HE was a wide-eyed floppy-haired heartthrob in the 80s who was reluctantly labelled part of the Brat Pack.
His rapid rise to superstardom coincided with his breakout role as moody Washington Post journalist Kevin Dolenz in classic coming-of-age film St Elmo’s Fire.
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Now 62, the actor is still considered one of the greatest young stars of all time with Pretty in Pink and Weekend at Bernie’s also among his credits.
And while he might be a little more mature in appearance, Andrew McCarthy’s charm still shines through in a new snap with his daughter Willow, 18, ahead of her prom.
He couldn’t help but joke about one of his famous films, quipping, “she did not wear pink”.
Willow, who is from Andrew’s second marriage to writer Dolores Rice, made her dad beam with pride as they posed for the sweet snap.
Though the father and daughter duo are close, she has no interest in watching the films that made her dad a star.
Speaking to The Times last year, Andrew said, “Some of her friends told her to watch Pretty in Pink. But she saw a trailer and said, ‘I don’t want to watch you kissing some other person.’ I think that’s a perfectly appropriate response.”
Andrew and Dolores also have a son called Rowan, 11, while the actor has a son called Sam, 23, from his first marriage to college sweetheart Carol Schneider.
Back in 2013, he gushed about fatherhood in a blog post, writing, “Like most parents, I believe my children to be more dynamic, more charming, funnier, smarter, more perceptive and sensitive, more athletic, and more beautiful than other people’s children.
“I love my children. At this moment they still adore us. It’s a lovely time of life.”
Just days ago Andrew was in the UK where he managed to watch his fellow New Jersey native Bruce Springsteen play at Anfield Stadium, Liverpool.
He even managed to gab a selfie with The Boss backstage, topping off an unforgettable night.
Music lover Andrew was also over the moon to witness Beatle Sir Paul McCartney appearing as a guest in his hometown performing Can’t Buy Me Love.
Last year he released the documentary Brats on Disney+, which revisited his fraught relationship with the Brat Pack.
The Pack – coined by a New York magazine article in 1985 – was a collection of young, talented and, in some cases, wild American stars of the era.
Among its ranks were Rob Lowe, Demi Moore, Tom Cruise, Nicolas Cage, Sean Penn, Emilio Estevez and Matt Dillon.
Andrew made his feelings clear on the title, telling The Times: “Who wants to be called a brat? Who wants to be lumped into a pack? The public went, ‘Oh my God, we love that!’ Whereas the industry perceived it as a very negative indictment.”
At the same time his star was soaring, Andrew had an addiction to alcohol, which he eventually sought help for in 1992.
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He began drinking when he was 12 and insists he’d have abused booze irrespective of his fame.
“I abused alcohol — that’s no secret,” he said. “I just got to drink better vodka because I was in the movies. It affected my career, and it took me several years to realise I had a problem.”
He’s now been sober for 33 years.
Though he has landed roles consistently through the 90s and noughties, he hasn’t recaptured the same level of fame that both blessed and cursed him in the 80s.
Notable recent roles on TV include Orange Is The New Black, 13 Reasons Why and Gossip Girl.
