Andrew McCarthy Reunites with Fellow Brat Packers in New Documentary
One of the members of the “Brat Pack” is behind a new documentary about the actors who were given the label in the ’80s. Pretty in Pink and St. Elmo’s Fire star Andrew McCarthy wrote and directed the feature-length project, aptly titled Brats.
The documentary—which is said to be a “potent mix of Hollywood fascination, movie history and deeply personal revelations”—reunited McCarthy with fellow Brat Packers, including Rob Lowe and Demi Moore, whom he hadn’t seen in years.
Described as an “entertaining, intimate and evocative film,” Brats will reveal how the “Brat Pack” nickname caused a “frenzy and impacted” members both personally and professionally, according to a press release.
“The Brat Pack has cast a long shadow over my life and career,” McCarthy said in a statement. “After all these years, I was curious to see how it had affected my fellow Brat Pack members. What I found was surprising—and liberating.”
From the release date to how to watch, here is everything to know about the Brats documentary.
When does the Brats documentary come out?
As of Jan. 18, the documentary is in post-production and slated to debut later this year.
How to watch the Brats documentary
Brats, produced by Neon and Network Entertainment for ABC News Studios, will stream on Hulu.
What is the Brats documentary about?
According to a press release, the documentary will look “at the iconic films of the 1980s that shaped a generation and the narrative that took hold when their young stars were branded the ‘Brat Pack.'”
It will also explore “the cultural phenomenon” of movies like St. Elmo’s Fire and The Breakfast Club “that tapped into teenage angst and connected with young audiences in a way that had never been done before.”
Who will be in the Brats documentary?
McCarthy met up with Rob Lowe, Demi Moore, Ally Sheedy, Emilio Estevez, Jon Cryer, Lea Thompson and Timothy Hutton for the documentary, as well as with directors, casting directors, screenwriters and producers.
In 2023, McCarthy shared pictures of himself catching up with his St. Elmo’s Fire co-stars Moore and Lowe. “So great to see (for the first time in years and years) my St. Elmo’s Fire co-star, the wondrous Demi Moore, and catch up for my Brat Pack documentary,” he captioned a photo with Moore.
Meanwhile, alongside a photo with Lowe, McCarthy wrote, “Rob Lowe was the first actor I met in Hollywood. We did a movie called CLASS back in 1982, then we did ST. ELMO’S FIRE. Then we didn’t see each other for 30 years, until getting together recently to chat for my upcoming BRAT PACK documentary. Felt like yesterday.”
In the documentary, the director and Brat Packer also sat down for a conversation with David Blum, who coined the label “Brat Pack” in a 1985 issue of New York Magazine
What is the “Brat Pack”?
“Brat Pack” is a nickname that was given to a group of young stars in the ’80s. In the New York Magazine article, Blum wrote that Hollywood’s “Brat Pack” is “to the 1980s what the Rat Pack was to the 1960s—a roving band of famous young stars on the prowl for parties, women, and a good time. And just like Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Peter Lawford, and Sammy Davis Jr., these guys work together, too—they’ve carried their friendships over from life into the movies” and acted “together whenever possible.”
The 1985 issue of the magazine featured St. Elmo’s Fire stars Lowe, Estevez—whom Blum dubbed the “unofficial president of the Brat Pack”—and Judd Nelson on the cover. According to Blum, Taps was the first of the Brat Pack movies. The filmography also included The Outsiders, Rumble Fish, The Breakfast Club and St. Elmo’s Fire.
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