A Look Back At Rob Lowe And Demi Moore's Brief Fling

Rob Lowe's success in the 2000s made him a household name for most — and generally landed Lowe with an incredible net worth — but Generation X knew him first as the brooding teen heartthrob from the '80s. His fame on shows like "Parks and Recreation" and "The West Wing" was preceded by his exclusive membership in the star-studded Brat Pack, which also famously included young actors Molly Ringwald, Emilio Estevez, Anthony Michael Hall, Demi Moore, Andrew McCarthy, Judd Nelson, and Ally Sheedy.

The pack was formed after the actors made names for themselves in the classic '80s coming-of-age films, including as members of the cast of "St. Elmo's Fire." The stars were constantly questioned about whether there was romance between them; Lowe finally let us in on the truth. "I mean, Demi and I briefly — I'm not telling tales out of school — we briefly had a thing," Lowe told Kelly Ripa on her podcast "Let's Talk Off Camera" in October 2024. "Look, anytime you put young 20-something men and women together, hookups are inevitable."

In her 2019 memoir "Inside Out," Moore reminisced on her fling with Lowe, admitting that what her "About Last Night" co-star wrote in his own 2011 book "I Only Tell My Friends" about it was a bit more steamy than what she remembered. "I can vaguely recall one ill-advised late night together, but I'm grateful to him for the complimentary descriptions of our youth," she wrote.

Rob Lowe may not have had as deep of a romance with Demi Moore — Moore later was engaged to "Brat Pack" member Emilio Estevez — as he recalled, but Moore was certainly a major part of his life in other ways. According to Lowe, Moore's stunning transformation after going sober helped motivate Lowe on his own journey to sobriety. On a September 30, 2019, episode of "The View", Lowe said, "She was the first person I ever knew to get sober. She was a huge inspiration to me." He continued; I just remember thinking, 'Whoa. If that girl can get sober, anybody can.'"

In her memoir, Moore confessed that "St. Elmo's Fire" director Joel Schumacher got her into rehab two weeks before filming, and was assigned a sober counselor for the entirety of shooting the movie. She was the example that Lowe needed, according to the "9-1-1: Lone Star" actor. In 1990, Lowe decided that his addiction to alcohol and cocaine was taking over his life, and he checked himself into rehab. He told Variety, "All of my understanding about life has come from getting sober and being in recovery."

If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).