Michael Anthony Hall (born April 14, 1968), known professionally as Anthony Michael Hall, is an American actor best known for his leading role as Johnny Smith in The Dead Zone from 2002 to 2007. He also rose to fame starring in films with John Hughes, which include the teen classics Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, and Weird Science.
Hall diversified his roles to avoid becoming typecast as his geek persona, joining the cast of Saturday Night Live (1985β1986) and starring in films such as Out of Bounds (1986), Johnny Be Good (1988), Edward Scissorhands (1990) and Six Degrees of Separation (1993). After a series of minor roles in the 1990s, he starred as Microsoft's Bill Gates in the 1999 television film Pirates of Silicon Valley and started in 2001 comedy Freddy Got Fingered. He had the leading role in the USA Network series The Dead Zone from 2002 to 2007. In 2008, he appeared in a minor role in The Dark Knight. In 2020, he appeared in ABC's The Goldbergs. Additionally, he starred in the slasher film Halloween Kills (2021).
Hall diversified his roles to avoid becoming typecast as his geek persona, joining the cast of Saturday Night Live (1985β1986) and starring in films such as Out of Bounds (1986), Johnny Be Good (1988), Edward Scissorhands (1990) and Six Degrees of Separation (1993). After a series of minor roles in the 1990s, he starred as Microsoft's Bill Gates in the 1999 television film Pirates of Silicon Valley and started in 2001 comedy Freddy Got Fingered. He had the leading role in the USA Network series The Dead Zone from 2002 to 2007. In 2008, he appeared in a minor role in The Dark Knight. In 2020, he appeared in ABC's The Goldbergs. Additionally, he starred in the slasher film Halloween Kills (2021).
