Molly Ringwald facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Molly Ringwald
Ringwald in 2013
Born	Molly Kathleen Ringwald (1968-02-18) February 18, 1968 (age 57) Roseville, California, U.S.
Occupation	Actress singer dancer writer model
Years active	1977–present
Spouse(s)	Valéry Lameignère ​ ​ (m. 1999; div. 2002)​ Panio Gianopoulos ​ ​ (m. 2007)​
Children	3
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Molly Kathleen Ringwald (born February 18, 1968) is an American actress, writer, and singer. She became a famous teen idol in the 1980s for starring in classic movies by filmmaker John Hughes. Her most famous roles were in Sixteen Candles (1984), The Breakfast Club (1985), and Pretty in Pink (1986).

Because of these popular films, the media called her a member of the "Brat Pack," a group of young actors who often appeared in movies together during the 1980s.

After her teen movie success, she acted in many other films and TV shows. She moved to Paris for a while and starred in French films. More recently, you might know her as the mom in the TV show The Secret Life of the American Teenager (2008–2013), the Kissing Booth movie series (2018–2021), and as Archie's mom on the show Riverdale (2017–2023).

Early Life and First Roles

Molly Ringwald was born in Roseville, California. Her father, Robert "Bob" Ringwald, was a blind jazz pianist, and her mother, Adele Edith, was a cook. Music was a big part of her family life.

She started her career very young. At age five, she acted in a stage play of Alice in Wonderland. The next year, she recorded a jazz music album with her father's band.

When she was 10, she was chosen to play Kate in a production of the musical Annie. In 1979, she appeared on the TV show Diff'rent Strokes. This led to a role in its spin-off show, The Facts of Life, where she played a student named Molly Parker.

Career

Becoming a Teen Star

Ringwald with Zach Galligan in the TV movie Surviving, 1985

Molly's big break in movies came with the 1982 film Tempest. Her performance earned her a nomination for a Golden Globe Award.

She became a huge star after appearing in three popular teen movies directed by John Hughes.

• In Sixteen Candles (1984), she played Samantha Baker, a girl whose family forgets her sixteenth birthday.
• In The Breakfast Club (1985), she played Claire Standish, a popular, wealthy girl in detention with students from different social groups.
• In Pretty in Pink (1986), she played Andie Walsh, a creative high school student from a poor background.

These movies were very successful and made Molly Ringwald one of the most famous teenagers of the 1980s. She even appeared on the cover of Time magazine in 1986.

After these hits, she starred in other movies like The Pick-up Artist (1987) and For Keeps (1988), which was her last major teen film.

Acting in the 1990s and Beyond

Ringwald with musician Julian Lennon in 1985

In the 1990s, Molly wanted to take on more adult roles. She moved to Paris, France, because she speaks French fluently. While there, she starred in several French films.

She also continued to work in American movies and television. In 1994, she played Frannie Goldsmith in the TV miniseries The Stand, which was based on a novel by Stephen King. She also starred in the TV show Townies in 1996.

In 2001, she made a fun cameo appearance in the comedy Not Another Teen Movie. She also performed on stage in New York City, starring in Broadway musicals like Cabaret and tick, tick... BOOM!.

Modern Roles for a New Generation

Ringwald (left) with a fan in 2007

From 2008 to 2013, Ringwald played Anne Juergens, the mother of the main character, in the popular TV series The Secret Life of the American Teenager.

She continued to appear in many movies and TV shows. She played Aunt Bailey in Jem and the Holograms (2015). From 2017 to 2023, she had a recurring role as Mary Andrews, Archie's mother, on the hit CW series Riverdale.

Many younger fans know her as Mrs. Flynn, the mother of the Flynn brothers, in the Netflix movie series The Kissing Booth, which had three films from 2018 to 2021. More recently, she appeared in the TV series Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story (2022) and Feud: Capote vs. The Swans (2024).

Other Projects

Besides acting, Molly Ringwald is also a talented writer and translator. She has translated two books from French into English. She also wrote an advice column for The Guardian newspaper for a time.

Following in her father's footsteps, she released a jazz album called Except Sometimes in 2013. She said, "I grew up in a home filled with music... jazz music has continued to be one of my three passions along with acting and writing."

In 2024, she made her debut as a runway model during New York Fashion Week.

Personal Life

Molly Ringwald was married to Valéry Lameignère, a French writer, from 1999 to 2002.

In 2007, she married Panio Gianopoulos, a Greek-American writer and editor. They have three children: a daughter, Mathilda (born in 2003), and fraternal twins, a daughter named Adele and a son named Roman (born in 2009). Her pregnancy with the twins was written into the story of her character on The Secret Life of the American Teenager.

Selected Work

Here are some of Molly Ringwald's most well-known movies and TV shows.

Famous Films

• Tempest (1982)
• Sixteen Candles (1984)
• The Breakfast Club (1985)
• Pretty in Pink (1986)
• For Keeps (1988)
• Betsy's Wedding (1990)
• Not Another Teen Movie (2001)
• Jem and the Holograms (2015)
• The Kissing Booth (2018)
• The Kissing Booth 2 (2020)
• The Kissing Booth 3 (2021)

Notable Television Roles

• The Facts of Life (1979–1980)
• The Stand (1994)
• The Secret Life of the American Teenager (2008–2013)
• Riverdale (2017–2023)
• Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story (2022)
• Feud: Capote vs. The Swans (2024)

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Molly Ringwald para niños