When John Hughes released Ferris Bueller’s Day Off on June 11, 1986, few people expected the actors from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off to become part of pop culture history. The story of a high school senior who fakes a sick call and skips school to tour Chicago became a surprise hit. Nearly four decades later, the cast has gone in very different directions. Some became big stars, one stepped away from Hollywood, and a few faced serious personal troubles. Here is where each of them landed.
Biography Table
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Film Title | Ferris Bueller’s Day Off |
| Written and Directed By | John Hughes |
| Release Date | June 11, 1986 |
| Studio | Paramount Pictures |
| Genre | Comedy/Drama |
| Runtime | 103 minutes |
| Rating | PG-13 |
| Setting | Chicago and its suburbs |
| Tagline | “One man’s struggle to take it easy” |
| Box Office | Roughly $70 million in the US |
| Main Cast | Matthew Broderick, Alan Ruck, Mia Sara, Jennifer Grey, Jeffrey Jones |
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off Cast at a Glance
Before looking at each career closely, it helps to see the whole group together. This table matches every major actor to their character and shows their situation as of 2026.
| Actor | Character | Where They Are Now (2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Matthew Broderick | Ferris Bueller | Still acting on stage and screen |
| Alan Ruck | Cameron Frye | Busy character actor, best known for Succession |
| Mia Sara | Sloane Peterson | Returned to film in 2025 after a long break |
| Jennifer Grey | Jeanie Bueller | Still acting and developing a Dirty Dancing sequel |
| Jeffrey Jones | Principal Ed Rooney | Has not worked since 2019 |
| Charlie Sheen | Boy in Police Station | Working again after years of turmoil |
| Ben Stein | Economics Teacher | Author, commentator, former game show host |
| Edie McClurg | Grace | Retired from acting |
| Cindy Pickett | Katie Bueller | Largely stepped back from acting |
| Lyman Ward | Tom Bueller | Occasional work after a long TV career |
| Louie Anderson | Flower Delivery Man | Died in 2022 |
The Main Actors From Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
Matthew Broderick (Ferris Bueller)
Matthew Broderick was already a rising name when he played Ferris. WarGames in 1983 made him a big-screen lead, and Ladyhawke followed. He also won his first Tony Award in 1983 for Brighton Beach Memoirs on Broadway. By the time the film premiered, he was famous at 23.
His calm confidence as Ferris earned him a Golden Globe nomination. He then starred in the Biloxi Blues film in 1988 and took a serious turn in the Civil War drama Glory in 1989. The ’90s brought The Freshman, The Cable Guy, Godzilla, and Inspector Gadget. He also voiced adult Simba in The Lion King in 1994.
Many fans, myself included, think his best film work came in Election in 1999. On stage, he won a second Tony for How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. His biggest Broadway success was playing Leo Bloom opposite Nathan Lane in The Producers, a role he repeated in the 2005 film version.
His later work mixes stage and screen. He appeared in Nice Work If You Can Get It in 2012 and Plaza Suite in 2022 with his wife. He played Richard Sackler in Netflix’s Painkiller in 2023 and co-starred with Jennifer Lawrence in No Hard Feelings. He has guest-starred on 30 Rock, Modern Family, Elsbeth, and Only Murders in the Building.
His personal life has had one dark chapter. In 1987, while dating co-star Jennifer Grey, he was driving in Ireland when a head-on crash killed two people. He was convicted of careless driving and fined. He married Sarah Jessica Parker in 1997. They have three children: son James and twin daughters Marion and Tabitha, born in 2009. His net worth is widely estimated at around $100 million.
| Year | Notable Project | Format |
|---|---|---|
| 1983 | WarGames | Film |
| 1989 | Glory | Film |
| 1994 | The Lion King (voice) | Film |
| 1999 | Election | Film |
| 2001 | The Producers | Broadway |
| 2022 | Plaza Suite | Broadway |
| 2023 | Painkiller | Netflix series |
Alan Ruck (Cameron Frye)
Alan Ruck played Ferris’s anxious best friend, Cameron, at 29 years old. His baby face made him look much younger than his age. He had already worked with Broderick on Broadway in Biloxi Blues, which helped him land the part. Cameron’s breakdown over his father’s Ferrari remains one of the film’s most memorable scenes.
After the film, Ruck became a dependable character actor. He appeared in Young Guns II, played a tourist on the bus in Speed, and showed up in Star Trek Generations in 1994. He also played a storm chaser in Twister. His biggest TV role of that era was Stuart Bondek on Spin City, which ran from 1996 to 2002.
On Spin City, he first worked with Michael J. Fox and later with Charlie Sheen, his former Ferris co-star. He then had guest appearances on CSI: Miami, Psych, NCIS, and Burn Notice. He also had roles in The Happening in 2008, NBC’s Persons Unknown in 2010, The Killing, and Bunheads.
His career peaked again with HBO’s Succession, where he played Connor Roy, the oldest and most oblivious Roy sibling. Newer projects include The Burial with Jamie Foxx and Tommy Lee Jones and People We Meet on Vacation. He has also been attached to Wind River: The Next Chapter.
Ruck was first married to Claudia Stefany, and they have two children, Emma and Sam. He married actress Mireille Enos in 2010. Together they have two children, Vesper and Larkin.
Mia Sara (Sloane Peterson)
Mia Sara played Sloane, Ferris’s cool and grounded girlfriend. She was only about 18 when the film was made. Her first film role came a year earlier in Legend in 1985, where she played Princess Lili opposite Tom Cruise. Sloane became her breakout role.
She kept working through the ’90s, most notably in Timecop in 1994. In 2002, she played Harley Quinn in The WB series Birds of Prey. Later, she took on a guest spot in CSI: NY and starred in the miniseries The Witches of Oz in 2011.
Her personal life shaped her career choices. She married actor Jason Connery in 1996, and their son Dashiell was born in 1997. She later married director Brian Henson in 2010, and they have a daughter, Amelia. After a short film around 2013, she stepped away from acting to raise her family and focus on writing.
In a 2009 interview, she said she had no regrets about stepping back. Fans were thrilled when she returned to film in 2025 with a role in Mike Flanagan’s The Life of Chuck. For many viewers, it felt like a quiet and welcome comeback.
Jennifer Grey (Jeanie Bueller)
Jennifer Grey played Jeanie, Ferris’s jealous and frustrated sister. She is the daughter of Broadway legend Joel Grey. Before this film, she had small parts in Red Dawn and The Cotton Club. A year later, Dirty Dancing in 1987 made her a star and earned her a Golden Globe nomination.
Grey and Matthew Broderick secretly dated during filming. She was also a passenger in the late-’80s car accident in Ireland. In the early ’90s, she had two rhinoplasty surgeries. The nose job left her nearly unrecognizable, and she has said it hurt her career.
She kept working with guest roles on shows like Friends, where she played Mindy. She also starred in It’s Like, You Know… from 1999 to 2001. Her comeback moment came in 2010 when she won season 11 of Dancing With the Stars. She did it after spinal surgery.
Later work includes Amazon’s Red Oaks, Dollface, and the Lifetime film Road to Christmas. She also played the title role in Gwen Shamblin: Starving for Salvation. She married Clark Gregg in 2001, and they share a daughter, Stella. The couple split in 2020. A Dirty Dancing sequel with Jonathan Levine has been in development.
Jeffrey Jones (Principal Ed Rooney)
Jeffrey Jones played Principal Ed Rooney, the obsessed dean chasing Ferris all day. He was already respected for playing Emperor Joseph II in Amadeus in 1984. After Ferris, he became famous as Charles Deetz in Beetlejuice in 1988.
His film career stayed strong for years. He appeared in Howard the Duck, The Hunt for Red October, Ed Wood, Sleepy Hollow, Stuart Little, and Dr. Dolittle 2. On TV, he played A.W. Merrick on HBO’s Deadwood from 2004 to 2006.
His career was damaged by a criminal case. He was arrested in 2002 and pled no contest to a charge involving a minor. He received five years of probation and had to register as a sex offender. He later pled guilty to failing to update his registration.
He still worked occasionally after that, including Hemingway & Gellhorn in 2012 and Deadwood: The Movie in 2019. He has not worked since 2019. For many fans, the classic Rooney moments now feel complicated to watch.
Supporting Cast and Memorable Cameos
Charlie Sheen (Boy in Police Station)
Charlie Sheen had only one scene, but it is one of the most quoted. He played a drug-addled teen who flirts with Jeanie at the police station. He reportedly stayed awake for a long stretch to look worn out for the scene. The leather-jacket look made the cameo instantly memorable.
The same year, 1986, he starred in Platoon. He followed with Wall Street, Major League, Men at Work, and Hot Shots!. He comes from a famous acting family, as the son of Martin Sheen and the brother of Emilio Estevez.
In 2000, he replaced Michael J. Fox on Spin City and won a Golden Globe. His biggest success was Two and a Half Men, created by Chuck Lorre. He appeared in 177 episodes and earned four Emmy nominations. In 2011, after salary demands, a public meltdown, and remarks against Lorre, he was fired and replaced.
He then starred in Anger Management from 2012 to 2014. In 2015, he revealed his HIV diagnosis. Researchers later noted a spike in HIV testing, which they called the “Charlie Sheen Effect.” He has spoken openly about addiction and mental health, and he reunited with Lorre on How to Be a Bookie.
Sheen has been married three times, to Donna Peele, Denise Richards, and Brooke Mueller. He has five children and one grandchild.
Ben Stein (Economics Teacher)
Ben Stein played the dull economics teacher who repeats “Bueller… Bueller…” during roll call. The scene became one of the most quoted in film history. What surprises many people is his real background. He was a presidential speechwriter for Nixon and Ford and holds degrees in economics and law.
He taught law at Pepperdine and became a bestselling author on finance and life advice. He also wrote political columns and appeared on Cavuto on Business. Acting-wise, he was on The Wonder Years and did voice work on Rugrats and Family Guy.
His biggest TV success was Win Ben Stein’s Money, which ran from 1997 to 2003 and won an Emmy. He was also the long-time spokesman for Clear Eyes eye drops. In recent years, he has focused on books and appearances on political TV shows.
Edie McClurg (Grace)
Edie McClurg played Grace, Rooney’s gossiping secretary. Her line about Ferris being a “righteous dude” still gets laughs. She had already appeared in Carrie in 1976. A year after Ferris, she worked with John Hughes again in Planes, Trains and Automobiles.
She is also known as Mrs. Poole on The Hogan Family. Her voice roles include The Little Mermaid, Cars, and Wreck-It Ralph. She also had a guest role on Desperate Housewives.
In 2022, her family shared that she is living with dementia. She also became the subject of a conservatorship case. She is now retired from acting.
Cindy Pickett (Katie Bueller)
Cindy Pickett played Katie Bueller, Ferris’s trusting mother. Before this role, she was a regular on Guiding Light from 1976 to 1980. After Ferris, she played Dr. Carol Novino on St. Elsewhere.
She met Lyman Ward, who played her on-screen husband, on set. They married, and the marriage lasted from 1986 to 1992. She later appeared in Sleepwalkers in 1992 and had guest roles on shows like Magnum, P.I., CSI: Miami, and The Client List.
Lyman Ward (Tom Bueller)
Lyman Ward, a Canadian actor, played Ferris’s easily fooled father, Tom. His TV work stretched back to Bonanza in the early ’70s. He later appeared in The A-Team, Family Ties, Beverly Hills, 90210, and Monk.
His film roles include Independence Day. He was married to Cindy Pickett from 1986 to 1992, and they have two children. He has worked only occasionally in recent years.
Louie Anderson (Flower Delivery Man)
Louie Anderson had a short but funny cameo as the flower delivery man at the Buellers’ door. His comedy career had started getting attention a few years earlier. He went on to create the animated series Life with Louie, which ran from 1995 to 1998.
He hosted Family Feud from 1999 to 2002 and was a regular on Hollywood Squares. His most acclaimed role came late in life. He played Christine Baskets on FX’s Baskets from 2016 to 2019 and won an Emmy for it. He died in 2022.
Cast Reunions Over the Years
The actors from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off have reunited only a few times, which makes each moment special for fans. The first big one came in a 2012 Super Bowl ad for Honda. Broderick played an older version of himself skipping work, echoing the famous day off.
In June 2020, the cast reunited virtually on Josh Gad’s Reunited Apart series. Broderick, Ruck, Sara, Grey, and others shared stories from the set. They talked about wardrobe tests, filming the parade scene, and the day at the baseball game.
One of the most touching parts was hearing them speak about John Hughes. Many fans call him the Steven Spielberg of teen movies. The cast agreed he understood the pain and beauty of being a teenager better than anyone. Watching that reunion, I noticed how much respect they still share for him.
Why the Film Still Matters Today
The film works because it balances comedy with real feeling. Ferris is fun and a bit self-centered, but Cameron’s story gives the movie its heart. His struggle with a cold, controlling father makes the day off mean more than just a prank.
The young actors were also cast perfectly. Broderick’s confidence, Ruck’s nervous energy, and Grey’s anger created clear contrasts. Even small parts, like Ben Stein’s roll call, became iconic. Almost every major character has at least one scene people still quote.
Chicago also plays a big role. The Art Institute, the Sears Tower, Wrigley Field, and the parade all make the city feel like a character. That sense of place helps the film feel timeless for new viewers who discover it today.
FAQs
How old were the actors from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off during filming?
Most of the main cast were older than their characters. Matthew Broderick was about 23, and Alan Ruck was 29 while playing a high school senior. Jennifer Grey was 25, while Mia Sara was the closest to her character’s age at around 18.
Did Matthew Broderick and Jennifer Grey date?
Yes. They secretly dated during filming and later became engaged. Their relationship ended after the 1987 car accident in Ireland.
Who played Ferris Bueller’s girlfriend?
Mia Sara played Sloane Peterson. After years away from acting to raise her family, she returned to film in 2025 with a role in The Life of Chuck.
Which Ferris Bueller cast members have died?
Louie Anderson, who played the flower delivery man, died in 2022. Director John Hughes passed away in 2009. Most of the main cast are still alive in 2026.
Was the “Bueller… Bueller…” scene improvised?
Ben Stein has said much of his roll-call speech was improvised. John Hughes let him riff on economics, and the dull, monotone delivery made it a classic.
Is there a Ferris Bueller’s Day Off sequel?
No official sequel has been made. The 2012 Honda Super Bowl ad is the closest thing fans got to seeing Ferris again on screen.
Read About : scotty mccreery american