Matthew Broderick, actor, Ferris Bueller's Day Off

I was very flattered to be asked to do it. I also had been doing a play where I talked to the audience and this was talking to the audience, so I thought, "I wonder if that's why I got this job?" When I first saw it, I saw it at [director]John Hughes's house. I don't remember if I thought I was good in it, but I did think, "this is super entertaining." I hoped it would be successful, but I never thought it would be this thing that's lasted so long. I don't know why sometimes things catch on, but I remember being in an elevator and an elevator man, in very broken English, told me that it was his favorite movie. It seems like it doesn't matter what country you're from; there's something very universal about saying, "Fuck it," and taking the day off, as simple as that sounds. I think there are a lot of people that don't like their job or don't like their school and it's a fantasy. And then you go to Wrigley field and catch a ball and everything works out perfectly.

Next: Billy Crystal
Previous: Mel Brooks