Anthony Michael Hall, the actor known for his iconic roles in ’80s films likeThe Breakfast ClubandSixteen Candles, is returning to the spotlight with a role in the Prime Video action hitReacher. In therecently released Season 3, Hall plays Zachary Beck, a ruthless millionaire in the importing business who will stand against the titular hero, Jack Reacher. Hall’s career is long enough, and he may have drawn some inspiration from his movies and TV shows, butforReacher, he found a personal event that was significant enough to make his character “rich.”
“Suddenly, I had a wealth of things to draw on,” the actor explained in a new interview withVariety. Elsewhere, Hall spoke about the multilayered character that poses as a rug importer and turns out to be part of a crime ring. While the genre ofReacherusually focuses on action set pieces and intricate fight sequences, the actor pushed for strong character development. He used the opportunity to build a villain that made sense and had enough of a backdrop to stand against the ex-military vigilante played by Alan Ritchson:
“It’s a very rich character. He has a cover for his life, and is operating within this framework of a criminal network. But there’s a power struggle, and he’s trying to stay alive as a criminal with this very dark side. Then again, the B storyline is essentially his relationship with his son, Richard.”
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The actor says he drew from his own role as a father to play a dark character who still had some light inside of him. Hall became a father in 2023, and although his son in the series is much older, he was able to use the experience of being a real-life father to make Beck a much stronger character:
“Suddenly, I had a wealth of things to draw on. That allowed me to really connect with the whole nature of the Richard and Zach relationship.When you’re playing a dark character, you want to find some light in him. I think the light in him is his relationship with Richard. He’s very damaged, and it’s a damaged relationship. He’s looking to redeem himself to his son, so there’s that sense of self-forgiveness and redemption.”
Anthony Michael Hall on Trying to Abandon the ’80s “Geek” Typecast
As expected, Hall also spoke about his beginnings in the industry. Before becoming part of the ’80s Hollywood “Brat Pack,” Hall starred alongside Chevy Chase in 1983’sNational Lampoon’s Vacation. After that, he was typecast as the “geek” in every John Hughes movie of the era. As successful as that part of his career, Hall says the stereotype was not planned:
“I didn’t plan on being typecast — I don’t even think it was John’s intention. But that sort of happened… I was 17 years old. I had already done a handful of films. I was just flying by the seat of my pants, and was coming from a very pure place. I think long before the pressures of any of that, I learned so much just by working with John Hughes and the gifts that he gave me. I wouldn’t be here without him. There was this sense of joy and freedom there as a kid.”
His “Brat Pack” era didn’t last long, and even though he was always associated with his early roles, Hall pushed to make different movies. Today, he’s a veteran with enough credibility to land the important role of the villain in the very successfulReacher, which meansHall feels gratitude for being able to transition and not staying in the typecast:
“I’m just awash with a sense of gratitude, knowing honestly about having endured it and survived. I think it’s ultimately about the company you keep, so I want to work with great filmmakers, I want to work with other great actors. I want to work, and I think I’ve just maintained that focus.”
