John Cusack Sets the Record Straight on Breakfast Club Role
This week, John Cusack addressed ongoing speculation about whether he was ever offered the role of John Bender in John Hughes’ iconic film, “The Breakfast Club.” In a conversation on Josh Horowitz’s “Happy Sad Confused” podcast, he stated, “No, I think there was one time at one point where I think he thought he wanted me to do it, and I think I would have done it. I thought it was a cool script, but it didn’t go that way.”
Ultimately, Judd Nelson took on the character of Bender, joining a well-known cast that included Anthony Michael Hall, Molly Ringwald, Ally Sheedy, and Emilio Estevez.
Interestingly, Cusack wasn’t entirely absent from Hughes’ universe. He acted in the 1984 film “Sixteen Candles,” where he played Bryce, alongside Ringwald and Hall. Reflecting on his teenage fame, he mentioned a bit of luck on his side, largely thanks to a grounded upbringing. “I hadn’t done anything, so I was never going to buy the hype or anything,” he explained. Cusack added that his primary goal was to collaborate with talented people and work on great projects.
His father, Dick Cusack, who was also an actor, frequently imparted wisdom, reminding John that “to be a celebrity is death for an artist.” This sentiment resonated with John, who admitted he didn’t take his teenage idol status too seriously.
Even in his early roles, like in “Sixteen Candles,” Cusack went on to build an impressive resume that included films like “Stand By Me,” “Con Air,” “Grosse Pointe Blank,” “The Thin Red Line,” “Being John Malkovich,” “High Fidelity,” and “2012.”
In a more reflective moment, Cusack expressed some disappointment about current trends in American cinema. While he acknowledged that there are still many wonderful films being produced worldwide, he feels that the U.S. film industry has become somewhat “flat.” He recalled his experience working on “Say Anything” back in 1989 alongside a producer whose priorities were deeply rooted in artistic integrity, contrasting it with the current emphasis on profit and marketability.
