Anthony Michael Hall facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Anthony Michael Hall
Hall at GalaxyCon Richmond in 2024
Born	Michael Anthony Thomas Charles Hall (1968-04-14) April 14, 1968 (age 57) Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
Occupation	Actor, producer, comedian
Years active	1977–present
Spouse(s)	Lucia Oskerova ​ (m. 2020)​
Children	1

Anthony Michael Hall (born April 14, 1968) is an American actor, producer, and comedian. He became famous for starring in popular teen movies by director John Hughes. These films include Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, and Weird Science.

Hall later took on many different types of roles to avoid being known only for his "geek" characters. He joined the cast of Saturday Night Live from 1985 to 1986. He also appeared in films like Edward Scissorhands (1990) and Six Degrees of Separation (1993). In 1999, he played Microsoft's Bill Gates in the TV movie Pirates of Silicon Valley. From 2002 to 2007, he had the main role in the USA Network series The Dead Zone. More recently, he appeared in The Dark Knight (2008), The Goldbergs (2019–2023), and Halloween Kills (2021).

Early life and acting start

Anthony Michael Hall was born on April 14, 1968, in Boston, Massachusetts. His mother was a blues-jazz singer. When he was three, he and his mother moved to New York City, where he grew up. Hall's family background includes English, Irish, and Italian roots.

He uses the name Anthony instead of Michael because another actor named Michael Hall was already part of the Screen Actors Guild. He attended Professional Children's School in Manhattan. Hall started acting when he was eight years old and continued throughout high school. He has said that he didn't go to college but loves to read and learn on his own.

Career highlights

Starting in commercials and early films

Hall began his acting career at age seven by appearing in commercials. He was known as the "Honeycomb cereal kid" and was in ads for toys. His first stage role was in 1977. In 1980, he made his first appearance on screen in the TV movie The Gold Bug. He played a young Edgar Allan Poe. In 1982, he gained attention for his role as "Doc" in the film Six Pack.

Working with John Hughes

In 1983, Hall played Rusty Griswold in National Lampoon's Vacation. This role caught the eye of the film's writer, John Hughes. Hughes was impressed that Hall, at just 13, could stand out next to actor Chevy Chase. The movie was a big success.

Hall's big break came in 1984 in Hughes's first movie as a director, Sixteen Candles. He played "The Geek," a shy, braces-wearing freshman. Hall tried to make the character feel real, not just a stereotype. Critics praised his performance, and the film made him and co-star Molly Ringwald famous.

In 1985, Hall starred in two more teen movies written and directed by Hughes. He played Brian Johnson, "the brain," in The Breakfast Club. He acted alongside Emilio Estevez, Judd Nelson, Ally Sheedy, and Molly Ringwald. Critics loved his performance. Later that year, he played Gary Wallace in Weird Science. These roles made him known as the "nerd-of-choice" in the 1980s and a member of the "Brat Pack" group of young Hollywood stars. Hall often played characters that were like Hughes's own personality.

To avoid being typecast, Hall turned down roles in other John Hughes films, Ferris Bueller's Day Off and Pretty in Pink, both in 1986. Instead, he starred in Out of Bounds, an action thriller. This film was not as successful as his previous movies.

Joining Saturday Night Live

In 1985, at age 17, Hall joined the cast of Saturday Night Live (SNL). He was the youngest cast member in the show's history. He did impressions of famous people like Art Garfunkel. Hall had always admired the show, but he found the environment very competitive. He left the show after one season.

After the Hughes films

Hall was considered for a role in the 1987 film Full Metal Jacket by director Stanley Kubrick. However, after long talks, he didn't get the part. His next film was Johnny Be Good (1988), where he worked with Uma Thurman and Robert Downey Jr.. This film was not well-received, and some critics felt Hall was miscast as a football star.

Roles in the 1990s

After a short break, Hall returned to acting in Tim Burton's hit movie Edward Scissorhands (1990). He played the villain in this film. Now in his 20s, he started taking on more grown-up roles. He appeared in several smaller films, including the comedy Into the Sun (1992). In 1993, he played a gay man in the critically praised film Six Degrees of Separation.

In 1994, Hall directed his first movie, a comedy called Hail Caesar. He also starred in it and helped produce the soundtrack, which included songs he wrote and performed.

After a few years of smaller roles, Hall gained attention again in 1999 for the TV movie Pirates of Silicon Valley. He played Microsoft founder Bill Gates and received a lot of praise for his performance. Hall said he "fought for this part" because he knew it would be a very important role for him.

Music career

Following his family's musical background, Hall also pursued music. He was the lead singer and songwriter for his band, Hall of Mirrors, which started in 1998. The band released an album in 1999.

Leading role in The Dead Zone

In 2002, Hall began his first regular TV series role, starring as Johnny Smith in USA Network's supernatural drama The Dead Zone. This show was based on Stephen King's popular novel. The show was very popular and received strong reviews. Hall said that The Dead Zone "transformed" his career. He also directed an episode of the show. The Dead Zone ran for six seasons and ended in 2007.

Recent work

Hall appeared as a TV reporter in the 2008 film The Dark Knight. He also guest-starred in TV shows like Community and Warehouse 13.

In 2015, Hall was cast in the Netflix film War Machine, where he worked with Brad Pitt. He played General Greg Pulver. In 2016, he had a recurring role in the TV series Murder in the First.

In 2021, Hall played Tommy Doyle in the horror film Halloween Kills. In 2023, he appeared in the Amazon Prime Video series Bosch: Legacy. Hall is also set to appear in the third season of the hit series Reacher. As of 2024, he is working on a new series called Singularity with Robert Downey Jr..

In the media

Hall during a Q&A session at the 2013 Wizard World New York Experience

Hall became well-known in the media after New York magazine called him a member of the "Brat Pack". This was a group of young actors who became famous in the 1980s. In 1990, his more muscular appearance in Edward Scissorhands surprised audiences. Hall later said that his weight gain was natural.

In the 1993 film Six Degrees of Separation, Hall played a gay character. There was a scene where his character was supposed to kiss Will Smith's character. However, Smith decided not to film the kiss. Hall later said he "didn't care" and that they used a camera trick instead.

Recognition and awards

The 2001 film Not Another Teen Movie honored Hall's many roles in 1980s teen comedies. A sign in the movie's high school cafeteria is named the "Anthony Michael Dining Hall." In 2006, Hall was ranked #4 on VH1's list of the "100 Greatest Teen Stars."

In 2005, The Breakfast Club received the Silver Bucket of Excellence Award at the MTV Movie Awards. This was to celebrate the film's twentieth anniversary. Ally Sheedy, Molly Ringwald, and Hall appeared on stage together to accept the award.

Personal life

As of 2016, Hall lives in Los Angeles. He is the godfather to Robert Downey Jr.'s son, Indio.

In 2019, Hall got engaged to actress Lucia Oskerova. In February 2023, they announced they were expecting their first child. Their son was born in June 2023.

Hall also helps young people through his reading program, The Anthony Michael Hall Literacy Club.

Political views

In a 2020 interview, Hall described former Republican president Donald Trump as "great." He also suggested that actors who support conservative views sometimes face difficulties in Hollywood.

Filmography

Film

Television

Images for kids

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  Hall in 2013

See also

In Spanish: Anthony Michael Hall para niños