Anthony Michael Hall Says Vince Vaughn Helped Him at a Low Point in His Career Following His '80s Hits (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

Anthony Michael Hall.Photo:Mark Binks

Mark Binks

However, while promoting his latest role on season 3 ofReacher, now on Prime, the 56-year-old star admits to PEOPLE that he hit a low point in his career — and it wasVince Vaughnwho helped him get through it.

After working with Hughes as well as Matty Simmons and filmmaker Harold Ramis, who produced and directedVacation, respectively, on those four back-to-back hits in the mid-’80s — which Hall calls a “sort of time capsule” now — he says that the ’90s weren’t as great for him.

From Left: Judd Nelson, Emilio Estevez, Ally Sheedy, Molly Ringwald and Anthony Michael Hall in 1985’s ‘The Breakfast Club’.Universal/Kobal/Shutterstock

Universal/Kobal/Shutterstock

“I owe it to those guys. Those are, obviously, probably the most beloved of all the films and things that I’ve done,” he says. “And then, it was interesting. I went through another period in my 20s, where it was really hard for me to get work ‘cause I made this kind of big impact.”

As Hall recalls, “I remember meeting Vince Vaughn back in the ’90s and I was struggling. We happened to both be in Vegas at the Hard Rock Hotel — and I looked up to Vince. I thought he was a great comedian, a great actor — and he said something really sweet to me. He goes, ‘Mike don’t worry about it, man. You left an indelible mark and, you know, it’ll come around again.’ "

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“It was great. It was really — I’m getting a little choked up thinking about it because it was really encouraging me at that time,” the actor continues. “It was really sweet.”

From Left: Anthony Michael Hall, Robert Rusler, Robert Downey Jr. and Ilan Mitchell-Smith in 1984’s ‘Weird Sciene’.Hulton Archive/Getty

Hulton Archive/Getty

With Hughes, in particular, the actor says that “there was sort of a rupture in our friendship that had to do with the fact that he had offered me” the Duckie role opposite Molly Ringwald in 1986’sPretty in Pink.

“He had writtenPretty in Pinkand wanted me to play that part. And then he actually had writtenFerris Buellerfor me,” Hall says, explaining that his reason for turning both movies down was “at this time I think I felt very self-conscious because I was on the precipice of being sort of typecast as this type of kid.”

But that fallout comes with some emotions now — and his memories are “tinged with a bit of sadness” — even though he still thinks fondly of Hughes. “He was such a beautiful guy. He took me under his wing. He just felt like a big brother. I loved him, he loved me,” Hall says. “I just love him so much and I miss him.”

“But the truth is, I feel this sort of intrinsic bond to him, you know, both personally and professionally all these years later. I have over a hundred credits or whatever the hell it is, and I’m just grateful for the whole journey,” he says now, adding, “It’s amazing when I reflect on all these things.”

source: people.com