Molly Ringwald, a prominent figure of the Brat Pack era, is notably absent from Andrew McCarthy’s new Hulu documentary “Brats.” Alongside her, Judd Nelson, her co-star from “The Breakfast Club,” also declined to participate in the documentary. McCarthy, who directed the film, shared this information with “Entertainment Tonight.”
McCarthy explained that while Ringwald and Nelson did not sit for new interviews, they are still present in the documentary through archival footage and past interviews. “They both are in the film in a sense that there’s a lot of clips and interviews and things,” McCarthy said. He emphasized that the Brat Pack remains an ongoing relationship, with members at different stages in their lives, influencing their willingness to revisit the past.
Despite their absence from new interviews, Ringwald and Nelson do appear in the film through old footage. Nelson even makes a brief appearance via a phone call to McCarthy at the documentary’s conclusion. Meanwhile, other Brat Pack members like Demi Moore, Rob Lowe, Emilio Estevez, Ally Sheedy, and Jon Cryer joined McCarthy to discuss the lasting impact of their era.
McCarthy expressed surprise at the number of people willing to participate in the documentary. “I thought the biggest challenge would be to get people to participate,” he admitted. The term “Brat Pack” was coined by New York reporter David Blum in a 1985 cover story, likening the group to the Rat Pack of the 1950s and 1960s.
In the documentary, McCarthy reflects on how the Brat Pack label significantly affected his life. Estevez echoed this sentiment, noting that the label made it difficult for the actors to work together again. “We were kryptonite to each other,” Estevez remarked.
While the Brat Pack label suggested a lack of seriousness about their craft, Moore and Lowe seemed to have moved past it more easily. Moore viewed the experiences as happening for them, not to them, while Lowe fondly reminisced about the era.
The documentary is rich with anecdotes about the actors’ early careers. Moore revealed her struggles with addiction during the filming of “St. Elmo’s Fire,” while McCarthy confessed to having a crush on Sheedy. McCarthy and Lowe also recalled a memorable night at Sammy Davis Jr.’s house, facilitated by Liza Minnelli.
McCarthy also addressed the peculiar state of his hair in the final scene of “Pretty in Pink,” revealing it was a wig. Test audiences disliked the original ending, prompting a reshoot after McCarthy had shaved his head for another role.
Despite their absence, Ringwald and Nelson’s presence is felt throughout the documentary. When Jon Cryer asked McCarthy if he had spoken to Ringwald, McCarthy replied that she preferred to keep moving forward. McCarthy also mentioned that he had plans to meet Nelson in Los Angeles, but Nelson was unavailable at the time.
In the end, McCarthy managed to gather a mix of Brat Pack and Brat-adjacent stars to reflect on their rise to fame and the impact of the Brat Pack label. Moore expressed regret that the interviews were conducted individually rather than as a group, wishing for a collective conversation.
“Brats” is now available for streaming on Hulu, offering a deep dive into the lives and careers of the Brat Pack members, even if some key figures chose not to participate directly.
