The Brat Pack refers to a group of young actors who rose to fame in the 1980s, primarily through their roles in teen-oriented coming-of-age films such as The Breakfast Club and St. Elmo’s Fire. The term was coined by New York magazine journalist David Blum in a 1985 cover story titled “Hollywood’s Brat Pack,” drawing a parallel to the 1960s Rat Pack and highlighting the actors’ off-screen partying and camaraderie.
Core Members
The most commonly recognized members of the Brat Pack are those who appeared in either The Breakfast Club or St. Elmo’s Fire , both released in 1985. These core members include:
- Emilio Estevez , often referred to as the “unofficial president” of the group, who starred in both The Breakfast Club and St. Elmo’s Fire.
- Rob Lowe , known for his roles in The Outsiders , St. Elmo’s Fire , and The Breakfast Club.
- Andrew McCarthy , who appeared in St. Elmo’s Fire and Pretty in Pink , and later directed the 2024 documentary Brats about the group.
- Demi Moore , who gained prominence in St. Elmo’s Fire and was romantically linked with Estevez during the era.
- Judd Nelson , famous for his role as the rebellious John Bender in The Breakfast Club.
- Molly Ringwald , a central figure in John Hughes films such as Sixteen Candles , The Breakfast Club , and Pretty in Pink.
- Ally Sheedy , known as the “basket case” in The Breakfast Club and for her role in St. Elmo’s Fire.
- Anthony Michael Hall , who played the “brain” in The Breakfast Club and appeared in other Hughes films like Sixteen Candles.
Other Associated Actors
While not always considered core members, several other actors were mentioned in the original article or associated with the group due to similar film roles or social circles. These include Tom Cruise , Sean Penn , Kevin Bacon , Matthew Broderick , Nicolas Cage , and Robert Downey Jr..
The label was initially used pejoratively to critique the actors’ perceived entitlement and lifestyle, but it has since become a nostalgic cultural reference to a defining era in American cinema [
