Here's Where The Cast Of Ferris Bueller's Day Off Is Today

John Hughes could do no wrong in the '80s and '90s. The famed writer and director knocked it out of the park with several films including "The Breakfast Club," "Uncle Buck," "Pretty in Pink," and the cult classic "Ferris Bueller's Day Off." "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" follows high school senior Ferris Bueller whose simultaneous restlessness and apprehension over the future leads him to fake sick so he can skip school for the day. He enlists the company of his best friend and girlfriend, and, together, they spend a good portion of the day trying to outrun the school dean.

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"Ferris Bueller's Day Off" is fun, funny, and full of scenes that have left an indelible mark on pop culture. While Hughes' writing and direction certainly deserve credit, so do the performances from an epic cast of characters, many who went on to have successful acting careers. Here's where the cast of "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" is today.

Matthew Broderick continues to have success on stage, film, and TV

Matthew Broderick's role as the titular character in "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" propelled him to national stardom. After playing the charming, daring, lovable Ferris Bueller, Broderick continued his acting career, starring in juggernaut films over the years such as 1999's "Election" and "Inspector Gadget," 2007's "Bee Movie," and 2016's "Manchester by the Sea." He also famously lent his voice to that of Simba in "The Lion King" and its sequels. Additionally, Broderick has enjoyed a successful stage career, which began before "Ferris Bueller." He actually won his first Tony Award in 1983 for his role in "Brighton Beach Memoirs" and won another in 1995 for "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying."

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Broderick was quite busy in 2023. He played himself on the hit series "Only Murders in the Building," appeared in the Jennifer Lawrence film "No Hard Feelings," and starred in the Netflix original series "Painkiller," which dramatizes the rise of OxyContin in the U.S. and its broader impact on the opioid crisis. "I always wanted to have a long career. And it's been 40 years, so I guess I must have done something right," Broderick told The Guardian of his continued success. Despite his achievements and many memorable roles, though, the actor thinks one role has defined his career. "What's my legacy? Well, I'm Ferris Bueller, I suppose. I have to accept it. And I like it. I've made my peace with it," Broderick said.

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Alan Ruck earned an Emmy nomination for Succession

Alan Ruck seems to appear only in either undeniably iconic films and television series or projects that totally fly under the radar. One of those undeniably iconic films is, of course, "Ferris Bueller's Day Off." Ruck played Cameron Frye, Ferris' best friend who needs a fair amount of coaxing to go along with Ferris' crazy ideas (and, in Cameron's defense, most of the ideas are objectively reckless). Additional well-known projects Ruck has been part of include "Twister," "Speed," and "Star Trek: Generations." Ruck's career has had a bit of a renaissance in recent years thanks to parts in successful series including "The Dropout" and "Succession," which earned him an Emmy nomination before coming to a close in 2023.

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In 2021, Ruck spoke with The Guardian about his famous roles and gave his unfiltered analysis of the commonalities among his characters. "I'm a character actor with not a lot of character. Most character actors have their thing, like John Malkovich is kinda scary, or whatever. I'm just this white guy who's not especially intimidating in any way, not intellectually and certainly not physically," Ruck said. The actor was also asked about a fan theory that Ferris doesn't actually exist but was dreamed up by Cameron as a symbol of his ideal. "Well, I hope whoever came up with that got at least an A on their paper, because it's very clever," Ruck said.

Mia Sara performs and writes but stays out of the public eye

In "Ferris Bueller's Day Off," Mia Sara played Sloane Peterson, Ferris' girlfriend who joins Ferris and Cameron in their exploits for the day. Sloane is soft-spoken and sweet and helps Cameron break out of his shell and enjoy himself for the day. While Sara's most notable role was in "Ferris Bueller's Day Off," she's continued to act since wrapping the iconic '80s flick. Sara did take an acting pause beginning in 2013, but she has a role in the upcoming film "The Life of Chuck" alongside industry stalwarts such as Karen Gillan, Tom Hiddleston, Mark Hamill, and Chiwetel Ejiofor.

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When Sara isn't acting, she's creating through other mediums. Sara is a writer who shares her work via her website and occasionally through Instagram. There, the artist also shares snapshots of her life with her friends, children, and husband. She's married to Brian Henson, the son of Jim Henson, creator of the Muppets.

Jeffrey Jones acted until 2019 and made headlines for his legal issues

Jeffrey Jones played the memorable Edward Rooney in "Ferris Bueller's Day Off." Rooney is Ferris' high school dean who spends the entire course of the film hell-bent on catching Ferris and punishing him for skipping school by holding him back another year. In addition to his role in the John Hughes film, Jones has had parts in projects such as 1994's "Ed Wood," 1999's "Stuart Little," the 2000s HBO series "Deadwood," and 2019's "Deadwood: The Movie," which is his most recent role.

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However, for Jones, the negative headlines concerning his personal life have largely overshadowed his career. In the early 2000s, Jones was arrested for child pornography and a few years later was mandated to register as a sex offender. Jones was later charged with failing to update his sex offender registration, and his past has continued to follow him. In 2023, Jones was slated to appear at the Rhode Island Comic Con, but after public outcry over his criminal history, the actor was disinvited from the event. "We would like to clarify that Altered [Reality] Entertainment does in no way condone the heinous acts of Jeffrey Jones and we apologize for the miscommunication amongst our staff," the event organizers said via Facebook regarding the booking.

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If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).

Jennifer Grey released a memoir and will star in the Dirty Dancing sequel

The year before Jennifer Grey shot to stardom thanks to her role as Baby in "Dirty Dancing," she played Ferris' jealous sister, Jeanie Bueller, in "Ferris Bueller's Day Off." Grey's career continued with roles in projects such as "Friends," "It's Like, You Know...", and "The Bling Ring." In 2019, she appeared in a few episodes of "Grey's Anatomy," followed by "The Connors" in 2020. In 2023, she starred in the TV movie "Gwen Shamblin: Starving for Salvation." Grey has also signed on to a starring and executive producing role in a "Dirty Dancing" sequel, currently slated for release in 2025.

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In 2022, Grey gave an intimate look into her life with her memoir, "Out of the Corner: A Memoir," in which she specifically describes her experience with plastic surgery. A series of nose jobs left Grey looking much different than she did in the late '80s, and she explains how it effectively ended her career. "Being misunderstood on a global stage was very painful. I think people really love black-and-white thinking. I'm into gray; I couldn't have a better name," Grey said of this time in her life in an interview with The New York Times. But, these days, the actor has come to accept the events in her life. "The truth is, when I had all the good stuff, I was definitely not even close to how free I feel today," she said.

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Cindy Pickett continues to act on screen and on stage

In "Ferris Bueller's Day Off," Cindy Pickett played Katie Bueller, Ferris' mother whose concern for her son's health that day gets overshadowed by her frustration with her daughter's issues. Since filming "Ferris Bueller's Day Off," Pickett has steadily continued acting, with some of her most notable projects including "Son In Law" in 1993 and "Medium" in 2007. In 2020, Pickett appeared in the dramatic film "Chasing the Rain." She has also done theater, including Shakespeare plays. In an interview with Culture Map Houston, Pickett said she had longed to return to stage acting because it's so different from screen acting.

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During the interview, Pickett also spoke to the legacy of "Ferris Bueller's Day Off." "It's kind of hooky in a good way. [Ferris] really did it to show his friend that life is to be lived. And that I think is why the movie is so loved because it catches a human spirit in all of us that we forget. We get so mundane in our little lives," Pickett said, adding that she still loves her character in the movie.

Lyman Ward married co-star Cindy Pickett and continues to act

Lyman Ward played Tom Bueller, Ferris' dad, in "Ferris Bueller's Day Off." Another character actor, Ward has had roles in other famous films, including the John Hughes classic "Planes, Trains & Automobiles" as well as 1996's "Independence Day" and 2001's "Not Another Teen Movie." Ward's most recent work includes parts in the series "Transparent" in 2015 and the film "In the Forest" in 2022.

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It turns out that "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" played an even far more important role in Ward's life than just simply his career. The actor and his co-star, Cindy Pickett, who played his wife in the movie, became husband and wife in real life. "As you probably know, Lyman Ward, who played Mr. Bueller, and I met and started dating while we were making the movie, and eventually got married and had a couple of kids of our own. When my son was around 8 years old, he turned to me after we had watched the movie a million and one times and said, 'Mom, why didn't you name me Ferris?'" Pickett said in an interview with New Mexico Entertainment. Their kid had a point — that would've been the perfect name for him.

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Edie McClurg appeared in popular TV shows and films before being diagnosed with dementia

As the sweet, honest school secretary Grace in "Ferris Bueller's Day Off," Edie McClurg keeps dean Ed Rooney up-to-date on all the school gossip, reminding him exactly what his students think of him. While McClurg doesn't get a ton of screen time, she makes the most of it. McClurg's career has been just as prolific as her co-stars, even without quite the same name recognition. The character actor has had roles in famous films including "Planes, Trains & Automobiles," "Carrie," and "Wreck-It Ralph." In 2022, McClurg starred in the film "Eyes Upon Waking." You might also recognize her from popular TV sitcoms of the '80s including "Small Wonder" and "Valerie."

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Unfortunately, McClurg's health has declined in recent years. In 2022, representatives of McClurg, who has an undisclosed type of dementia, took legal action against Michael Ramos, a man who has lived in McClurg's house and has been accused of abusing her. According to a filed report, Ramos "either has been or may be currently assaulting (McClurg) in a similar manner and that given her diagnosis of dementia, she may not even realize that it has been or is occurring" (per Today). Ramos' team has refuted the allegations, and no update on the matter has been given as of this writing.

If you or someone you know is dealing with elder abuse, you can find resources and support at the National Adult Protective Services Association website.

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Charlie Sheen is acting again after a tumultuous few years

Charlie Sheen has had a wild ride in Hollywood. The Emmy-nominated actor rose to fame in the '80s with roles in films such as "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" in which he played the object of Jeanie's affection. Sheen's career only got bigger from there, and he reached the height of his fame in the 2000s when he starred on the ABC sitcom "Two and a Half Men." However, in 2011, Sheen was fired from the show after publicly insulting creator Chuck Lorre and delivering other strange, albeit memorable, quotes during a series of interviews.

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According to Sheen, he doesn't look back on that time all so fondly. "People have [said to] me, 'Hey, man, that was so cool, that was so fun to watch. That was so cool to be a part of and support and all that energy and, you know, we stuck it to the man. My thought behind that is, 'Oh, yeah, great. I'm so glad that I traded early retirement for a f***ing hashtag,'" the actor said to Yahoo! Entertainment in 2021. Despite his past issues, Sheen is still finding work as an actor, his most recent project being two episodes of the show "Bookie" in 2023.

Ben Stein has appeared on numerous TV shows and voices his political views

After starting his career in politics as a speechwriter for Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford, Ben Stein moved into acting, with "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" showcasing one of his most memorable perforances as the economics teacher who delivers quite possibly the best comedically boring monologue in film history. Since his role in the John Hughes classic, Stein has popped up in many projects over the years, with "Full House," "Seinfeld," and "The Drew Carey Show" among the most popular and 2018's "The Last Sharknado: It's About Time" among the most recent.

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Throughout his acting career, Stein has never abandoned his political roots. The former bureaucrat has offered his opinions on the country's political landscape many times, and he hasn't been afraid to be critical. During the 2016 election cycle, Stein shared his thoughts on the candidates with The Guardian. "There must be something people like about him. I don't get him but there must be something people like," Stein said, referring to Donald Trump's candidacy. Stein did say, however, that he would vote for Trump in that election.

Kristy Swanson is also outspoken about her political beliefs

Kristy Swanson had a small but important role in "Ferris Bueller's Day Off." She played Simone Adamley, a high school student who informs the economics teacher that Ferris was sick. "My best friend's sister's boyfriend's brother's girlfriend heard from this guy who knows this kid who's going with a girl who saw Ferris pass out at 31 Flavors last night. I guess it's pretty serious," Simone says. Some of Swanson's other famous roles include the titular character in the 1992 film "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and 2000's "Dude, Where's My Car?" In 2022, Swanson had a part in the TV series "Sons of Thunder."

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Like her former scene partner, Ben Stein, Swanson has been vocal about her political beliefs, and, like Stein, hers differ from that of the typical Hollywood actor. However, Swanson does not believe that her difference in opinion has caused her to lose work. "I can't really say that I've lost jobs or anything like that. I've had a good life. I've worked my whole life. I do two to three, sometimes four projects a year, a lot of independent films, and I really love it ... I think I've been okay," Swanson said in a 2020 interview with Newsmax. The actor did note, though, that she's gotten into arguments with others on social media when it comes to politics.

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