Jon Cryer recently opened up about his brief romance with Demi Moore in the 1980s, revealing that he was completely unaware of her struggles with addiction at the time. The Two and a Half Men star, now 59, and the Ghost actress, 61, began dating while co-starring in the 1984 comedy No Small Affair. Cryer shared his reflections in an interview with PEOPLE, shedding light on a period that was both professionally and personally significant for both actors.
“We dated for a short time while we were working on No Small Affair, but I guess our particular affair was, in fact, pretty small,” Cryer said. “She was already struggling with a drug problem. One that I was blissfully unaware of until a couple of weeks before the movie ended.”
Moore’s battle with addiction was a well-kept secret during their relationship. In her 2019 memoir, Inside Out, Moore disclosed that she entered rehab at the insistence of St. Elmo’s Fire director Joel Schumacher before filming the 1985 movie. Despite her efforts, she relapsed and sought treatment again in 2012 for trauma, codependency, and substance abuse.
The Hulu documentary Brats, directed by Andrew McCarthy, delves into the lives of the Brat Pack actors, including Moore. In the documentary, Moore recalls the challenges she faced while filming St. Elmo’s Fire. “They said, ‘What’s more important to you, the movie or your life?’ And I said, ‘The movie! What are you talking about?’ I didn’t have any value for myself,” she admitted. The production team even paid for a sober companion to be with her 24/7 during the shoot.
Moore praised Schumacher for his unwavering support, saying, “He stuck his neck out for me when casting me in the film. They could have just found someone else because it’s not like I had any box-office draw. We were all just beginning. I didn’t have anything to really warrant him sticking by me.”
Reflecting on their time together, Cryer noted that Moore had an undeniable charisma and a better understanding of the Hollywood business than he did. “She was incredibly charismatic and had a much better grasp of the business than I did. She knew everyone in town, but we were both really nervous about being leads in a movie for the first time,” he said.
Cryer also mentioned that he never considered himself part of the Brat Pack, a group of young actors who became cultural icons in the 1980s. “I didn’t perceive myself as part of the ‘Brat Pack’ because I didn’t think I was one of the cool kids. And they were definitely the cool kids. I thought the two films that defined the group were The Breakfast Club and St. Elmo’s Fire, neither of which was I in,” he explained.
Moore, on the other hand, became a prominent member of the Brat Pack with her role in St. Elmo’s Fire. She continued to build her career with notable films like Ghost (1990), A Few Good Men (1992), and Indecent Proposal (1993). Cryer gained recognition for his portrayal of Duckie in Pretty in Pink (1986) alongside Molly Ringwald.
In her memoir, Moore also reflected on her relationship with Cryer, mentioning that she believed she was his first sexual partner—a claim Cryer later disputed. “Well, the good thing about this is she doesn’t have to feel bad about it anymore, because while I’m sure she was totally justified making that assumption based on my skill level (and the stunned look on my face at the time), I had actually lost my virginity in high school,” he tweeted. “But she’s right [about] the other part, I was over the moon for her during a very troubled time in her life. I have nothing but affection for her and not a regret in the world.”
Moore recently expressed her only regret about the Brats documentary was that she and her fellow Brat Pack alums weren’t able to reunite for the project. “I had such a great time sitting down and talking with [McCarthy]. I’m sad there wasn’t an opportunity where we were all sitting in a room together talking,” she told Entertainment Weekly. “That’s my only wish. It’s something very unique to all of us that we experienced.”
The Brats documentary premieres on June 13 on Hulu, offering a deeper look into the lives of the Brat Pack actors and their experiences in the 1980s. If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, please contact the SAMHSA helpline at 1-800-662-HELP.
