Summary
TheBratsdocumentary on Hulu explores the impact of the"Brat Pack"label on young actors in the 1980s, particularly the ones who agreed to be part of the documentary. The actors starred in the quintessential1980s Brat Pack moviesthat centered on the experiences of young people and defined their times.TheBratsdocumentary comes from the mind of director and official Brat Pack member Andrew McCarthy, fromSt. Elmo’s Fire(1985) andPretty in Pink(1986). He explores the label’s lasting effect in interviews with his fellow Brat Pack members nearly four decades after aNew York Magazinearticle coined the term.
The1980s Brat Pack actors and their moviesushered in a new era for Hollywood that saw young people centered on the big screen. NotableBrat Pack members were Andrew McCarthy, Demi Moore, Emilio Estevez, Robe Lowe, Molly Ringwald, Ally Sheedy, and Judd Nelson.Hulu’sBratsdocumentary revealedthat every group member reacted negatively to the article - at least at first. They all felt that the label was unnecessarily negative and took offense to its reductiveness. But while allthe Brat Pack members hated the label, it affected each of them differently, driving that narrative forBrats.
Tex, The Outsiders, The Breakfast Club, St. Elmo’s Fire
Ally Sheedy
Bad Boys, WarGames, Oxford Blues, The Breakfast Club, St. Elmo’s Fire
St. Elmo’s Fire, About Last Night, Wisdom
Rob Lowe
The Outsiders, Class, Oxford Blues, St. Elmo’s Fire, Youngblood, About Last Night
Andrew McCarthy
July 28, 2025
Andrew McCarthy was deeply impacted by the label given to him and other actors from the 1980s. In his interview with fellow Brat Pack member Demi Moore inBrats,McCarthy likens seeing the article for the first time to someone stabbing him in the backbetween his shoulder blades. McCarthy’sBratsdocumentary featured interview clips of himself from the ’80s after theNew York Magazinearticle came out. He is clearly upset by the label, encouraging the interviewers and those listening to understand that people were too quick to clump the actors together, and he thinks they’re all very different.
McCarthy’s processing of how the label made him feel and how it affected his career is at the heart of theBratsdocumentary. Some ofAndrew McCarthy’s best movieswere his Brat Pack roles. While McCarthy continued to act after the article came out, he felt that it affected how people perceived him. Moreover,throughout the documentary, he realizes how he let the label affect himjust as much as anyone else. Andrew said that he took on a closed-off and defensive quality and realized that it didn’t feed his career moving forward.
1983
1985
1986
Emilio Estevez
June 13, 2025
Emilio Estevez was also profoundly affected by the article. He tells Andrew McCarthy in theBratsdocumentary thatafter the article came out, he wanted to distance himself as much as possible from the Brat Pack. He recalls that the actors didn’t makeYoung Men With Unlimited Capital, a movie they were supposed to make together because he didn’t want to be associated with the Brat Pack. It was a shame as Estevez recalls that it was one of the best scripts he had read in a long time. McCarthy and Estevez have a touching moment in the interview about the missed opportunity.
Estevez has memorable roles before and after theNew York Magazinearticle cheapened his Hollywood status, including his role inThe Mighty Ducks(1992). That said, the actor took on smaller roles as time passed, making people wonder whathappened to Emilio Estevez. He explains to McCarthy in the documentary thathe turns down any opportunity to dredge up his pastbut reveals that he agreed to talk to Andrew because he called him. The actors reckon with their past together, accepting that the past only has as much power over their futures as they give it.
1982
June 17, 2025
Sheedy was in two quintessential Brat Pack films:The Breakfast ClubandSt. Elmo’s Fire.She shared McCarthy’s feeling that the piece affected her career, and they connected deeply over their experiences navigating their careers after it came out. It’s clear from the looks on Sheedy and McCarthy’s faces that they were both hurt by the article and felt the effects of that pain in the present. They also have positive memories of their time in the Brat Pack that endure, like when Sheedy drove Andrew back to his hotel.
Andrew McCarthy contacted Sheedy’sThe Breakfast Clubco-stars and fellow Brat Pack members Molly Ringwald and Judd Nelson to be interviewed for theBratsdocumentary, but they declined.
It’s covered in the interview clips inBratsthat Sheedy was affected by the articlethen, as she is now.Sheedy’s last Brat Pack film wasBetsy’s Weddingin 1990, and after that, she continued acting but didn’t have the same caliber of projects or roles as when she was working with the other members of the Brat Pack; she has done many smaller projects and has a strong presence on television. While she felt hurt about the article, she was willing to open up to McCarthy and benefit from their shared experience.
1984
1990
Demi Moore
July 09, 2025
Demi Moore had many significant roles in the Brat Pack era of movies, but her career excelled far beyond thatafter the article came out. While she initially felt like the rug had been pulled out from under her when the article came out, Moore had seemingly long ago come to terms with the reality that the article only had as much power over her career as she gave it. The actor became the most highly-paid actress of the 1990s, with many ofDemi Moore’s best moviesall happening long after the Brat Pack had disbanded.
Moore speaks with enlightened clarity when discussing the fallout of theNew York Magazinearticle with McCarthy, allowing him to see that his reaction to the article limited his expression
After the Brat Pack,Moore starred inGhost(1990) alongside Patrick Swayze. She was also inA Few Good Men(1992),Indecent Proposal(1993),Disclosure(1994),Striptease(1996), andG.I. Jane(1997). Moore’s robust acting career in the ’90s was a product of her outlook on the article and life in general. Moore speaks with enlightened clarity when discussing the fallout of theNew York Magazinearticle with McCarthy, allowing him to see that his reaction to the article limited his expression in his acting career. Her learned ability to cope with challenges certainly played a role in her success.
July 08, 2025
Rob Lowe is also an essential member of the Brat Pack and was interviewed forBratsafter a few attempts at a reunion fell through. It’s evident from Lowe’s presence in popular culture thatthe Brat Pack label did not define Lowe the way it defined some of the other actors. His Brat Pack roles only compromise some ofRob Lowe’s best movie and TV roles. Rob Lowe has been near the center of Hollywood since theNew York Magazinearticle came out, and his positive outlook on the situation indeed had a role in his differentiating himself.
In the 1990s, Rob Lowe was in films likeWayne’s WorldandTommy Boy,which positioned him at the center of the 1990s zeitgeist. In the last two decades, he has been on TV series likeThe West Wing,Californication,andParks and Recreation.Lowe is recognized just as much, if not more so, for his work that came out in the 40 years after the article. He was able to successfully distance himself from the Brat Pack label and distinguish himself as more. While not downplaying the effects of the article, Rob Lowe moved beyond the label and quickly embraced the positives of it instead of dwelling on the negatives.
Danny
John Cryer, Lea Thompson, and Tim Hutton were also interviewed as part of theBratsdocumentary, but they aren’t defined as official members of the Brat Pack.
Brats
Cast
Brats offers an in-depth look at the lives of military children, capturing the complexities of growing up on the move. Through heartfelt interviews and vivid storytelling, the documentary highlights the resilience and adaptability required to navigate frequent relocations.
