He was the boy every teen in the ’80s adored — the soft-spoken, dark-haired heartthrob whose face lit up magazine covers and movie posters. Andrew McCarthy had a gentle charm that made every scene feel personal. But behind the Hollywood glow, a much deeper story was unfolding.
A Star Who Never Wanted the Spotlight
Before Hollywood, Andrew was just a kid from Westfield, New Jersey. His mom worked at a local paper and his dad handled investments — a simple life far from movie sets.
Even though he loved performing, he often felt out of place. After enrolling at NYU’s acting program, he eventually got expelled for rarely attending classes.
From Open Casting Calls to Sharing a Screen With Jacqueline Bisset
After leaving school, Andrew wandered into an open casting call for the film Class. He waited for hours… and unexpectedly landed the job.
“One week I was a student, and the next week I was acting opposite Jacqueline Bisset,” he recalled.
That role launched his career. NYU even offered to take him back, but he declined.
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