John Cusack as John Bender

You can't imagine anyone else playing John Bender other than Judd Nelson now. But that wasn't always going to be the case.

Initially, ‘Say Anything’ actor John Cusack was meant to have the starring role, and travelled between Los Angeles and Chicago for auditions.

However, John Hughes eventually decided against the actor and instead signed Judd, after the casting director Jackie Burch convinced him he was a better fit for the part of the high school troublemaker.