“He Wanted Us To Be Collaborators”: ‘The Breakfast Club’ Stars Recall What Separated John Hughes From Other Directors

The Brat Pack dominated the 1980s with their presence in coming-of-age films, yet one creative has always stood out as one of their favorite partners—John Hughes. Though the writer-director is a defining voice in comedy from the era, delivering classics like Planes, Trains and Automobiles, Home Alone, and National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, some of his best work has come with the young, fast-rising stars. Their defining achievement, The Breakfast Club, set a particularly high bar for teen movies, with Emilio Estevez, Molly Ringwald, Ally Sheedy, Judd Nelson, and Anthony Michael Hall coming together for a story all about overcoming differences to find understanding in each other. From the stars' experience, that inclusionary message was reflected in how Hughes treated them while shooting their big hit.