Matthew Broderick Admits Finding Work Was “Hard” After Making It Big in ‘Ferris Bueller’s Day Off’: “It’s Not Easy to Maintain That First Flush”

Bueller? Bueller?! Matthew Broderick was just 23 years old when he starred as the titular role in the 1986 comedy Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. While this role made him a star, granting him “nice early success,” he told The Guardian that in reality, it also caused career struggles.

“It’s not easy to maintain that first flush,” he admitted, referring to his take on Bueller, which earned him a 1987 Golden Globe nod for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical.

He added, “It’s always a hard adjustment for child actors, young actors. People see the kid out of Leave It to Beaver grown up and they don’t buy it – they want to see little Beaver.” 

He explained how once Bueller became a household name, “people associated [him] with younger roles.”

“But I wanted them to come with me and get used to the fact that I’m wrinkly,” he continued. “And it was hard. The ’90s were hard. Lots of ups and downs. But I always tried to keep at it, keep my heart in it. Hopefully that keeps you in the game.”

Broderick has certainly broken out of his mold, especially with his recent career credentials. He starred in the June comedy No Hard Feelings as Laird, a helicopter father who along with his wife (Laura Benanti) enlists Jennifer Lawrence‘s Maddie to bring their son Percy (Andrew Barth Feldman) out of his shell before he leaves for college.

He also has stepped away from the comedy genre and is starring in Netflix‘s upcoming limited series drama Painkiller, which details the origins of the opioid crisis. Broderick is playing Richard Sackler, the former president and chairman of PurduePharma, the company that developed OxyContin. The limited series will begin streaming on Netflix Aug. 10.

Nonetheless, when asked about his legacy, he still cited the 1986 film that put his name on the map.

“What’s my legacy? Well, I’m Ferris Bueller, I suppose,” he shared with The Guardian. “I have to accept it. And I like it. I’ve made my peace with it.”

You can watch (or likely rewatch) Broderick’s iconic performance in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, which is currently available to stream on Netflix.