NEWSJon Cryer Opens Up About Tense Relationship With 'Aloof' Andrew McCarthy on 'Pretty in Pink' Set
Jon Cryer recalled his difficult relationship with Andrew McCarthy during 'Pretty in Pink' filming.
July 25 2026, Published 5:00 a.m. ET
Jon Cryer recently discussed the challenging dynamics he experienced with Andrew McCarthy during the filming of the classic teen film Pretty in Pink.
Cryer, who played Duckie, told Page Six that he found McCarthy to be “aloof” and “a d---” while they shot the film in 1986.
Jon Cryer admitted that he found Andrew McCarthy distant and difficult to work with while filming 'Pretty in Pink' in 1986.
In Pretty in Pink, Molly Ringwald stars as Andie Walsh, caught in a love triangle between Cryer’s Duckie and McCarthy’s Blane. Despite the film's popularity, the set was fraught with tension according to Cryer. He recalled a moment when Ringwald and McCarthy were playing around during one of his close-up shots. Cryer admitted that he grew frustrated, only to later learn that the director had orchestrated the situation to bring out genuine emotion from him.
Jon Cryer later learned that director Howard Deutch intentionally encouraged tension during filming to capture more authentic emotions.
Cryer also reflected on McCarthy's personal struggles during that time, noting he was unaware that McCarthy was “battling his own demons” and coping with a fractured family relationship.
McCarthy, now 63, struggled with alcoholism and other personal issues during the filming.
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Jon Cryer acknowledged that he did not realize Andrew McCarthy was privately struggling with alcoholism.
In McCarthy’s memoir, Brat: An '80s Story, he conveyed his own frustrations, expressing that he found Cryer’s laugh to be “irritating.”
This mutual discontent appears to have characterized their interactions during their time on set.
Following the release of Pretty in Pink, McCarthy’s substance abuse issues worsened.
He described how he began “drinking to excess” and battled a cocaine addiction during the filming of Less Than Zero.
His struggles with addiction reached a critical point, nearly leading to a heart attack during a pool scene.
Andrew McCarthy later admitted in his memoir that he also had frustrations with Jon Cryer.
Fortunately, Cryer revealed that he and McCarthy have since worked on their relationship.
“Andrew and I have had a lot of communication in the last couple of years,” he stated, indicating a positive shift in their dynamic."
