Andrew McCarthy of the Brat Pack shares his thoughts on the 'club' 30 years later: "We all hated it."

"Don’t you forget about me."

The lyrics of Simple Minds' hit song "The Breakfast Club" from 1985 are more relevant today as the members of the Brat Pack have come together for a trip down memory lane to reflect on their achievements during the 1980s.

Andrew McCarthy, 61, who directed the new Hulu documentary "Brats," admitted that he and his fellow actors didn't always appreciate the term coined by a journalist at the time.

"McCarthy shared with Good Morning America this week that the initial reaction to the event was intense. "Being labeled a brat as a child is something we all hated," he said. "As kids, we don't want to be seen as selfish or uncooperative, so being called a brat is particularly hurtful. This experience had a significant impact on our lives, and we felt it affected us in various ways.""

He stated, "I want to know everyone's relationship with this iconic, affectionate term."

McCarthy emphasized that being a member of the Brat Pack was akin to having a romantic connection.

Every day, he hears it following him, he said.

While the public embraced the term, the industry was not fond of it, according to McCarthy's statement to People magazine.

"The business reacted negatively to the public's embrace of us, despite our professionalism."

McCarthy revealed to GMA that he had the idea to reconnect with his old friends, whom he hadn't seen in 30 years. The moment was significant in their lives and they had never discussed it before, so McCarthy wanted to know what everyone thought about it.

Although he initially disliked the nickname, some members of the group now hold a different perspective after all these years.

"As you age, you view your past with a new perspective and say, "That was truly beautiful.""

In 30 years, McCarthy stated that he hadn't seen some members of the Brat Pack.

"I hug Rob [Lowe] when he walks into the room, and he asks how long it's been since we last saw each other, which I estimate to be around 30 years."

Since the premiere night of "St. Elmo's Fire," he hasn't seen Emilio Estevez.

In 1985, David Blum of New York Magazine used the term "Brat Pack" to describe teen stars, drawing a comparison to the notorious Rat Pack.

Teen angst was defined by the generation that grew up in the 1980s, through movies such as "St. Elmo's Fire," "The Breakfast Club," "About Last Night…," "Sixteen Candles," and "Pretty in Pink."

The Brat Pack, which includes actors such as McCarthy, Moore, Lowe, Sheedy, Nelson, Hall, Estevez, and Cryer, among others, has been a group of young actors who rose to fame in the 1980s. However, the exact members of the group have not always been clear.

Earlier this year, Us Weekly reported that Nelson stated he had no desire to reminisce with the others.

"The 64-year-old stated in March that he doesn't know who is in the Brat Pack and politely declined a request to be included in the documentary. He questioned the need to revive something that wasn't enjoyable and wondered how they could be experts on something that didn't truly exist."

He remarked, "It's odd that such a topic would be the subject of edited entertainment. Although he's a kind person, I hadn't seen him in 35 years. And it's not like I'll greet him with enthusiasm. No, man."

Molly Ringwald, the star of "Sixteen Candles," opted out of the documentary.

McCarthy told US Weekly that she said she'd think about it and that was the end of it.

He said Ringwald would have been a great addition to the film.

"The Brat Pack is like an octopus with long tentacles that can be embraced or something else. People are at different stages in their lives."

In a 2016 interview with Planet Chronicle Digital, Ringwald stated that she wasn't a big fan of the term "Brat Pack" and found it objectifying.

She objected to being categorized as a Brat Packer because they were often viewed as a homogenous group.

In 1994, on "Late Night with Conan O'Brien," Ringwald stated that all individuals who appeared in those films were inducted into the Brat Pack.

"Although we watched a few movies together, I didn't have much interaction with those individuals because I was younger at the time. For instance, when I participated in "Breakfast Club," I was only 15 and 16 years old, while they were already in their 20s. As a result, I was significantly younger and would spend my time attending school while they went out drinking and engaging in reckless behavior."

McCarthy joked to Us Weekly that Judd was in an undisclosed location, but they had spoken.

In September 2022, Anthony Michael Hall revealed to Planet Chronicle Digital that he did not expect the fame that came with being part of the Brat Pack. He stated that becoming famous so quickly at 15 was difficult and required some adjustment.

"Being recognized as an adult can be uncomfortable, but it is intensified at that age when you are already dealing with various insecurities. It was quite challenging, Hall explained. "I would jest, but it's true, that it took me probably 20 years to process being 15 because I had experienced so much in between. I'm certainly grateful for it, and I thank God for having strong, great parents.""

Nelson and Estevez's connection in life is what draws audiences to the Brat Pack myth, and even though Hall hasn't seen them in 14 years, people still come up to him asking about their well-being.

"In 2015, Hall told Insider that the article featuring him and his co-stars was a media ploy. He explained that he was still in high school at the time and felt that the article was set up to get them all talking about nonsense. He added that he was the youngest member of the group and that Emilio and Judd were in their early 20s when they did "The Breakfast Club," which made him feel like he was being used in the article."

Lowe said the term seemingly made them "interchangeable."

"In 2011, Lowe told Independent.ie that the statement "This group of actors are interchangeable, vacuous, long on ambition, short on talent and very entitled," was used in an underhanded, veiled way. However, Lowe acknowledged that while it may have been true for some people, it was a bad generalization."

On the set of "St. Elmo's Fire," Lowe revealed that the camaraderie was genuine and everyone on the cast genuinely liked and became close while filming.

In an interview with Independent.ie, he revealed why his view of the Brat Pack has evolved, saying, "There's no shame attached to it now, and I completely embrace it."

Lowe admitted to Entertainment Tonight Canada in 2021 that he had come to appreciate them more deeply after experiencing all the challenges they had faced together.

"He reconnected with people he went to high school or college with, just like he did with Moore and McCarthy on his podcast."

GMA reported that McCarthy was surprised by the number of former Brats who agreed to participate in the documentary, stating that he believed few would want to discuss it "even a decade ago."

He said, "We were the only members of the club, so we were the only ones who knew what it was like. It was nice to go back and relive the experience."

According to Doug Eldridge of Achilles PR, being a member of the Brat Pack propelled many young actors to fame.

"Helen of Troy was famously known as 'the face that launched a thousand ships,' while the Brat Pack was notoriously credited with launching 'a half dozen careers,'" he stated.

The core members of the Brat Pack found fame and fortune in the '80s, with Emilio Estevez starring in "Breakfast Club" and "Young Guns," Molly Ringwald in "Pretty in Pink," "Sixteen Candles," and numerous other hits of the era.

"Despite having different career paths and arcs, both Demi and Rob found success in the entertainment industry."

He reflected on whether it was a "wise decision" to be in the documentary, stating, "This type of nostalgia is often a profitable venture, as long as it does not tarnish the foundational backstory that led to their initial success. 'The Mickey Mouse Club' is a similar example - many celebrities, including Justin Timberlake, Britney Spears, and Ryan Gosling, got their start with the mouse troupe, yet few have had anything positive to say about the experience."

"The cost of tell-all books and exclusive interviews that criticize the parents, agents, and advisors who helped develop iconic careers is always high. However, a behind-the-scenes "remember when" format is a better option for both aging stars and their fan base who loved them then and now. This format is similar to "VH-1 Storytellers," DVD commentary, and outtakes from the stars, which are always popular features."

McCarthy stated that when young fans from the '80s approach him on the street and discuss Brat Pack movies, their eyes glaze over, and they say, "Oh! The Brat Pack," and he realizes they're not even looking at him anymore.

"I have become the avatar of their youth and other members of the Brat Pack, as they converse amongst themselves and their own youth."