Mia Sara was a huge movie star in the 1980s.

The exotic-looking actress made her big-screen debut opposite Tom Cruise in the fantasy unicorn-seeking adventure Legend in 1985.

Then one year later – at the age of 18 – this siren landed a major role in an iconic high school comedy, 1986’s Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, starring Matthew Broderick.

The 57-year-old Hollywood stalwart has continued to work but has rarely been seen in public.

But on Monday evening, the formerly dark-haired star hit her first red carpet in many years for the premiere of her new movie, based on a 2020 Stephen King novel of the same name, The Life of Chuck.

She attended the premiere screening at Hollywood Legion Theater in Los Angeles with Star Wars veteran Mark Hamill, who is also starring in the movie.

Mia Sara was a huge movie star in the 1980s. The exotic-looking actress made her big screen debut opposite Tom Cruise in the fantasy unicorn-seeking adventure Legend
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Mia Sara was a huge movie star in the 1980s. The exotic-looking actress made her big screen debut opposite Tom Cruise in the fantasy unicorn-seeking adventure Legend

Born Mia Sarapochiello in Brooklyn, New York, she was just 16 when she landed her big break as a princess to Cruise’s man from the woods on Legend.

The movie was anchored by Hollywood heavyweights – not just Cruise, but also superstar director Ridley Scott – yet still turned out to be a box office flop.

But just one year later, Mia became a star across America when she starred as Sloane Peterson, the girlfriend of mischievous high school senior, Ferris Bueller (Matthew Broderick).

Ferris gets his famous day off by pretending to be sick, and manages to get Sloane to join him by feeding the school the fake story that her grandmother has died.

Upon its release, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off became a thunderous box office success, earning $70 million with just a $5 million budget, and remains one of the best-loved high school comedies to ever made.

Shortly after the movie came out, Mia showered praise on both Cruise and Matthew Broderick, whom she noted ‘had much more experience’ than she did.

Sara played the title character's girlfriend in the smash hit 1986 comedy Ferris Bueller's Day Off alongside Matthew Broderick (left)
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Sara played the title character’s girlfriend in the smash hit 1986 comedy Ferris Bueller’s Day Off alongside Matthew Broderick (left)


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Also in the movie was Alan Ruck as Cameron Frye

Seen in 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea with Patrick Dempsey
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Seen in 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea with Patrick Dempsey

Sara also starred in the 1994 film Timecop
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Sara also starred in the 1994 film Timecop

‘Tom was dedicated and I learned a lot of good work habits from him. And I respected Matt because I had seen him on Broadway. He was one of my favorites,’ she told UPI.

In the 1990s she featured in such movies as the Melanie Griffith drama A Stranger Among Us – directed by Sidney Lumet of 12 Angry Men fame – as well as the smash hit Jean-Claude Van Damme action movie Timecop.

She continued acting on TV Programs like CSI: NY and movies like Dorothy & The Witches of Oz until 2013, when she took a hiatus that ultimately lasted longer than a decade.

As early as 2010, she had remarked that she was ‘mostly retired’ as she had become a ‘mother with a really noisy, difficult house to maintain!’

The New York native also noted: ‘I’m a poet, so for the last couple of years that’s what I’ve been focusing on,’ in an interview with Total Film.

The 57-year-old Hollywood stalwart has continued to work but has rarely been seen
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The 57-year-old Hollywood stalwart has continued to work but has rarely been seen

On Monday evening the formerly dark-haired star hit her first red carpet in many years for the premiere of her new movie
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On Monday evening the formerly dark-haired star hit her first red carpet in many years for the premiere of her new movie

She was at The Life Of Chuck screening in Los Angeles with Star Wars veteran Mark Hamill, far right, and Benjamin Pajak, far left
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She was at The Life Of Chuck screening in Los Angeles with Star Wars veteran Mark Hamill, far right, and Benjamin Pajak, far left

Mia (L) and Brian Henson
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Mia (L) and Brian Henson

Here she put her arm around Molly C Quinn at Hollywood Legion Theater
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Here she put her arm around Molly C Quinn at Hollywood Legion Theater

Mia now has a daughter named Amelia, 20, by her second and current husband Brian Henson, who is the son of The Muppets creator Jim Henson.

She also has a 28-year-old son called Dashiell by her first husband Jason Connery, whose father was none other than James Bond legend Sean Connery.

After many years away from the movies, she is back with The Life Of Chuck.

Mia features amid a star-studded cast including Tom Hiddleston, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Hamill, Jacob Tremblay, Karen Gillan and Nick Offerman.

The movie earned a warm response from the critics when it premiered in September at the Toronto International Film Festival, and will be out in theaters soon.