Ferris Bueller's Day Off, the 1986 comedy classic directed by John Hughes, turns 40 this year. The film follows charismatic high school slacker Ferris Bueller, who skips school in Chicago with his best friend Cameron and girlfriend Sloane for an unforgettable adventure. Written in less than a week, the film grossed $70 million on a $5 million budget and was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress.
Matthew Broderick as Ferris Bueller
Matthew Broderick, now 64, played the iconic Ferris Bueller. After the film, he starred in Project X, Biloxi Blues, Glory, and voiced Simba in The Lion King. Despite not becoming a major box office draw, he has focused on theatre, making his West End debut in The Starry Messenger in 2019. In 2023, he starred in No Hard Feelings and earned an Emmy nomination for Only Murders in the Building. In 1987, Broderick was involved in a car accident in Northern Ireland that killed Anna Gallagher, 28, and her mother Margaret Doherty, 63. He was convicted of careless driving and fined £100. He has been married to Sarah Jessica Parker since 1997, with three children.
Mia Sara as Sloane Peterson
Mia Sara, who played Ferris's girlfriend Sloane Peterson, rose to fame on All My Children and in Ridley Scott's Legend. She won a Saturn Award for Timecop (1994) and later appeared in The Life of Chuck (2024) with Tom Hiddleston. She was married to Sean Connery's son Jason and is now married to Brian Henson, son of Jim Henson, with whom she has a daughter. The family lives in Suffolk.
Alan Ruck as Cameron Frye
Alan Ruck, now 68, played Ferris's best friend Cameron. He appeared in Speed, Twister, and starred as Stuart Bondek on Spin City. His career renaissance came as Connor Roy on HBO's Succession, earning Golden Globe and Emmy nominations. In 2026, he appeared in Netflix's People We Meet on Vacation and HBO's Rooster with Steve Carell.
Jennifer Grey as Jeannie Bueller
Jennifer Grey, who played Ferris's sister Jeannie, earned a Golden Globe nomination for Dirty Dancing (1987). After undergoing rhinoplasty in the early 1990s, she said, 'I went in the operating room a celebrity—and came out anonymous.' She won Dancing with the Stars in 2010 and starred in A Real Pain (2024) with Jesse Eisenberg.
Jeffrey Jones as Principal Ed Rooney
Jeffrey Jones, now 79, played Principal Rooney. He starred in Beetlejuice, The Hunt for Red October, and Deadwood. In 2002, he pleaded no contest to soliciting a minor for nude photos and was sentenced to five years' probation, registering as a sex offender for life. He was not brought back for Beetlejuice 2 (2024), with his character killed off.
Cindy Pickett as Katie Bueller
Cindy Pickett, who played Ferris's mother, rose to fame on Guiding Light and St. Elsewhere. She appeared in TV movies like Amerika and Plymouth, and guest-starred on shows like Magnum, P.I. and CSI: Miami. She married Lyman Ward after the film, but they later divorced.
Lyman Ward as Tom Bueller
Lyman Ward, who played Ferris's father, was cast in the pilot of Beverly Hills, 90210 but replaced. He appeared in A Nightmare on Elm Street 2 and Sleepwalkers. He married Cindy Pickett, and they had two children before divorcing.
Charlie Sheen as Garth Volbeck
Charlie Sheen, now 60, had a small role as Garth Volbeck. He became a star in Platoon, Wall Street, and Two and a Half Men, where he earned $1.8 million per episode. After being fired due to substance abuse issues, he revealed his HIV-positive status in 2015, which increased HIV prevention awareness. He released a memoir, The Book of Sheen, in 2025 and was the subject of Netflix's Aka Charlie Sheen.
