“Anthony Michael Hall Reveals How Vince Vaughn Helped Him Rebuild His Career After ’80s Success (Exclusive)”.Viet

Anthony Michael Hall Reflects on Career Struggles and How Vince Vaughn Helped Him Through a Low Point

After rising to fame in the 1980s with a string of John Hughes classics, Anthony Michael Hall is opening up about the challenges he faced in the following decade—and how Vince Vaughn’s words of encouragement helped him navigate a tough period in his career.

While promoting his latest role in Reacher season 3 on Prime Video, the 56-year-old actor shared with PEOPLE that despite early success in The Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles, Weird Science, and National Lampoon’s Vacation, his career hit a rough patch in the 1990s.

“I owe so much to those guys—John Hughes, Matty Simmons, and Harold Ramis. Those films are probably the most beloved of everything I’ve done,” Hall said. “But then, in my 20s, things got tough. I had made a big impact early on, and suddenly, getting work became really hard.”

During that challenging time, Hall recalled a chance encounter with Vince Vaughn in Las Vegas at the Hard Rock Hotel. “I looked up to Vince. I thought he was a great comedian, a great actor. And he said something really sweet to me. He told me, ‘Mike, don’t worry about it, man. You left an indelible mark, and it’ll come around again.’”

Hall admitted the moment was deeply moving. “It really choked me up because I needed to hear that. It was such an encouraging thing to say at that time.”

Reflecting on his early mentors, Hall described John Hughes, Matty Simmons, and Harold Ramis as the “Mount Rushmore” of his career, acknowledging their profound impact on his life. However, over the years, he lost touch with them, particularly Hughes, with whom he had a falling-out.

Hall revealed that Hughes originally wrote the role of Duckie in Pretty in Pink and even Ferris Bueller’s Day Off with him in mind. However, at the time, Hall turned them down, fearing he was being typecast. “I felt self-conscious about always playing the same kind of kid,” he explained.

Despite the rift, Hall looks back on Hughes with immense fondness. “He was like a big brother to me. I loved him, and he loved me. There’s still this intrinsic bond I feel to him, both personally and professionally, all these years later.”

Now, with over a hundred acting credits to his name, Hall is grateful for his journey. “Looking back, it’s amazing to reflect on it all,” he said. “I wouldn’t change a thing.”