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Andrew McCarthy gets deep on how he grew to cherish the Brat Pack

By Connie Lee | Last updated Jun 14, 2024 3:13 PM ET

Besides wild hairdos and MTV, the 1980s also became defined by a group of talented young actors, better known as the Brat Pack. The Pack, which included stars like Rob Lowe, Demi Moore, Andrew McCarthy, and Emilio Estevez, was dubbed the name by writer David Blum and was anything but endearing. While their lives were impacted, McCarthy especially struggled with the label Blum had bestowed, deciding ultimately to separate himself from the group. But now, almost four decades later, he has come to terms with the past and is sharing his affection for his Brat Pack days in his new documentary.

McCarthy spoke to IndieWire ahead of the premiere of his documentary, Brats, and made it clear that this is not cliche nostalgia bait, but designed to provide insight into how the past has intertwined with his present and how experiences can change and become positive as we age and gain fresh perspectives. As he put it:

“How we relate to the experiences of our lives changes drastically over time. We’re convinced it’s one thing, and then later in life we can be convinced it’s entirely other. And that’s interesting to me.”

As his interview went on, it was explained that the St. Elmo’s Fire star would show this evolution by trekking around the U.S. and interviewing the other Brat Pack members to understand how their views might compare or differ from his. When he spoke on this, McCarthy specifically brought up Lowe and how seeing him again took him right back to his youth.

“You know, when Rob and I were young, we were not particularly friendly,” he said. “We were young and scared and competitive. Seeing him was the same experience that strangers on the street have when they come to me and their eyes light up and they go, ‘Oh my God, my youth.’ Rob walked in and I saw myself at 19 and I had a lot more affection for my own youth and my own mistakes, my foibles and fears.”

Adding to the fascination of this documentary, McCarthy emphasized that a major factor that helped him overcome his qualms was realizing that he was (and still is) someone that young audiences could connect with and relate to. Whether it was his lovesickness in Pretty in Pink or his struggling friendships in Less Than Zero, he was always part of story arcs that made youths feel seen and heard.

He said: “…over time I’ve grown to realize that I and other members of the Brat Pack are the avatars of youth for a generation. They look at us with such affection because they see their own youths and project their coming of age and what a wondrous time it is on to us. To realize what a gift that has been, that’s a long journey from hating this thing to embracing it…”

Brats can be streamed on Hulu now. For fans who want to take a trip down memory lane before diving into the documentary with a few of McCarthy’s past hits, Pretty in Pink and St. Elmo’s Fire can both be watched on Pluto TV.

Connie Lee

Connie Lee is a professional writer based in Southern California with over five years of experience covering celebrities, movies, TV, books, games, and more. Her news updates, reviews, and features have appeared at a number of online outlets, including Game Rant, Cinemablend, PopMatters, and Film Focus Online. She also writes a regular newsletter called Alls Well When Read (and Watched)

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