Look at a photo of Seth Green today. You see the mastermind behind Robot Chicken, the voice of Chris Griffin, and the guy who somehow made being a werewolf on Buffy look cool. But if you rewind the clock to 1987, you’ll find a thirteen-year-old kid with a mop of red hair and enough sass to level a high school cafeteria.
Most people associate 1987’s Can’t Buy Me Love with Patrick Dempsey and his transition from "nerdy lawn-mower guy" to "80s heartthrob." However, for those of us who grew up on a steady diet of VHS rentals, the real star—or at least the most relatable one—was Seth Green. He played Chuckie Miller, the annoying, precocious, and surprisingly wise little brother.
Honestly? He was the best part of that movie.
Seth Green Can’t Buy Me Love: More Than Just a Little Brother
In the grand tradition of 80s cinema, the "little brother" was a trope. Usually, they were just there to scream "Mom!" or get in the way of a make-out session. But in Can’t Buy Me Love, Seth Green did something different. He wasn't just a plot device; he was the audience's reality check.
As Ronald Miller (Dempsey) spends $1,000 to "rent" the popularity of Cindy Mancini (the late Amanda Peterson), Chuckie is there to witness the slow-motion train wreck. Green’s performance is surprisingly grounded for a kid who hadn't even hit puberty. He captures that specific brand of sibling rivalry where you hate your brother's choices but still kind of want to see what happens next.
One of the most iconic, if slightly bizarre, moments involves Chuckie being "made over" by Cindy. It’s a brief scene in the mall, but it highlights exactly why Green was a standout child actor. He wasn't just reciting lines. He had "it." That specific comedic timing that would later define his entire career was already fully baked.
The African Anteater Ritual and Other Weirdness
We have to talk about the dancing.
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You remember the scene. Ronald tries to be cool at a school dance by performing what he thinks is a trendy move he saw on TV. In reality, he was watching a PBS program about African cultural dances. It’s cringeworthy. It’s legendary.
While Green wasn't the centerpiece of that specific dance floor disaster, his character Chuckie represents the world Ronald left behind. Chuckie is the "uncool" kid who stays uncool because he doesn't have a grand to drop on a cheerleader. Watching the movie now, you realize Chuckie is the only person in the Miller household with any actual common sense.
Why This Role Mattered for Seth Green’s Career
Before he was Scott Evil in Austin Powers, Green was putting in the work in Tucson, Arizona (where the movie was filmed). Can't Buy Me Love wasn't his first gig—he’d already done The Hotel New Hampshire and Radio Days—but it was the one that proved he could hold his own in a mainstream teen comedy.
Think about the cast for a second. You had:
- Patrick Dempsey (The "Brainiac" turned "Cool")
- Amanda Peterson (The "It Girl" with a secret soul)
- Courtney Gains (The jilted best friend, Kenneth)
- Seth Green (The cynical observer)
Working with director Steve Rash, Green learned how to play the "zany" archetype without becoming a cartoon. It’s a delicate balance. If you play it too big, the audience hates you. If you play it too small, you're forgotten. Green found the sweet spot. He was the kid who knew his brother was a dork, and he wasn't afraid to say it.
Behind the Scenes in Tucson
Fun fact: the movie was originally titled Boy Rents Girl.
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Thankfully, someone realized that sounded a bit... sketchy. They changed it to Can't Buy Me Love after the Beatles song, which they reportedly paid $175,000 for the rights to use. That was a massive chunk of their $1.7 million budget!
During filming, the production actually dealt with a freak snowstorm in the middle of the desert. Seth Green and the rest of the cast had to pivot. Instead of shutting down, they just leaned into it, capturing a "Christmas" vibe that wasn't even in the original script. That’s the kind of chaotic energy Green thrived in.
The Legacy of Chuckie Miller
Why do we still talk about Seth Green in this movie?
It’s because Can’t Buy Me Love is a time capsule of 1987. It deals with the brutal hierarchy of high school in a way that feels raw, even with the goofy 80s fashion. Chuckie Miller is the anchor to Ronald’s old life. He’s the reminder that no matter how many suede jackets you buy or how many cheerleaders you date, you’re still the guy who used to play with telescopes and lawn mowers.
Green’s career trajectory is wild. Most child stars from that era faded into obscurity or ended up on reality TV. Green just kept building. He used the "funny kid" energy from the Miller household and turned it into a multi-hyphenate empire.
Actionable Takeaways for Movie Buffs
If you’re planning a rewatch or just diving into 80s nostalgia, here’s how to actually appreciate the Seth Green era of Can’t Buy Me Love:
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- Watch the background: Green is often doing "bit" work in the background of scenes. His facial expressions when Dempsey is acting "cool" are gold.
- Compare it to Can't Hardly Wait: If you want to see the evolution of the "teen movie," watch Seth Green in Can't Buy Me Love (1987) and then skip to Can't Hardly Wait (1998). He goes from the annoying brother to the guy trying way too hard to be a "playa" (Kenny Fisher). It's a masterclass in comedic growth.
- Check out the filming locations: If you're ever in Tucson, you can still see the Pima Air & Space Museum where the famous airplane graveyard scenes were shot. It looks almost exactly the same.
- Acknowledge the soundtrack: Beyond the Beatles title track, the movie captures that mid-80s transition period perfectly.
The film reminds us that while you can't buy love, you can certainly buy a lot of trouble. And if you're lucky, you'll have a younger brother like Seth Green to call you out on your nonsense every step of the way.
Next time you see a clip of Robot Chicken, just remember: that guy once got a makeover from a 1980s cheerleader in a Tucson shopping mall. And he owned every second of it.
The most important thing to remember is that Seth Green's role in Can't Buy Me Love wasn't a fluke. It was the blueprint for a career built on being the smartest, funniest person in the room—even if that room was a messy suburban bedroom in the late 80s.
Go back and watch it. You’ll see a star in the making.
To get the most out of your 80s movie marathon, try pairing Can't Buy Me Love with Some Kind of Wonderful. It gives a fascinating look at how different directors handled the "popularity" trope during the same year. Pay close attention to how the "outsider" characters are written; you'll notice that Seth Green’s Chuckie is much more cynical and modern than his peers in other films of the time.