Star of Iconic ’80s Movie Says Filming Wasn’t a ‘Good Experience’

Being on set during the making of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off was apparently, well, … no day off.

At least that’s the opinion of one of the movie’s co-stars, Mia Sara, who played Ferris’ girlfriend, Sloan Peterson.

Sara said as much during an interview with The Times earlier this month. She told the publication: “I don’t really give interviews because making Ferris Bueller was not that good an experience for me. But I’m very aware of what a precious thing this movie is, and I don’t want to disappoint people.”

The 1986 release was one of the highest-grossing films of the year and made more than $70 million against a budget of just over $5 million. It’s one of the most quoted movies of the ‘80s and helped to launch the careers of Matthew Broderick and Jennifer Grey.

And if you pay close enough attention, you’ll catch a glimpse of a young Charlie Sheen too.

Despite the movie’s lasting success and multiple rewatchable-worthy scenes, Sara did not enjoy her time on set, largely because of director John Hughes. “I didn’t get along well with John,” Sara shared with The Times.

Hughes, who directed a number of ‘80s classic such as Sixteen Candles, Weird Science, and The Breakfast Club prior to Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,was not someone Sara found easy to connect with. Part of the reason could’ve been Sara’s inexperience on the big screen. Ferris Bueller was just her second movie role.

“(John Hughes) wanted us all to hang out together and to introduce us to the French New Wave films. But the others were seasoned actors, and I was a snotty New York kid and had seen all those movies, so he was frustrated in that desire,” Sara recalled. I didn’t have the emotional maturity to deal with other people’s egos, or my own.”

Now 59, Sara last appeared on screen in 2024’s The Life of Chuck. Her appearance marked her first time in front of the camera in more than a decade. If you missed it, you’re not alone. Because as you may or may not know, life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”