Making Empire Records Was ‘a Party Every Day,’ and Ethan Embry Admits at 90s Con He Did ‘So Much Acid’

It’s always Rex Manning Day in our hearts.

Some of the stars of the cult classic Empire Records, released in 1995, reunited at 90s Con at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford, Conn. on Saturday, March 29 in a panel moderated by Jenna Leigh Green. Robin Tunney, who played Debra; Ethan Embry, who played Mark; Johnny Whitworth, who played A.J.; and Maxwell Caulfield, who played Rex Manning, talked about their beloved film, which will turn 30 this September.

During the panel, the cast opened up about filming the movie in Wilmington, N.C., and how much fun they had on set. The movie was set in a record store — where music was always playing — so on the set, Embry, 46, said, “There was music around all the time. It was a fully music environment.”

Tunney, 52, said, “It was a full-on party. There was a party every day. We all lived on the beach. Johnny lived below me, and we rehearsed for a month and did nothing but mess around and become friends.”

“I took so much acid during that period,” Embry said with a laugh. “Because we were living on the beach and I was 16 and there was a carnival down the street so I’d get it at the ticket counter.”

Tunney remembered that one day while making the movie, Embry ended up in a Walmart parking lot with a cap gun. “It was on the evening news,” she remembered. “It wasn’t even real, but he had to do community service.”

Embry confirmed that he recently read a news article about the incident. “It’s amazing,” he said.

Other on-set hijinks included when someone crashed a golf cart into Anthony LaPaglia’s rental car. Tunney said it was Embry, but Embry said it was Brendan Sexton, who played Warren.

Empire Records also starred Rory Cochrane as Lucas, Renée Zellweger as Gina, Liv Tyler as Corey Mason, Debi Mazar as Jane and LaPaglia as record store manager Joe Reaves. The movie was a flop when it was released, earning just more than $300,000. However, the film has since become beloved by passionate fans, in part because of its rollicking soundtrack. Many of the movie’s actors also went on to become big Hollywood stars.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.  

During the panel, the costars praised director Allan Moyle. “He made us all feel like a community,” Embry said. Some of the movie’s most iconic moments — including the inclusion of the band Gwar and the scene were Tunney shaves her head — were ideas the cast had. He also made the cast playlists of what type of music their characters would like.

Back in 2015, Tyler, 47, spoke to Vogue about the iconic outfit — a plaid skirt, fuzzy sweater and combat boots — she wears throughout the movie, which takes place over the course of a day.

“What I do remember is that we had a different outfit planned as our favorite look. Then, the night before we started filming, the studio called and said they wanted me in a plaid skirt and a sweater,” she explained. “I was like, what!? I was so pissed and didn’t understand at all, so we gave them a plaid skirt and a sweater, but with a little f— you thrown in there.” That was the boots, her own, which she called “very loved and worn in.”

The Empire Records cast shared their 90s Con panel with the cast of 1996’s The Craft, which also starred Tunney. She was joined by castmates Christine Taylor, who played Laura Lizzie, and Rachel True, who played Rochelle Zimmerman. 

90s Con runs through Sunday, March 30, at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford.