'Ferris Bueller's Day Off': Where Are They Now?

Early in his career, Matthew Broderick nabbed the coveted role of Ferris Bueller in 1986's Ferris Bueller's Day Off. He came into the now-famous part after making his on-screen debut in a 1981 episode of Lou Grant and earning subsequent credits for Max Dugan Returns (1983), WarGames (1983), and Ladyhawke (1985), as he racked up Broadway credits for Brighton Beach Memoirs and Biloxi Blues. Broderick's turn as the lovable slacker made him a star, giving the actor his first (and only) Golden Globe nomination. Broderick's career took off from there, as he spent the rest of the '80s starring in Biloxi Blues, Glory, and Family Business. The following decade saw Broderick topping the box office with gigs in The Lion King, Godzilla, Election, and Inspector Gadget, and continuing his Broadway fame in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying and Night Must Fall. After marrying Sarah Jessica Parker in the late '90s, Broderick went on to appear in You Can Count on Me (2000), The Stepford Wives (2004), Deck the Halls (2006), and Tower Heist (2011), and lent his voice to Good Boy! (2003), Bee Movie (2007), and The Tale of Despereaux (2008). He continues to dedicate much of his time to the stage, earning additional Broadway credits for Taller Than A Dwarf, The Producers, Short Talks on the Universe, The Odd Couple, The Philanthropist, Nice Work If You Can Get It, It's Only a Play, and Sylvia.

Ferris found his best friend in Cameron Frye, played by Alan Ruck. The young actor played the hypochondriac Detroit Red Wings fan after earning his first on-screen credit just three years prior for 1983's Bad Boys. After hanging up his jersey, Ruck hit the big screen in Three Fugitives (1989) and Young Guns II (1990), Speed (1994), Star Trek: Generations (1994), Twister (1996), and made the transition to TV with '90s appearances in episodes of Going Places, Picket Fences, and Mad About You. In 1996, he debuted one of his famous roles to date when he started playing Stuart Bondek on Spin City. Ruck wrapped the gig in 2002 and made recent appearances in Greek, Bunheads, Masters of Sex, Psych, and The Middle.

Newcomer Mia Sara earned her second on-screen credit for Ferris Bueller's Day Off, playing the leather jacket-wearing cool girl of Ferris' dreams. Sara made her debut just months prior, starring alongside Tom Cruise in 1985's Legend. After playing Sloane, the actress continued her big-screen career in By the Sword (1991), A Stranger Among Us (1992), and Timecop (1994). She also expanded her résumé with small-screen gigs, earning credits for Till We Meet Again in the '80s, Chicago Hope in the '90s, and Birds of Prey and CSI: NY in the 2000s.

Jeffrey Jones made a memorable turn in Ferris Bueller's Day Off as Principal Ed Rooney. He played the administrator with a mission to take down Ferris after picking up previous credits for Easy Money (1983), Amadeus (1984), and Transylvania 6-5000 (1985). After Ferris, Jones starred in Howard the Duck (1986), Beetlejuice (1988), The Hunt for Red October (1990), Ed Wood (1994), Houseguest (1995), The Crucible (1996), The Devil's Advocate (1997), Sleepy Hollow (1999), Stuart Little (1999), Heartbreakers (2001), Dr. Dolittle 2 (2001), How High (2001), and episodes of Deadwood. Jones' career was largely suspended in the 2000s following a 2002 arrest for possession of child pornography.

After making a name for herself in Reckless (1984), Red Dawn (1984), The Cotton Club (1984), American Flyers (1985), and two ABC Afterschool Specials installments, Jennifer Grey landed the role of Jeanie Bueller in Ferris Bueller's Day Off . She played Ferris' sister, who is fed up with his constant shenanigans and the fact that he never gets in trouble for his misbehavior. The year after the comedy hit theaters, Grey returned to the big screen in her most famous role to date: Frances "Baby" Houseman in 1987's Dirty Dancing. She earned a Golden Globe nomination for the gig and went on to appear in Wind (1992), Bounce (2000), Redbelt (2008), and Keith (2008), and episodes of Friends, Fallen Angels, It's Like, You Know..., and House. In recent years, she lent her voice to Phineas and Ferb, starred as Judy on Amazon's Red Oaks, and competed in the 11th season of Dancing with the Stars.

Cindy Pickett joined Ferris Bueller's Day Off as Katie Bueller, Ferris' mother who sees no reason to be suspicious of her son. Before taking on the maternal role, Pickett appeared in '80s episodes of Guiding Light, Riptide, Magnum, P.I., and Call to Glory. She returned to the small screen after playing Mrs. Bueller with gigs in St. Elsewhere, L.A. Law, and Murder, She Wrote. Pickett also added to her big-screen credits, appearing in Hot to Trot (1988), DeepStar Six (1989), Sleepwalkers (1992), Son in Law (1993), and Sex and Death 101 (2007). In recent years, the actress popped up in episodes of The Client List and The Mentalist.

The counterpart to Pickett's Mrs. Bueller, Lyman Ward played Ferris' father, Tom Bueller. Ward joined Ferris Bueller's Day Off with more than a decade in the industry to his name. He made his debut in the '70s, racking up credits for Coffy (1973), Moscow on the Hudson (1984), Creature (1985), and A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge (1985), and episodes of Bonanza, Laverne & Shirley, Kojak, Alice, Barney Miller, Remington Steele, and Dallas. After playing Mr. Bueller, Ward continued his small-screen work in Magnum, P.I., Family Ties, Matlock, The Wonder Years, Melrose Place, Murder, She Wrote, and JAG. Ward also returned to the big screen with appearances in Sleepwalkers (1992), The Beverly Hillbillies (1993), Independence Day (1996), and Rumor Has It... (2005). He joined FX's Legit for two episodes in 2014 and made a cameo in one 2015 episode of Transparent.

Edie McClurg charmed in Ferris Bueller's Day Off as Grace, the assistant to Principal Rooney. Before playing the school administrator, McClurg booked roles in Carrie (1976), Cheech and Chong's Next Movie (1980), Eating Raoul (1982), and Mr. Mom (1983), and '70s and '80s episodes of The Richard Pryor Show, WKRP in Cincinnati, Alice, Diff'rent Strokes, and The Jeffersons. Following Ferris Bueller, McClurg added to her packed résumé with Back to School (1986), Planes, Trains & Automobiles (1987), She's Having a Baby (1988), The Little Mermaid (1989), Curly Sue (1991), A River Runs Through It (1992), The Rugrats Movie (1998), A Bug's Life (1998), Hanging Up (2000), Van Wilder (2002), Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star (2003), Cars (2006), and Fired Up! (2009), and episodes of Valerie, Bobby's World, The Addams Family, Life with Louie, Rocket Power, and 7th Heaven. In recent years, McClurg focused largely on voice work, earning credits for HBO's The Life & Times of Tim, Fish Hooks, Wreck-It Ralph, and Frozen.

Charlie Sheen may have charted limited screen-time and even been skipped over for a proper name as the so-called "Boy in Police Station," but his Ferris Bueller's Day Off performance was impactful nonetheless. An alum of Red Dawn (1984), The Boys Next Door (1985), and Lucas (1986), Sheen met Grey's Jeanie Bueller in the police station and hit it off with the straitlaced young woman. From there, Sheen counted box office hits like Platoon (1986), Major League (1989), Hot Shots! (1991), The Three Musketeers (1993), and Scary Movie 3 (2003). He saw his greatest success on the small screen, however, earning Emmy and Golden Globe nominations for his 2000s turn as Charlie Crawford on Spin City and his eight-year run as Charlie Harper on Two and a Half Men. Following a tumultuous few years in his personal life, Sheen returned to television in 2012 for Anger Management.

With the repeated uttering of one word, Ben Stein went from a forgettable minor character in Ferris Bueller's Day Off to one of the most memorable parts of the movie. He played an unnamed economics teacher, who coined one of the film's biggest lines when he monotoned "Bueller... Bueller... Bueller" while taking attendance for his class. After spending his early career as a lawyer, Stein picked up his first credited acting role in 1984 with The Wild Life. After Ferris, he appeared in Planes, Trains & Automobiles (1987), Ghostbusters II (1989), Soapdish (1991), Honeymoon in Vegas (1992), Dave (1993), Dennis the Menace (1993), The Mask (1994), Ri¢hie Ri¢h (1994), and Casper (1995), and episodes of Charles in Charge and The Wonder Years. In 1997, he began hosting Win Ben Stein's Money, wrapping up the gig in 2002 and going on to earn credits for Son of the Mask (2005) and episodes of The Fairly OddParents and Family Guy. Stein spent recent years focusing on live and news programs.