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The actor, now starring on the new FOX competition series ‘Nation’s Dumbest,’ got his start in commercials at age 8
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- Anthony Michael Hall reflects on his 50-year career, which began with commercials and plays at age 8
- He credits his wife Lucia Oskerova and fatherhood as his greatest accomplishments
- Hall stars in FOX’s Nation’s Dumbest alongside Ice-T, Carmen Electra and more, and he has several upcoming projects in production
Anthony Michael Hall says it’s almost hard to believe he’s been a working actor for 50 years.
“I thought it was 49, but my mom recently reminded me that I was 8 when I got my first job,” Hall, now 58 and starring on the new FOX competition series Nation’s Dumbest, tells PEOPLE.
“I was doing commercials back then as a kid, and then some plays,” he says of life before he landed his first major role in National Lampoon’s Vacation at 14. He soon began starring in hits like Weird Science, Sixteen Candles and The Breakfast Club.
“And I’m still working!” he says. “I’m actively building up my production company and just always working, year-round. I’m blessed to have had such a long career.”
Despite being proud of his longevity, Hall says these days, being a husband and dad is an equally incredible accomplishment.
“I have found my soulmate. I have, and I love her,” he says of wife Lucia Oskerova, whom he married in 2020. “And being a dad,” he says of son Anthony Michael II, 3. “It’s a full-time job ... but we love it. We just embrace it, and he’s such a joy. Fatherhood and being a husband—that’s absolutely the greatest role.”
As for his latest project, he laughs that he did it in the first place and says he was delighted by how fun it was.
“So it was me, Ice-T, Steve-O, Dr. Drew, Hilaria Baldwin, Jojo Siwa,” he says. “Matt Leinart, Carmen Electra, Andrew Yang and Elle King. And everyone got along great.”
“But I’d just spent the last 20 years of my life talking s--- about reality shows, because my wife is really into them. But I agreed, not knowing what it would be like, and it was just the best. Ice-T, he’s got the greatest stories. He was an Army Ranger! Never drank or did drugs a day in his life, which surprised me.”
He continues, “And Carmen Electra was talking about dating Prince and [Dennis] Rodman. She was so down to earth. And my wife was so excited to meet Dr. Drew. She’s Slovakian, and growing up she’d watch his show Loveline with Adam Carolla, which they had over there, and that’s how she learned to speak English.”
In addition to appearing on Nation’s Dumbest, Hall says he has several fun projects on the horizon, including S.W.A.T. Exiles and the upcoming horror film Halloween Store. He also continues to produce films through his company, Manhattan Films.
As for his past, starring in iconic Gen-X coming-of-age movies? He loves that they’re still popular 40 years later.
“I embrace all the John Hughes stuff,” he says. “That was truly the beginning of my career. The gift is to have a career and creative life like I have,” he says. “I’m really grateful.”
Nation’s Dumbest airs Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET on FOX.
Read the original article on People
