'Ferris Bueller’s Day Off' Star Mia Sara Says Filming the Hit Movie Was 'Not That Good of an Experience'

Nearly 40 years after Ferris Bueller's Day Off became a beloved Hollywood classic, Mia Sara is opening up about what it was really like making the iconic film.

While fans continue to celebrate the 1986 teen comedy, the actress admitted her experience on set wasn't nearly as enjoyable as many might expect. During a recent interview, Sara spoke candidly about her memories from the production alongside costars Matthew Broderick, Alan Ruck and Jennifer Grey.

Looking back, Sara described Hughes as someone who had a very specific vision for the cast both on and off set.

Sara then called Hughes "a strange guy," who “wanted us all to hang out together and to introduce us to the French New Wave films,” a groundbreaking cinematic movement in the late 1950s and 1960s.

The actress explained that her background and personality may have contributed to the disconnect.

“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 told The Sunday Times. "I didn’t have the emotional maturity to deal with other people’s egos, or my own."

"I don’t really give interviews because making Ferris Bueller was not that good an experience for me," she added.

Although she acknowledged the flick's lasting impact on audiences, Sara admitted there were challenges while working with legendary director John Hughes.

"But I’m very aware of what a precious thing this movie is, and I don’t want to disappoint people. But I didn’t get along well with John,” she added.

Sara also revealed that acting wasn't something she always found fulfilling, despite appearing in several memorable projects throughout her career.

After Ferris Bueller's Day Off, she starred in the ABC miniseries Queenie and later earned a Saturn Award for her performance in the 1994 sci-fi film Timecop. Still, she admitted the industry often left her feeling frustrated.

"I never really had the resilience to deal with the audition process," Sara revealed. "There are some things in my career that I’m really proud of, but overall it was not a happy career for me."

Over the years, Sara stepped away from acting and shifted her focus toward writing poetry.

Despite her mixed feelings about her Hollywood journey, Sara understands just how much Ferris Bueller's Day Off continues to resonate with fans.

Today, she often sees younger generations discovering the movie for the first time through her children.

"My kids say they can see the moment their friends make the connection between me and the movie, and they’ll say, ‘Wow, your mom was hot!’" she said.

Released in 1986, Ferris Bueller's Day Off follows charismatic high school senior Ferris Bueller, played by Broderick, as he skips school for an unforgettable adventure through Chicago with his best friend Cameron and girlfriend Sloane Peterson, portrayed by Sara.

Elsewhere, Sara admitted that she had a "massive" crush on Broderick, who played her on-screen boyfriend, during filming, but that it was "very much unrequited."

At the time, Broderick was secretly dating Grey, who portrayed Ferris' sister, Jeanie. Broderick confirmed the couple was together for roughly two years during that period.

"It was not easy to keep hidden on set,” Grey said during the interview, revealing that she "got the giggles" so badly once during a scene that she had to bite her cheek to compose herself.

"It was the way he looked at me!" she recalled. "The crew was, like, ‘Why don't you take a walk around the block?'"