There was a lot of excitement when Hulu released Andrew McCarthy’s documentary Brats, which was centered around the group of iconic ‘80s actors and important ‘80s actresses and how the “Brat Pack” nickname came to be. That excitement dwindled when fans realized the documentary wasn’t what they expected it to be about. Apparently, they’re not alone either, because Lea Thompson, who is featured in the doc, was also surprised that her one request when signing on to the project wasn’t honored.
Thompson, best known for her role in Back to the Future, is considered by many fans of ‘80s movies to be a “Brat Pack” adjacent star. After all, she only worked with John Hughes once, and she was not in the St. Elmo’s Fire cast, which is widely considered a requirement for being an official member of the fictional club. Still, she managed to land a spot in McCarthy’s documentary, and so did her husband, Howard Deutch, who directed a handful of the iconic coming-of-age films, including Pretty in Pink.
Her brief history with Hughes, along with her husband’s even deeper connections with the late writer/director, is what led to McCarthy seeking them out for Brats. While participation in the documentary was voluntary, both gladly agreed. However, the Back to the Future actress told PEOPLE she made one request, specifically to her husband, when they agreed to participate.
Andrew McCarthy, my husband directed him in Pretty in Pink, so Andrew asked us to do interviews, and I did my interview outside. And I said, 'Howie, whatever you do, don't do your interview in the kitchen because we're remodeling it.
Anyone who has seen the documentary knows that Thompson’s very simple request was not honored. While her interview included picturesque scenes of the couple’s backyard, Deutch’s took place in the cluttered kitchen that was about to be remodeled. And if you haven't seen it, take a look for yourself:
Thompson went on to explain the state of their kitchen, and why she didn't want the interview filmed there, and I totally get it:
We had taken everything out of the cupboards and put it on the counter, so they're shooting over 100 different bags of chips and stuff. There's boxes in the background, and I'm like, 'What are you thinking?'Why did the [director of photography] not go, 'Look at this kitchen. It's a disaster. Why are we shooting here?
She raises some important points there, especially when it comes to why no one behind the cameras suggested they shoot in a different location. However, when looking at the documentary as a whole, the chaotic scene of the kitchen does lend itself to the grounded nature of the project. After all, Emilio Estevez’s portion was also filmed in a kitchen, and Ally Sheedy was filmed on her couch in her home.
Thankfully, the Some Kind of Wonderful actress didn’t let her husband’s interview ruin the rest of the documentary for her. In fact, she had nothing but praise for how McCarthy put the whole thing together.
I loved it. [Andrew] did a great job. I think he made a smart move by teaming up with the news because there are so many great clips and stuff, which would've been impossible to find, or catalog, or get the rights to. Not the stuff that was cut out, but the actual footage.
As someone who watched the documentary when it first came out, I have to agree with Thompson. The archival footage of past interviews and clips from the movies was definitely the strongest part of the entire documentary. Although I did enjoy all the interviews, even the one with Thompson’s husband that she still thinks it was a disaster.
To see the kitchen in question and learn more about the Brat Pack, Brats is available to stream with a Hulu subscription. You can also catch Thompson in her latest project The Chicken Sisters, which is available exclusively on the brand-new streaming service, Hallmark+.
