Anthony Michael Hall says he was 'scared s---less' when he was on SNL cast

Jolie Lash
·2 min read

Breakfast Club actor Anthony Michael Hall was already a major star when he joined the cast of Saturday Night Live in 1985, but that didn't keep him from having serious nerves on the Studio 8H set.

"I was, forgive the language, scared s***less," he told the U.K.'s Independent newspaper, as he reflected on his stint on the sketch show. "I agreed to do the show and then I was walking around like a mummy for about a two-month period before we started the season. But it just meant so much to me, to watch that show as a kid and then suddenly be asked to join the cast. Because I was that same kid. Like, I was still living at home!"

Anthony Michael Hall
Anthony Michael Hall

Amy Sussman/Getty Images Anthony Michael Hall

Hall joined the show as a 17-year-old, making him the youngest cast member in the show's history. It came after starring roles as Rusty Griswold in National Lampoon's Vacation in 1983, Brian Johnson in 1985's The Breakfast Club, and another star turn the same year in Weird Science (he also played a geek in 1984's Sixteen Candles).

The young actor told the Independent he was drawn to SNL after spending years watching some of its most famous players, including Bill Murray and Gilda Radner.

Hall was part of the 1985 season 11 cast made up of celebs and lesser known comedians, brought together when executive producer Lorne Michaels returned to the show after a five year absence.

During Hall's season, his castmates including — wait for it — Robert Downey Jr., Joan Cusack, Dennis Miller, Randy Quaid, Jon Lovitz, Terry Sweeney, Danitra Vance (SNL's first female black cast member), and Nora Dunn. Damon Wayans Jr. was a featured player.

Despite having the one-day Iron Man, and the future voice of Toy Story's Jessie in their ranks, the season was panned by critics.

Anthony Michael Hall on SNL
Anthony Michael Hall on SNL

NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images The 'SNL' cast of 1985-1986

While Hall was glad to be along for the ride, he knew it wasn't working.

"To be very honest and candid with you, it was not great — it was a shaky-legs season," he told the newspaper. "I'm grateful for the experience, but I didn't have a breakout season. I didn't even have any breakout characters or anything like that."

Check Hall and his season 11 castmates in "yuppie" beer commercial from the show:

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