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Demi Moore Reveals She Had 24/7 'Sober Companion' During St Elmo's Fire Set To Keep Her From Relapsing
Demi Moore revealed that the director had appointed a “sober companion” to be with her at all times and keep her from relapsing while filming the Brat Pack film.
Trigger Warning: This article contains references to alcohol and drug addiction
Demi Moore, who rose to prominence as a Brat Pack member, opened up about being vulnerable on the sets of 1985’s St. Elmo’s Fire. The Emmy-winning star referenced her long battle with alcohol and substance abuse during a chat with co-star and TV director Andrew McCarthy in his new Hulu documentary.
Moore revealed that the director had appointed a “sober companion” to be with her at all times and keep her from relapsing while filming the Brat Pack film. McCarthy is revisiting the term ‘Brat Pack’ that made headlines in the 1980s with his new documentary, BRATS.
It explores the actors who were part of the label, featuring interviews with ‘80s stars like Emilio Estevez, Rob Lowe, Lea Thompson, and others.
Demi Moore disclosed the reality behind St. Elmo’s Fire
Demi Moore, 61, had a rough brisk with drug and alcohol addiction in her early Hollywood career. Then 22, she sought treatment in 1985 and was also pitched the offer to play the troubled party girl, Jules in St. Elmo’s Fire.
But director Joel Schumacher was extra careful of the actor’s relapse and hence, had hired a “sober companion” to check on her.
“They paid to have a sober companion with me 24/7, during the whole shooting,” Moore told Andrew McCarthy, 61, in BRATS. Speaking of her approach to life at that time, the Disclosure star admitted that she tried too hard to fit into the St. Elmo’s Fire group.
She added, “I was so fearful of failing, fearful of losing, and so desperate to fit in, belong. My need to please was definitely on high alert.” McCarthy, who was also on St. Elmo’s Fire along with five other co-stars, was rather surprised by Moore’s revelation and claimed he hadn’t even noticed the “sober companion” on set.
While the BRATS interview focused more on the term Brat Pack, the Ghost actress shared that she was undergoing treatment at a rehab facility and the staff had advised her against working on St. Elmo’s Fire.
“I didn’t have any value for myself,” Moore remarked. Regardless, the actress expressed her gratitude for the director’s belief in her despite the tumultuous times. The former General Hospital star has been quite frank about her struggles with addiction in the past.
She had maintained sobriety for 20 years before relapsing in her 40s, per her 2019 memoir Inside Out.
What is BRATS about?
Andrew McCarthy decided it was time to delve deeper into the origin and infamous popularity of the Brat Pack. The term was first coined by journalist David Blum in a 1985 New York Magazine article which thrust emerging actors in the ‘80s to Brats Pack fame.
The films that fall under the label are The Breakfast Club, Class, Pretty in Pink, and St. Elmo’s Fire among others. Although, it was never clear which specific actors were the real Brats.
Now, McCarthy is calling on his former co-stars and Hollywood buddies from the ‘80s to reflect on the Brats Pack legacy that “branded” most of their careers. His Hulu documentary, BRATS, premiered at the Tribeca Festival and is set to premiere on streaming platforms on June 13.
BRATS showcases interviews by the original St. Elmo’s Fire cast, Rob Lowe, Emilio Estevez, Demi Moore, and Ally Sheedy while Judd Nelson refused to participate. The conversations revealed that the actors were somewhat haunted by the term at that time but have come to embrace it now.
“Why did we take it as an offense?” Demi Moore asks in the trailer. Other stars featured are Jon Cryer from Pretty in Pink, Timothy Hutton from Taps, and Lea Thompson.
Disclaimer: If you know someone who is struggling with alcohol or substance abuse, please reach out to the authorities and report it. There are several helplines available for the same.
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