Forthcoming book reveals Jon Cryer considered for iconic ’80s role

Jon Cryer, best known as Duckie in Pretty in Pink, has revealed that he was nearly cast as Ferris Bueller in the iconic 1986 teen comedy Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, according to the forthcoming book Ferris Bueller…You’re My Hero: The Story of the World’s Most Famous Day Off by Jason Klamm.

In an excerpt shared by Entertainment Weekly, the 60-year-old actor recalled being “a little jealous” of Matthew Broderick, who ultimately landed the role of the high school prankster. 

Cryer said he only knew he was up for Ferris’s best friend, Cameron Frye — a part that went to Alan Ruck.

“Ferris Bueller sounded a little more antically comedic than Pretty in Pink was,” Cryer said. “It sounded like he was going to have a great time, and I was like, ‘Oh, that would have been a fun project to do with him.’ I recall being a little jealous at the time.”

Cryer noted that he likely wasn’t cast as Ferris because he was “too similar to Matthew,” reflecting on how the two actors were often compared during their Brat Pack heyday.

The book also touches on other rumored casting considerations. Anthony Michael Hall, a frequent John Hughes collaborator, has long said he was initially considered for the role of Ferris, though Hughes never publicly confirmed it.

Reflecting on his and Broderick’s careers today, Cryer joked at the 2024 premiere of Andrew McCarthy’s documentary BRATS that the comparisons between them have faded over time. 

“No, Matthew and I have since parted ways,” he said, adding, “He still has a magnificent head of hair, God bless him. He should work it as much as possible. You should enjoy it. But I have gone the other direction.”

Ferris Bueller…You’re My Hero hits shelves June 16, 2026, promising new insights into one of the ’80s most beloved comedies.