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)	Valery Lameignère ​ ​ (m. 1999; div. 2002)​ Panio Gianopoulos ​ ​ (m. 2007)​
Children	3

Molly Kathleen Ringwald (born February 18, 1968) is an American actress, writer, and translator. She started acting when she was a child. She appeared in TV shows like Diff'rent Strokes and The Facts of Life in the late 1970s.

Molly became very famous as a teen idol in the 1980s. This was thanks to her roles in popular teen movies by filmmaker John Hughes. These movies include Sixteen Candles (1984), The Breakfast Club (1985), and Pretty in Pink (1986). Because of these films, the media called her a member of the "Brat Pack," a group of young actors.

Later, Molly Ringwald moved to Paris and acted in French films. In recent years, she has appeared in TV shows like The Secret Life of the American Teenager (2008–2013) and Riverdale (2017–2023).

Early Life and Education

Molly Ringwald was born in Roseville, California, in 1968. Her mother, Adele Edith, was a cook. Her father, Robert Scott "Bob" Ringwald, was a jazz pianist who was blind. Molly has two sisters, Beth and Kelly. She also had an older brother who passed away before she was born. Her family has German and Swedish roots.

Molly began acting at age five. She played the Dormouse in a play called Alice in Wonderland. The next year, she recorded a jazz music album with her father's band. It was called Molly Sings: I Wanna Be Loved by You. Molly went to the Lycée Français de Los Angeles for her education.

Career Highlights

In 1978, when Molly was 10, she was chosen to play Kate in the musical Annie. In 1979, she appeared on the TV show Diff'rent Strokes. She then joined its spin-off show, The Facts of Life. She played Molly Parker, a cheerful student. After the first season, the show changed a lot, and Molly's character was removed.

In 1980, Molly sang on two Disney albums. She sang "This Is My Country" and "The Star-Spangled Banner" on one album. She also sang "The First Noel" on a Disney Christmas album. In 1982, she got an important role in the film Tempest. She was nominated for a Golden Globe award for this role.

Becoming a Teen Star

Molly became very famous with her role in Sixteen Candles (1984). She played Samantha Baker, a girl whose family forgets her sixteenth birthday. Critics praised her acting. Molly later said that remakes of great classic films are "not a good idea." She was seen as part of the Brat Pack, but she said she wasn't really part of that group.

Molly had even more success in another John Hughes film, The Breakfast Club (1985). This movie was very popular. Molly played Claire Standish, a rich and spoiled girl in detention. Her performance received strong reviews.

Molly Ringwald with Zach Galligan in Surviving, 1985

The next year, while still in high school, she starred as Andie Walsh in Pretty in Pink (1986). Molly was not sure about taking the role at first. But she decided to do it when she saw how hard it was to find someone else. She was offered a role in another John Hughes film, Some Kind of Wonderful (1987). However, she turned it down because it felt too similar to her other movies. After Pretty In Pink, she wanted to act in more grown-up roles. Molly was featured on the cover of Time magazine in May 1986.

In 1987, she played Randy Jensen in The Pick-up Artist. She starred opposite Robert Downey, Jr.. The movie had mixed reviews but did fairly well.

The next year, she starred in For Keeps. This movie was popular with audiences. It is seen as Molly's last teen movie. She played Darcy Elliot, a high school newspaper editor who becomes pregnant. Her acting was well-received. She then starred in Fresh Horses. This movie did not do well and received negative reviews. Andrew McCarthy, who was in Pretty in Pink with Molly, also starred in this film.

Later Career

In the mid-1990s, Molly moved to Paris. She is fluent in French. She starred in several French movies. She would return to the United States sometimes for American movies and TV shows. In 1990, she appeared in Strike It Rich. That same year, she starred as Betsy Hopper in Betsy's Wedding. This movie was a success. Molly later starred in Something to Live for: The Alison Gertz Story (1992).

In 1994, she played Frannie Goldsmith in the TV miniseries The Stand. This was based on a Stephen King novel. Molly's performance was well-liked. She also appeared in the sitcom Townies. She played a blind woman in the series Remember WENN. In 1999, she starred in the play How I Learned to Drive. In 2000, she was in an episode of The Outer Limits.

Molly Ringwald (left) with a fan, 2007

In 2001, Molly had a small role in the movie Not Another Teen Movie. This role earned her an MTV Movie Award nomination. On stage, she performed in the musical tick, tick... BOOM!. She also played Sally Bowles in the Broadway show Cabaret from 2001 to 2002. In 2003, Molly appeared in Enchanted April on Broadway.

In 2004, she starred in the play Modern Orthodox on Broadway. In 2006, she was in the TV film The Wives He Forgot. That same year, she toured in the musical Sweet Charity. She also played Helen McIntire in Molly: An American Girl on the Home Front. Molly starred in the TV series The Secret Life of the American Teenager from 2008 to 2013. She played Anne Juergens, the main character's mother.

In 2015, Molly played Aunt Bailey in Jem and the Holograms. She had a repeating role as Mary Andrews, Archie Andrews' mother, on The CW TV series Riverdale. She took on a bigger role after the death of Luke Perry, who played Archie's father.

Other Ventures

Molly Ringwald has translated two books from French into English. One of them was the novel Lie with Me by Philippe Besson.

In 2013, Molly released a jazz music album called Except Sometimes. She grew up with jazz music because her father was a jazz musician. She said that jazz music is like "comfort food" for her. It's where she goes to feel "grounded."

In 2014, Molly started writing an advice column for The Guardian newspaper. She answers questions about "love, family, or life in general." In February 2024, Molly walked the runway at New York Fashion Week. This was her first time modeling on a fashion show runway.

Personal Life

Molly Ringwald married Valéry Lameignère, a French writer, in 1999. They divorced in 2002. She then married Panio Gianopoulos, a Greek-American writer and editor, in 2007. They have three children: a daughter named Mathilda (born in 2003), and twins, a daughter named Adele Georgiana and a son named Roman Stylianos (born in 2009). Her pregnancy was included in the story of The Secret Life of the American Teenager. She was also featured in an episode of the TV show Who Do You Think You Are?, which explores people's family history.

Filmography

Film

Television

Awards and Nominations

Discography

• Molly Sings: I Wanna Be Loved by You (1975)
• Except Sometimes (2013)
• Going Home Alone (2013)

See also

In Spanish: Molly Ringwald para niños