Anthony Michael Hall reveals his secret to longevity in Hollywood
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“The Breakfast Club” star Anthony Michael Hall knows exactly why he’s been able to survive in Hollywood for more than 50 years.
Hall stars in the FOX celebrity competition series “Nation’s Dumbest,” hosted by Jack Whitehall. At the press event, Hall revealed his secret to living long in Hollywood.
“Having thick skin, playing games, and wanting to work with the best people possible,” he began. “Just being persistent and determined. And thank God I was born with a hard head. But you have to have a thick skin.”
Anthony Michael Hall appeared in “The Breakfast Club.” (Getty Images)
“You really have to want and love what you do. I think that’s all.”
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Hall also told Fox News Digital about the biggest lesson he’s learned after five decades in the industry.
WATCH: ‘The Breakfast Club’ star Anthony Michael Hall reveals his key to surviving in Hollywood after 51 years
“Stay humble, stay focused, keep your eyes on the road and just keep moving forward somehow. Nothing is guaranteed in this business and it’s a tough job, but it’s a really great job, so I’m very lucky,” he said.
Anthony Michael Hall poses for a portrait, circa 1984. (Photo: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)
“[I] I feel very blessed. This is my 51st year doing this, and it’s been something really unique because it’s something I never expected,” Hall continued, referencing “Nation’s Dumbest.”
“It really surprised me and it was really fun,” he said. “So the important thing was to learn that lesson as well. To be open to new opportunities, to just be cool and have fun. So we all had a really great time. It was nice.”
WATCH: Dr. Drew and Andrew Yang reveal the most frustrating part of ‘Nation’s Dumbest’
“Nation’s Dumbest” is FOX’s new celebrity competition series that adds comedy to the traditional competition format. The series, hosted by Whitehall, invites 12 celebrities to return to “summer school”; here they compete with a mix of classroom-inspired trivia, physical games, and school-themed competitions.
Anthony Michael Hall in 2021. (Amy Sussman/Getty Images)
However, unlike most competition programs, the aim is not to win, but to be eliminated. The contestant who performs best each week “graduates” from the competition, while those who struggle remain in the game. In the end, the last celebrity standing wins the title no one wanted: “Nation’s Dumbest.”
Hall told Fox News Digital he sees some parallels between his days on “The Breakfast Club” and his return to a classroom setting on FOX’s new competition series.
WATCH: JoJo Siwa and Chase Hudson talk while competing on FOX’s ‘Nation’s Dumbest’
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“You know, there were some parallels. We all came together. We were all stuck, we couldn’t really go anywhere. And honestly, we all got along really well. It was a really nice, organic surprise that I had a great time with all these people. As we often feel in this industry, I was going into a year where I wasn’t sure where the next gig was going to come from. And I got the call and I was really excited,” he said.
“So I really embraced it and went to Toronto and had a good time shooting it, everyone was really great. So we had a really good time,” Hall concluded.
Judd Nelson, Emilio Estevez, Ally Sheedy, Molly Ringwald and Anthony Michael Hall in “The Breakfast Club.” (Courtesy of Universal Images/Everett Collection)
The opening cast includes Hall, Ice-T, Jon Heder, Hilaria Baldwin, Carmen Electra, Chase Hudson, Elle King, Matt Leinart, Dr. Featuring Drew Pinsky, Steve-O, JoJo Siwa and Andrew Yang.
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The internationally successful format blends quizzes, report cards, recess-inspired games and ‘final exams’ with Whitehall’s signature sense of humour. FOX described the series as a new take on celebrity competition television; designed to deliver laughs by completely subverting the usual goal of winning.
WATCH: Elle King reveals what made her say yes to ‘Nation’s Dumbest’
The series premiered on FOX on Wednesday, July 15, and was released on Hulu the next day.
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