- He is from an Ashkenazi Jewish family (from Russia, Poland, Romania and Lithuania).
- Was one of the nine original members of the 1980s "brat pack", along with Andrew McCarthy, Anthony Michael Hall, Demi Moore, Rob Lowe, Molly Ringwald, Emilio Estevez and Ally Sheedy.
- Was once engaged to Shannen Doherty.
- His two most notable film roles were both released in 1985 and were polar opposite characters from each other. In The Breakfast Club he played a burnout stoner high school kid who many doubt (including himself) has much of a future and in St. Elmo's Fire he played an overachieving, yuppie college graduate with future political aspirations.
- Loves to play golf, read, write and ride his motorbike.
- Attended the prestigious Haverford College in Haverford, Pennsylvania.
- Parents are Leonard and Merle Nelson. Has two younger sisters: Eve and Julie Nelson.
- Attended the St. Paul's preparatory school in Concord, New Hampshire.
- Favorite baseball team is the Boston Red Sox.
- He appeared in John Parr's music video "St. Elmo's Fire (Man In Motion)" (1985).
- Had a Staffordshire Bull Terrier named Talluah Bighead (deceased).
- When he left Suddenly Susan (1996), he was replaced by his The Transformers: The Movie (1986) castmate Eric Idle.
- Currently resides in Los Angeles, California.
- Alumnus of Stella Adler Studio of Acting.
- His manager is Steven Siebert.
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