Demi Moore believes the stigma surrounding the ’80s “Brat Pack” label has shifted, thanks in part to a modern pop culture twist introduced by Charli XCX.
During her appearance on Live with Kelly and Mark on Tuesday, September 10, the 61-year-old actress revisited the cultural impact of the Brat Pack, spurred by Andrew McCarthy’s recent documentary Brats, which premiered on Hulu in June. The film explores how the label shaped—and often confined—the lives of young Hollywood stars in the 1980s.
Moore, alongside stars like McCarthy, Molly Ringwald, Emilio Estevez, Ally Sheedy, Anthony Michael Hall, Rob Lowe, and Judd Nelson, became synonymous with the Brat Pack phenomenon. Reflecting on her involvement in McCarthy’s film, Moore revealed she was initially surprised by how much the label affected her peers.
“When Andrew McCarthy came to me and shared his experience, I was taken aback,” Moore explained to hosts Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos. “I didn’t have the same response to this moniker of being called the Brat Pack. I was so curious to see how different our experiences could be based on how we held onto something.”
Moore acknowledged that none of the actors liked being called “brats” back in the day. “We wanted to be taken seriously,” she added. McCarthy previously explained to PEOPLE in June that the term, originally coined by New York Magazine journalist David Blum in 1985, had deep personal consequences. “We just felt unseen,” McCarthy said. “Who wants to be stigmatized and branded and labeled?”
While McCarthy and others grappled with the label, Moore has maintained a more relaxed view over the years. “I didn’t love it, being thought of as a brat, because I thought it diminished us as professionals,” she shared on Good Morning America in January. “But I didn’t carry it.”
Moore’s conversation with Ripa and Consuelos also highlighted how modern-day pop culture, particularly through British pop star Charli XCX, has reshaped the perception of “brat.” Charli XCX’s sixth studio album Brat dominated summer 2024, with its catchy tunes and rebellious vibes reclaiming the once-negative label. As Ripa noted, being called a “brat” is now seen as “the greatest thing.”
“Maybe we’ve evolved,” Moore said in response. “It’s Brat Summer!” she added with a laugh.
Moore also touched on the nostalgic significance of reuniting with her Brat Pack co-stars through McCarthy’s documentary. “What a quintessential moment in all of our lives,” she said. “We were 22 years old!”
Interest in the Brat Pack seems to be resurging beyond the documentary. McCarthy’s film has sparked discussions about a revival of the iconic 1985 film St. Elmo’s Fire, which starred many of the original Brat Pack members. In June, Deadline reported that Sony was exploring the idea of a “new version” of the classic, with original cast members McCarthy, Estevez, Lowe, Moore, Nelson, Sheedy, and Mare Winningham potentially returning.