Famously known for his portrayal of ‘John Bender’ in The Breakfast Club (1985), Judd Nelson is an American actor, who made his entertainment career debut in the early 80s. He has also been featured in several movies and TV shows throughout the 80s, 90s, and 2000s. Some of his recent works include Law & Order: SVU (2021), and The Most Dangerous Game (2022).
Apart from his screen roles, Judd is also a prolific writer who authored books like Nine of Diamonds, The Gig, The Power of Speech, and Water Music.
Judd Nelson Made His Acting Debut in the Mid-80s
Unlike many actors who came from a family of entertainers or were influenced by others, Judd Nelson had a different background. His parents were both conservative Jews who worked in fields unrelated to entertainment. His mother, Merle Nelson, ran a business, while his father, Leonard Nelson, was an attorney.
So how did Judd Nelson begin his entertainment career? He caught the acting bug when he went to attend a friend’s audition and had to perform in order to stay. Fortunately and luckily, he got the part.
After finishing his education, Judd moved to New York City and joined the Stella Adler Conservatory. There, he played the role of cunning Eddie Keaton in the comedy Making the Grade (1984) and impressed the audience. He then landed a role in Fandango in 1985.
Beginning with The Breakfast Club (1985), the American actor has made several significant Film/TV appearances
Nelson first rose to fame thanks to his parts in The Breakfast Club by John Hughes and St. Elmo’s Fire by Joel Schumacher. He portrayed ‘Bender’ a stoned-out high school student in The Breakfast Club who many people, including himself, thought less of a reasonable future.
The movie cast also had high school students forced to spend a long Saturday in detention together when they discover that perhaps they aren’t so dissimilar after all.
Judd Nelson (Bender) seemed to be at home in confinement, unlike the other characters, who all seemed out of place. He sets out on a personal goal to offend everyone around him in the ugliest way imaginable right from the movie’s start and he excels at his mission.
We start to understand why Bender acts in this way as the story reveals more about him and his upbringing. His tough demeanor happens to be a coping strategy for his less-than-ideal family situation. Underneath Bender is also a lonely wounded teen who is struggling to make the most of his circumstances.
The fact that Bender isn’t a good guy makes him a difficult character. He repeatedly taunts Brian (Anthony Michael Hall), the weak intellect, and sexually harasses Claire (Molly Ringwald), the popular girl at school. He also threatens Andrew (Emilio Estevez), with a knife.
The Breakfast Club had its Los Angeles premiere on February 7, 1985. With a $1 million budget, it made $51.5 million in revenue and received praise from reviewers who regarded it as one of Hughes’s most enduring and identifiable works. The five major actors of the movie were thereafter referred to as the “Brat Pack” by the media. To commemorate its 30th anniversary, the movie was digitally restored and rescreened in 430 cinemas in 2015.
The work was chosen by the Library of Congress in 2016 as a “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” film to be preserved in the United States National Film Registry.
Nelson in ‘St. Elmo’s Fire (1985)
In St. Elmo’s Fire, Nelson portrayed the lead role of “Alec Newbury,” a young overachiever with political ambitions. Sadly, his political ambitions had to drive his girlfriend away.
Along with Judd, who played Alec, there are other characters like Kirby (Emilio Estevez), a waiter who aspires to be a lawyer, Kevin (Andrew McCarthy), a brooding writer who pines for the feisty Jules (Demi Moore), and Wendy (Mare Winningham), a reserved woman in love with Billy (Rob Lowe), who balances being a husband, father, and drunk.
Meanwhile, the 1985 American coming-of-age movie had a great opening weekend, taking in $6.1 million. In the end, the movie brought in $37.8 million.
Billionaire Boys Club (1987)
Nelson made his debut on television in Moonlighting (1986), where he had a minor role (police officer) in just one episode. However, he is best recognized for his outstanding portrayal in the courtroom drama Billionaire Boys Club, which is based on actual events. For this role (Joe Hunt), Nelson was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Mini-Series.
Dear America: Letters Home from Vietnam (1987)
Providing the narration for Bill Couturie’s critically acclaimed war documentary Dear America: Letters Home from Vietnam, which also starred Tom Berenger, Robert De Niro, Willem Dafoe, and Matt Dillon, was another noteworthy project Nelson undertook. The documentary received plaudits from film critic Roger Ebert, and it still has a perfect score on Rotten Tomatoes.
New Jack City (1991)
In the 1990s, he starred in the urban gangster movie New Jack City, which Mario Van Peebles directed and starred Wesley Snipes, Ice-T, Vanessa A. Williams, and Chris Rock. The film was a commercial success.
Nelson wrapped up the 1990s with another urban gangster thriller, Light It Up (1999). He also played Alan Freed in the latter’s life story, Mr. Rock ‘N’ Roll: The Alan Freed Story (1999) opposite Mädchen Amick and Paula Abdul.
From the 2000s to the present
The Outer Limits (2000), CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2006), CSI: NY (2007), Las Vegas (2007), Eleventh Hour (2008), Psych (2010), and a recurring role in Two and a Half Men (2010) are just a few of the TV shows Nelson has appeared in in the twenty-first century.
Nelson was essential to the 2010 season finale of Nikita and Cancel Christmas. He also played Don Cody in the Lifetime movie Girl in the Basement (2021).
Judd Nelson’s Filmography
Judd Nelson is still active on the screens at the age of 64, in contrast to other celebrities who give up or change their interests along the line. Also, he is well-known for his key performance in the final season of Nikita, his starring role in Transformer: Power of the Primes, and his appearance in the suspense thriller, Dead Water. The list of his works is below.
Films
- The Most Dangerous Game – 2022
- Dauntless: The Battle of Midway – 2019
- Electric Jesus – 2019
- Santa Fake – 2019
- Dead Water – 2019
- 1/1 – 2018
- Billionaire Boys Club – 2018
- Stagecoach: The Texas Jack Story – 2016
- Private Number – 2014
- Bigfoot Wars – 2014
- Nurse 3D – 2014
- Down and Dangerous – 2013
- Last Chance Holiday – 2013
- Bad Kids Go to Hell – 2012
- Mayor Cupcake – 2010
- Endure – 2010
- The TerrorExperiment (Fight or Flight) – 2010
- The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day – 2009 – 2009
- Little Hercules in 3-D – 2009
- The Day the Earth Stopped – 2008
- The Caretaker – 2008
- Nevermore – 2007
- Netherbeast Incorporated – 2007
- The Lost Angeles – 2005
- Lethal Eviction – 2005
- White Rush – 2003
- Deceived – 2002
- The Cure for Boredom – 2001
- Dark Asylum – 2001
- Return to Cabin by the Lake – 2001
- Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back – 2001
- Falcon Down – 2000
- Endsville – 2000
- Light It Up – 1999
- Steel – 1997
- For a few Lousy Dollars – 1996
- Blackwater Trail – 1995
- Caroline at Midnight – 1994
- Blindfold: Acts of Obsession – 1994
- Flinch – 1994
- Airheads – 1994
- Hail Caesar – 1994
- Every Breath – 1994
- Entangled – 1993
- Conflict of Interest – 1993
- Primary Motive – 1992
- The Dark Backward – 1991
- New Jack City – 1991
- For Out Man – 1990
- Never on Tuesday – 1989
- Relentless – 1989
- From the Hip – 1987
- Blue City – 1986
- The Transformers: The Movie – 1986
- Fandango – 1985
- St. Elmo’s Fire – 1985
- The Breakfast Club – 1985
- Making the Grade – 1984
- Rock ‘n’ Roll Hotel – 1983
Television
Just as in films, Judd has made several TV appearances right from when he made his professional career debut. His earliest works were in projects like Moonligghtning (1986), Billionaire Boys Club (1987), and Hiroshima: Out of the Ashes (1990). His TV credits are also listed below.
- Law & Order: SVU – 2021
- Girl in the Basement – 2021
- Transformers: Power of the Primes – 2018
- From Straight A’s to XXX – 2017
- Transformers: Titans Return – 2017
- Empire – 2015, 2019
- Nikita – 2013
- Ben 10: Omniverse – 2013 to 2014
- Cancel Christmas – 2011
- Two and a Half Men – 2010
- Psych – 2010
- Transformers: Animated – 2009
- Phineas and Ferb – 2009
- Infected – 2008
- Family Guy – 2007
- CSI: NY – 2007
- The Kidnapping – 2007
- Las Vegas – 2007
- CSI: Crime Scene Investigation – 2006
- Black Hole – 2006
- Three Wise Guys – 2005
- Santa Jr. – 2002
- Cybermutt – 2002
- Lost Voyage – 2001
- Strange Frequency – 2001
- The New Adventures of Spin and Marty: Suspect Behavior – 2000
- The Spiral Staircase – 2000
- Cabin by the Lake – 2000
- The Outer Limits – 2000
- Mr. Rock ‘n’ Roll: The Alan Freed Story – 1999
- Suddenly Susan – 1996-199
- Circumstances Unknown – 1992
- Tales from the Crypt – 1992
- Hiroshima: Out of the Ashes – 1990
- Billionaire Boys Club – 1987
- Moonlighting – 1986