The official trailer for “Brats,” a documentary by actor Andrew McCarthy about the famous “Brat Pack” collective in the 1980s, dropped Wednesday. The nearly two-and-a-half-minute clip sees McCarthy reconnect with his former co-stars, including Emilio Estevez and Demi Moore, to discuss the infamous moniker given to them as young actors.
A 1985 New York Magazine article coined the term “Brat Pack” as a riff on Frank Sinatra’s “Rat Pack.” It was used to refer to McCarthy and his peers – Estevez, Moore, Rob Lowe, Judd Nelson, Molly Ringwald, Ally Sheedy, and others – who starred in coming-of-age films such as “Sixteen Candles,” “The Breakfast Club,” and “St. Elmo’s Fire.”
“I just remember seeing that cover and thinking, ‘Oh,’ ” McCarthy says in the trailer, adding an expletive. “From then on, my career and the career of everyone who was involved was branded to the Brat Pack.”
McCarthy and his fellow Brat Packers go on to share their disdain for the label in the clip, with Estevez confessing to McCarthy that he previously avoided opportunities to discuss the Brat Pack publicly.
“I turned everything down,” Estevez says. But “It was time that we clear the air on a couple things.”
The documentary, produced by ABC News Studios, is set to stream June 13 on Hulu.
Watch the ‘Brats’ Trailer
Why Andrew McCarthy Says He ‘Lost Control’ with Brat Pack Label
During the Television Critics Association Press Tour in February, McCarthy reflected on the impact the Brat Pack moniker had on him and his peers.
“To the outside world, to that generation, you wanted to be us,” McCarthy said. “For us, it just wasn’t that way. One of the things I explore in the film is (the disconnect between) what was projected on us by society and what we feel on the inside. … We often felt isolated and alone and not seen. All of us in life want to be seen.”
He added: “When the ‘Brat Pack’ term happened, I felt like I lost control of the narrative.”
Although some of his former colleagues declined to participate in “Brats,” including Ringwald and Nelson, McCarthy said the making of the film allowed him to renew friendships from his young adulthood.
“I’m personally texting with Rob all the time,” McCarthy said. “I just texted Demi the other day … It was nice to be back in touch with these people I haven’t seen in so long. And just to bring up my past into my present.”
Wrapping Up
Andrew McCarthy’s documentary “Brats” provides an in-depth look at the Brat Pack era and its lasting impact on the actors involved. As McCarthy reconnects with his former co-stars, viewers can expect an honest and reflective exploration of fame, identity, and friendship. “Brats” will be available for streaming on Hulu starting June 13.
