.” Anthony’s breakout role was as “Farmer Ted” in “Sixteen Candles” (1984). Which also stars Molly Ringwald. When Anthony was 16, he was cast as Brian Johnson the “Brain” in John Hughes’ film The Breakfast Club. Hughes states that ‘the 16 year old – actor and Ringwald were the movie “standout performers”.” In order for him not to be type casted or repeatedly playing the same role in movies, he turned down the role John Hughes had for him “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” and “Pretty in Pink.” Instead of those films he starred in the film “Out Of Bounds.” He had a two year hiatus from 1988 – 1989 due to a drinking problem. He came back in 1990 sober and got a role starring alongside Johnny Depp and Winona Ryder in Tim Burton’s film “Edward Scissorhands” where he plays a villain. After this he then got into more mature roles.

            John Kapelos born March 8, 1956 is a Canadian actor. He is best known as Carl Reed the janitor in The Breakfast Club, and Det. Donald Schanke in “Forever Knight.” John is an alumni of The Second City Chicago, where he did theatrical work for eight years from 1978- 1982. Besides The Breakfast Club, he also stars in “Sixteen Candles”, and “Weird Science” where he gained fame in 1980’s as a character actor. He guest teaches improv/acting workshops at the AIA (Actor’s Studio in Burbank, California), has produced a four part YouTube series called “Greek To Me”, and manages an independent label “Carpuzi Records.”

            Judd Asher Nelson born November 28, 1959, is an actor, screenwriter, and producer. He’s known as John Bender the “criminal” in The Breakfast Club, Alec Newbary in “St. Elmo’s Fire”, Hot Rod and Optimus Prime in “Transformers: The Movie” and “Transformers Animated”, Nick Peretti in “New Jack City”, Billy Berreti in “Empire”, and Jack Richmond in “Suddenly Susan.” He attended Haverford College but left during his sophomore year to study acting with Stella Adler in Manhattan. He stars in “Making the Grade” as Eddie Keaton, and “Fandago” as Phil Hicks. But it wasn’t until The Breakfast Club that made him a star as he was a member of the “Brat Pack.” Judd is mentioned in the 1980’s because of his acting in The Breakfast Club and “St. Elmo’s Fire.” Nicolas Cage and John Cusack were almost casted as John Bender, but ultimately it was given to Judd Nelson.

            Molly Kathleen Ringwald born February 18, 1968, is an actress, singer, dancer, and author. Her very first role was in “The Facts of Life” as Molly Parker from 1979 – 1980. Her major motion picture debut was in “Tempest” (1982) as Miranda Dimitrus. After she had appeared in many of John Hughes’s films, “Sixteen Candles” as Samantha “Sam” Baker, The Breakfast Club as Claire Standish the “princess”, and “Pretty in Pink” as Andie Walsh she became a teen icon. At the age of 5, she appeared in a stage production of “Alice Looking through the Glass” at Dormouse. The following year she recorded “I Wanna Be Loved by You” with her father and his group, The Fulton Street and Jazz Band. Her breakout role was in “Sixteen Candles.” After The Breakfast Club her acting as Andie in “Pretty in Pink” became one of her most recognizable roles. She has written two books; “Getting the Pretty Back: Friendship, Family, and Finding the Perfect Lipstick” and “When It Happens to You: A Novel in Stories.”

            Alexandra Elizabeth “Ally” Sheedy born on June 13, 1962 is a film and stage actress as well as an author. Her film debut is in the movie “Bad Boys” as J.C Walenski. Thanks to her roles in The Breakfast Club as Allison Reynolds the “basket case” and “St. Elmo’s Fire” as Leslie Hunter she became a member of the “Brat Pack.” She’s known for her roles in “War Games” as Jennifer Mack, “Short Circuit” as Emily Speck, and “High Art” as Lucy Berliner. She gave up her career as a dancer to become a full time actress. At the young age of 12 she wrote a book called “She Was Nice to Mice” and it was published by McGraw Hill and became a best seller. During the 1980’s is when she was most active. Throughout the 1990’s she appeared in television films.

            Emilio Estevez, Anthony Michael Hall, Judd Nelson, Molly Ringwald, and Ally Sheedy were all amateurs and popular stars. Thanks to John Hughes and being members of the “Brat Pack” they became popular throughout the 1980’s. Paul Gleason and John Kapelos are the two oldest stars, but they had a little bit more experience than the “Brat Pack” members did. The actors and actresses are treated as camera material. The editing isn’t too manipulative, everything seems normal and natural, there’s no CGI (Computer Generated Images) or anything like that. The actors and actresses cite their dialogue without too many cuts. The Breakfast Club definitely has an ensemble cast, it wasn’t focused on just one person, it was focused on the five kids in detention. Though some do consider Emilio Estevez as the main character of the five kids. Judd Nelson and Molly Ringwald’s iconography are the same throughout the movies they star in. Molly is usually as the innocent girl, and Judd is usually cast as the bad guy. To me, the actors and actresses were cast for The Breakfast Club were perfect, they each portrayed their roles very well. The values that Molly Ringwald’s character Claire has is that she is a popular girl that is a virgin. Judd Nelson’s character is the criminal, bad guy with an attitude. Throughout the filming of The Breakfast Club, Judd actually stayed in character and messed with the cast even when they weren’t filming. John Hughes became disappointed with Judd because he kept bothering everyone off camera and was almost fired, but the others actors and actresses had to convince him not to fire Judd. Emilio Estevez originally had auditioned for the role of John Bender but got the role of Andrew Clarke instead because Hughes didn’t have anyone to play Andrew Clarke. Before Judd Nelson had the role of John Bender it was tied down to him and John Cusack, Judd won because John didn’t look “threatening” enough. Their cultural values work well with the movies they are in because they portray similar roles in other movies they have acted in. The acting of all of the characters is very realistic, your typical stereotyped high school students. Those actors and actresses were cast because they fit the role of their characters very well. In my opinion, their personalities is what enhances their characters.