Anthony Michael Hall has spent approximately 50 years working in entertainment, but the actor says finding his wife and becoming a first-time father at 55 gave him the roles he values most.
The Breakfast Club star described Lucia Oskerova as his “soulmate” while discussing their marriage and the son they welcomed in June 2023. “I have found my soulmate. I have, and I love her,” Hall told PEOPLE.
Hall, now 58, said becoming a husband and father brought a new sense of fulfillment after a career that began with commercials and stage productions when he was eight years old.
“Fatherhood and being a husband, that’s absolutely the greatest role,” he said.
Hall Always Expected to Become a Father Later in Life
Hall and Oskerova welcomed their first child, Michael Anthony Hall II, on June 1, 2023. He weighed 9 pounds, 7 ounces at birth. The actor said he had wanted children for years but never felt compelled to begin that chapter earlier.
After Michael arrived, Hall described himself as “fully committed” to family life. Oskerova revealed the pregnancy with an at-home test while the couple was together in their bathroom. Hall said they celebrated by kissing, hugging, thanking God and dancing.
They selected their son’s name together. Hall was born Michael Anthony Hall but reversed his first and middle names professionally because another performer was already registered under his birth name when he joined the Screen Actors Guild. Rather than using “Junior,” the couple chose Michael Anthony Hall II. Hall said Oskerova had already loved the name Michael before they met.
Their Son Is Already a ‘Little Giant’ in Preschool
Three years after Michael’s birth, Hall said his son had been attending preschool for approximately six months and was thriving. He affectionately described the boy as a “little giant,” explaining that his appetite and rapid growth make him appear closer to five years old.
Hall previously recalled that Oskerova breastfed while he helped with bottles, and their newborn regularly kept both parents occupied with feeding. Hall has said he and Oskerova approach parenthood by learning as they go rather than pretending to have every answer.
Their earliest months included sleepless nights, diaper mishaps, beach walks and quiet time together at home. He also plans to introduce Michael to his earlier movies when the boy is old enough. Hall previously said he hoped his son would eventually find Sixteen Candles funny, although the toddler was reportedly less impressed when shown part of The Dark Knight.
Hall and Oskerova Fulfilled Their Original Wedding Plan
Hall and Oskerova appeared together in the 2017 Netflix movie War Machine and became engaged during a trip to Taormina, Sicily, in September 2019. They originally planned to marry at the Cathedral of St. Mary in Miami on Nov. 11, 2020. When the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the ceremony, they chose not to postpone becoming husband and wife.
The couple instead married during a private civil ceremony on a Miami beach on Nov. 7, 2020. Hall promised Oskerova they would eventually hold the cathedral ceremony they had envisioned. They fulfilled that promise on Nov. 11, 2023, five months after Michael’s birth. Their son attended the vow renewal in a tuxedo that matched his father’s as the couple celebrated with family and friends.
Family Life Comes After 50 Years in Hollywood
Hall recently learned from his mother that his first professional job came when he was eight, giving him approximately five decades in entertainment. He gained widespread recognition as Rusty Griswold in National Lampoon’s Vacation before starring in John Hughes movies including Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club and Weird Science.
At 17, Hall became the youngest cast member in Saturday Night Live history. His later credits have included Edward Scissorhands, The Dark Knight, The Dead Zone, Halloween Kills, Reacher and Netflix’s Trigger Warning. Hall currently competes on Fox’s Nation’s Dumbest alongside Ice-T, Steve-O, Carmen Electra, JoJo Siwa, Hilaria Baldwin, Jon Heder, Elle King, Dr. Drew Pinsky and Andrew Yang.
He also has roles in the upcoming projects S.W.A.T. Exiles and Halloween Store while continuing to produce through Manhattan Films. Nation’s Dumbest airs Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET on Fox and streams the following day on Hulu.