After four decades, a significant portion of the beloved cast from “The Breakfast Club,” a cornerstone film of the 1980s, reunited in Chicago for the first time. The gathering took place at C2E2, a popular pop culture event.
Molly Ringwald, Ally Sheedy, Judd Nelson, Anthony Michael Hall, and Emilio Estevez – who previously missed earlier reunions – graced the stage to reminisce about their experiences creating the iconic coming-of-age story. The film famously depicts five high school students from disparate social circles forced together during a Saturday detention.
“I feel really very emotional and moved to have us all together,” Ringwald, portraying Claire Standish in the movie, expressed to the audience, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Estevez’s inclusion marked a particularly poignant moment. “We don’t have to use the cardboard cutout anymore because he’s here,” Ringwald remarked with emotion. Estevez, who embodied the role of star athlete Andrew Clark, admitted his motivation for joining was deeply personal: “Something that finally I felt I needed to do just for myself.”
He continued, “This one felt special, it’s here in Chicago where we made the film. It’s obviously the 40th anniversary, and it just felt like it was time.” Estevez revealed he was initially hurt by a rumor that he didn’t enjoy working with the rest of the cast, clarifying, “No, of course I love all of them.”
The group’s reunion completed a circle started years ago. Nelson, who played the rebellious John Bender, stated, “I always felt in a weird way that the work was half done…that at some point we would all get back together.”
He elaborated on the influence of the film’s late creator, John Hughes:
“So his passing was profound for me, because it’s like the work will always be in a circle leaning one direction. What we needed was the one to counterbalance it, because Hughes explained to us the differences between the young and old.”
Nelson concluded with a reflection on Hughes’ enduring message, “Now is the time for him to show us where we meet in the end, because we’re all older now, but we’re not going to get that, which is sad. But in a way, Hughes has been telling us, ‘Think for yourself.’”
The reunion generated enthusiastic responses across social media:
- “Love seeing this, great movie!” one fan posted.
- Another commented, “Fantastic. Great for fans but I hope they enjoyed getting back together and recognizing what an impact that movie had / has on so many.”
Recently, Ringwald shared her reflections on “The Breakfast Club” after watching it with her daughter. While she expressed affection for the film, she also acknowledged aspects that haven’t aged well.
“There is a lot that I really love about the movie, but there are elements that haven’t aged well – like Judd Nelson’s character, John Bender, who essentially sexually harasses my character,” Ringwald noted. She added optimistically, “I’m glad we’re able to look at that and say things are truly different now.”
