Actor, director and bestselling memoirist Andrew McCarthy will open the Lenoir-Rhyne University Visiting Writers Series with a discussion of his new book, “Who Needs Friends: An Unscientific Examination of Male Friendship Across America.” Blending memoir, travel and cultural reflection, McCarthy explores the complexities of male friendship and what it means to form meaningful connections throughout life.

McCarthy made his professional debut at 19 in “Class” and has appeared in dozens of films, including “Pretty in Pink,” “St. Elmo’s Fire,” “Less Than Zero,” “Weekend at Bernie’s” and “Mannequin.” His memoir about that period of his life, “BRAT: An ’80s Story,” became a New York Times bestseller in 2021.

As a director, McCarthy has helmed nearly 100 hours of television, including episodes of “The Blacklist,” “Grace and Frankie,” “New Amsterdam” and “Orange Is the New Black.”

McCarthy also spent 12 years as an editor-at-large for National Geographic Traveler. His writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, the Los Angeles Times, The Atlantic, Time, Travel + Leisure, Town & Country, Men’s Journal, Bon Appétit and other publications. He was named Travel Journalist of the Year by the Society of American Travel Writers and served as guest editor of “The Best American Travel Writing” anthology.