Andrew McCarthy says his St Elmo’s Fire role remains his favorite as the film marks its 40th anniversary

More than 40 years later, St. Elmo’s Fire still hits a nerve for a lot of people. Maybe it is the big feelings. Maybe it is the music. Maybe it is the way the movie captures that weird moment right after college when you are supposed to be an adult, but you still feel like a kid.

And for Andrew McCarthy, one of the movie’s stars, it still holds a special kind of meaning, too. In a recent conversation with PEOPLE, McCarthy looked back on the film with real affection, and he did not sound tired of talking about it.

If anything, he sounded like someone remembering a time that shaped him.

Why St. Elmo’s Fire Still Matters

The movie premiered in 1985, and it quickly became a signature coming-of-age drama of its era. Written and directed by Joel Schumacher, St. Elmo’s Fire follows a group of recent college graduates as they stumble into adulthood. Their friendships shift. Their relationships get complicated, and their ideas about who they are start to crack under pressure.

It also helped define the so-called Brat Pack moment, thanks to a cast packed with young stars. Alongside McCarthy, the film features Rob Lowe, Demi Moore, Emilio Estevez, Ally Sheedy, and Judd Nelson.

It is the kind of lineup that still makes people do a double-take. The story is rooted in a specific time, but the questions it asks are timeless.

What do you do when the structure of school disappears? How do you find purpose? How do you keep your friendships alive once real life starts moving fast?

Andrew McCarthy on Playing Kevin Dolenz

McCarthy, now 63, told PEOPLE, “I loved doing that movie.” He also shared that his role had a personal place in his career, calling Kevin Dolenz, the young and cynical journalist he played, “It was my favorite character I played when I was a kid.” That is a big statement, especially considering McCarthy’s run in the 1980s.

He became a standout in films that are still heavily rewatched today, including Pretty in Pink and Weekend at Bernie’s. But something about Kevin apparently stuck. Part of it might be that Kevin feels like a real person, even when he is being messy. He is ambitious, judgmental, and unsure of himself.

He wants to be above it all, but he is still right in the middle of it. That is a pretty relatable mix, no matter what decade you grew up in. And then there is the fun of making the movie.

McCarthy described the experience in a way that makes it sound like the cast had an actual bond, not just a marketing story. “It was great hanging out with everybody and everything. I loved playing the bongo drum scene. I thought that was really fun,” he said.

If you have seen the film, you probably know exactly the moment he means. It is one of those scenes that fans bring up because it feels loose and human, like the characters are really friends and not just people hitting their marks.

A Sequel Is Being Discussed

If you are someone who still thinks about these characters, there is more news. Deadline reported in June 2024 that a sequel to St. Elmo’s Fire is in the works, and that the project is in early development at Sony Pictures. That does not mean it is definitely happening tomorrow, but it does mean the conversations are real. And Rob Lowe, now 61, has already hinted that there is momentum.

In an interview with PEOPLE last year, he said, “We’re working on the script, and it’s really getting good.” He also explained why revisiting the story could make sense now, especially since the cast and the audience have lived a lot of life since the 1980s.

“I think it’s super valid to revisit those characters that continue to mean a lot to people and watch them navigate this chapter of life, because arguably this chapter of life is every bit as interesting and fraught as, ‘What do I do when I get out of college?’ “

That idea is easy to understand. The original movie was about stepping into adulthood. A sequel could be about staying upright once you are deep into it. Careers, marriages, divorces, kids, regrets, health scares, second chances. That chapter has plenty of drama without needing to force it.

McCarthy’s Career Has Grown in Unexpected Directions

If you only think of McCarthy as an 80s movie star, his recent work might surprise you. He appeared in seasons 5 and 6 of The Resident, which premiered in 2022 and 2023. He also directed the 2024 documentary Brats, which explores the Brat Pack actors and what their sudden fame did to their lives.

That is the kind of project that feels personal. It suggests someone who is not just looking back for nostalgia, but trying to understand what it all meant, and how it shaped a whole generation of young performers.

On top of that, McCarthy has built a serious second career as a travel writer and author. His books include the 2017 young adult novel Just Fly Away, the 2021 memoir Brat: An ’80s Story, and the 2023 book Walking with Sam.

That mix of acting, directing, and writing makes him feel less like a celebrity stuck in the past and more like someone still curious about life.

His New Book Focuses on Friendship

McCarthy has also talked about what inspired his upcoming book, Who Needs Friends: An Unscientific Examination of Male Friendship Across America.

The heart of the idea is simple and honestly pretty relatable. He realized he had close friends he had not seen in years, and he wanted to reconnect. As he put it, “I had dear friends I hadn’t seen in decades, and I thought it was time I did that.

I really missed their input in my life. They changed my life when I was young, as friends, and I just hadn’t seen them in so long,” he said. He also pointed out how easy it is to let time slip by. “You get busy with life and parenting and work and all sorts of things,” he continued. “You just lose track of what’s important.

And then you get to be a certain age, and you kind of go, ‘Oh, wait a minute, what’s the value? What’s important?’ “

That theme connects back to St. Elmo’s Fire in a funny way. The movie is about friendship under pressure. The book seems to be about what happens to friendship after the pressure wins for a while.

The book comes out March 24, and it follows his road trips across America to reconnect with old friends. Those travels take him to places like Appalachia, the Mississippi Delta, and the Rocky Mountains.

Looking Back Without Getting Stuck There

What stands out in all of this is that McCarthy seems to be doing something a lot of people try to do as they get older. He is looking back with warmth, but he is also moving forward with intention.

He can talk about a bongo drum scene from 1985 and also talk about male friendship in America today. Both can be true.

And maybe that is why St. Elmo’s Fire still resonates. It is not really about being young. It is about change, identity, and the people you carry with you, even when life pulls you in different directions.

TL;DR

• Andrew McCarthy says St. Elmo’s Fire still has a special place in his heart more than 40 years after it premiered.
• The 1985 film, written and directed by Joel Schumacher, follows recent college grads trying to figure out adulthood and features a standout ensemble cast.
• McCarthy says “I loved doing that movie” and calls Kevin Dolenz “It was my favorite character I played when I was a kid.”
• He fondly remembers filming with the cast and highlights the bongo drum moment, saying “I loved playing the bongo drum scene. I thought that was really fun.”
• A sequel is reportedly in early development at Sony Pictures, according to Deadline.
• Rob Lowe says the script is coming together and believes it makes sense to revisit the characters in a later, equally complicated stage of life.
• Beyond 80s films, McCarthy recently appeared on The Resident and directed the 2024 documentary Brats about Brat Pack fame.
• He is also a travel writer and author, with an upcoming book focused on reconnecting with old friends through road trips across America.

If you liked this, don’t forget to follow us for more news and stories like this one.

If you liked this, you might also like:

• Jenny McCarthy says she will never return to The View
• Six-time SNL host McCarthy is back, and newcomer Dijon makes his live debut

This article was made with AI assistance and human editing.