'Breakfast Club' star Anthony on surviving Hollywood at 51
Anthony Michael Hall says the key to surviving Hollywood after 51 years is having a thick skin, staying persistent and tenacious, and truly loving the work. The 8216breakfast club8217 star anthony — now on FOX's "Nation's Dumbest" — also stressed staying humble, focused, and open to surprise opportunities that keep a career moving.
Key Takeaways
- Hall credits a thick skin, persistence, and love of the craft for his 51-year Hollywood run.
- He told reporters the biggest lesson is to stay humble, stay focused, and keep moving ahead.
- The "Breakfast Club" alum is competing on FOX's celebrity series "Nation's Dumbest," hosted by Jack Whitehall.
- He saw classroom parallels between that 1985 film and the new show's summer-school format.
- The series premiered July 15, 2026, on FOX and streamed the next day on Hulu.
Hall's comments, reported by Page Six, land as he promotes an unexpected late-career turn on network television. For more celebrity breaking news, BlasterPost is tracking the story.
What did Anthony Michael Hall say is the key to surviving Hollywood?
At a press event for "Nation's Dumbest," Hall spelled out what he believes keeps actors working for decades.
"Having a thick skin, and just being game and just wanting to work with the best people you can," he said. "Just being persistent and tenacious. And thank God I was born with a hard head. But you have to have a thick skin."
"You have to really want and love what you do. So I think that's it," he added.
Speaking separately to Fox News Digital, Hall shared the largest lesson from five decades in the industry: "Stay humble, stay focused, keep your eyes on the road, and just keep moving ahead somehow. There's no guarantee of anything in this business, and it's a tough business, but it's really great business, so I'm very fortunate."
How does "Nation's Dumbest" connect to "The Breakfast Club"?
FOX's new celebrity competition puts 12 stars back in "summer school" for trivia, physical games, and school-themed challenges. Hosted by Jack Whitehall, the twist is elimination in reverse: the best performer "graduates" each week, and the last celebrity standing earns the unwanted title "The Nation's Dumbest."
Hall told Fox News Digital he noticed clear parallels with "The Breakfast Club."
"Do you know what, there was some parallels for sure. We all got thrown together. We're all stuck, we couldn't really go anywhere. And honestly, we all really got along," he said. "It was a real nice organic surprise that I had a great time with all these people."
The inaugural cast includes Hall, Ice-T, Jon Heder, Hilaria Baldwin, Carmen Electra, Chase Hudson, Elle King, Matt Leinart, Dr. Drew Pinsky, Steve-O, JoJo Siwa, and Andrew Yang.
Why does Hall say staying open still matters after 51 years?
Hall called the gig a blessing he never saw coming in his 51st year working. "It really took me by surprise, and it was really lot of fun," he said of "Nation's Dumbest."
"So, it was about learning that lesson, too. Staying open to new opportunities, just being cool with it and having fun," he explained, noting he headed to Toronto excited to shoot with a cast he found welcoming.
He also admitted the job arrived when he was unsure where the next role would come from — a familiar feeling in entertainment — and that embracing the call made the difference.
The series premiered Wednesday, July 15 on FOX and became available on Hulu the following day.