Editing Molly Ringwald (section)

== Career ==
In 1978 at the age of 10, Ringwald was chosen to play Kate in the West Coast production of ''[[Annie (musical)|Annie]]''.<ref>
Karlyn, Kathleen Rowe, "'Too Close for Comfort': American Beauty and the Incest Motif", ''Cinema Journal'', 44, Number 1, Fall 2004, pp. 69–93. University of Texas Press.</ref> In 1979, Ringwald appeared on the TV series ''[[Diff'rent Strokes]]'' and was selected to become part of the large cast of that show's spin-off, ''[[The Facts of Life (TV series)|The Facts of Life]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Berman |first=Marc |date=August 24, 2024 |title=TV Flashback: 'The Facts Of Life' Turns 45 |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/marcberman1/2024/08/24/tv-flashback-the-facts-of-life-turns-45/ |access-date=October 7, 2024 |website=[[Forbes]] |language=en}}</ref> She played Molly Parker, a perky, feminist student at Eastland Girls School. At the beginning of the second season, the show underwent a major revamp, and most of the cast, including Ringwald, were cut from the show. Ringwald later said that [[Nancy McKeon]] replaced her to play a new character named Jo.<ref>{{cite web|last=Voss |first=Brandon |url=http://www.advocate.com/arts-entertainment/books/2010/04/26/molly-ringwald-pretty-print?page=0,3 |title=Molly Ringwald: Pretty in Print |publisher=Advocate.com |date=April 26, 2010 |access-date=May 8, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Lee Lenker |first=Maureen |date=January 30, 2019 |title=Molly Ringwald recalls being fired from 'Facts of Life' when she was 12 |url=https://ew.com/tv/2019/01/30/molly-ringwald-fired-facts-of-life/ |access-date=October 7, 2024 |magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]] |language=en}}</ref>

In 1980, Ringwald performed as a lead vocalist on two Disney albums. On the patriotic album ''Yankee Doodle Mickey'', Ringwald sang "[[This Is My Country]]", "[[The Star-Spangled Banner]]", and "[[God Bless America]]". She later performed one track, "[[The First Noel]]", on a Disney Christmas album, ''Disney's Merry Christmas Carols''. Turning toward motion pictures, she got a key supporting role in the 1982 film ''[[Tempest (1982 film)|Tempest]]'', directed by [[Paul Mazursky]] with top casting director [[Juliet Taylor]],<ref>{{Cite news|last=Canby|first=Vincent|date=1982-08-13|title='Tempest' opens with nod to Shakespeare|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1982/08/13/movies/tempest-opens-with-nod-to-shakespeare.html|access-date=2021-09-14|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> and was nominated for a Golden Globe award for the role.<ref>Gora, Susannah (2010). ''You Couldn't Ignore Me If You Tried''. Three Rivers Press. p. 26.</ref>

Ringwald rose to prominence with her breakout role in ''[[Sixteen Candles]]'' (1984). She was cast as Samantha Baker, a girl whose sixteenth birthday is forgotten by her family. Ringwald's performance gained critical acclaim; many called her acting engaging.<ref>[https://variety.com/1983/film/reviews/sixteen-candles-1200425977/ "Sixteen Candles"]. Variety. January 1, 1984. Retrieved June 17, 2009.</ref> Ringwald later said, "It is not a good idea to do remakes of great classic films" when asked if there would be a remake to ''Sixteen Candles''.<ref>Miles Bradford (2010). "Molly Ringwald not a fan of remaking one of her classic 80's movies". KABC-TV. Retrieved September 28, 2014.</ref> Ringwald was regarded as a member of the [[Brat Pack]] of 1980s teen actors<ref>{{cite journal|last=Lurie |first=Karen |title=Brat Pack |journal=St. James Encyclopedia of Popular Culture |url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_g1epc/is_bio/ai_2419200128 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120709045821/http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_g1epc/is_bio/ai_2419200128 |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 9, 2012 |publisher=Gale Group }}</ref> but has said she was not really part of that group.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.npr.org/2015/08/29/432227616/not-my-job-molly-ringwald-answers-questions-about-senator-byrd|title=Not My Job: Molly Ringwald Answers Questions About Senator Byrd|newspaper=NPR}}</ref> Ringwald gained more success when she was cast in another John Hughes film, ''[[The Breakfast Club]]'' (1985), which was a commercial and critical success. Ringwald was cast as Claire Standish, a spoiled, wealthy beauty who is in detention for skipping class to go to the mall. Ringwald's performance gained strong reviews.
[[File:Molly Ringwald and Zach Galligan "Surviving" (1985 ABC press photo).jpg|thumb|Ringwald with [[Zach Galligan]] in ''[[Surviving: A Family in Crisis|Surviving]]'', 1985]]
The following year, still in high school, she was cast as Andie Walsh in another successful Hughes film, ''[[Pretty in Pink]]'' (1986). When first asked to be in ''Pretty in Pink'', Ringwald was reluctant, but after seeing how hard it was for the producers to find a replacement for her, she decided she would portray Andie in the film. Ringwald was offered a role in another John Hughes film, ''[[Some Kind of Wonderful (film)|Some Kind of Wonderful]]'' (1987), but turned down the role as she felt it was too similar to the other films she worked on with Hughes. After ''Pretty In Pink'', she wanted to act in more mature roles. Ringwald was featured on the cover of the May 26, 1986, issue of ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]''.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Molly Ringwald on the cover of Time|url=https://content.time.com/time/covers/0,16641,19860526,00.html|magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]|access-date=October 18, 2014}}</ref>

Ringwald was set to star in another Hughes film, ''[[Oil and Vinegar (film)|Oil and Vinegar]]'', but the film was scrapped when Hughes refused to rewrite the script. The film would have been about a soon-to-be-married man and a hitchhiking girl talking about their lives during the length of a car ride.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.vulture.com/2012/07/the-lost-projects-of-john-hughes.html|title=The Lost Projects of John Hughes|date=July 12, 2012|work=Vulture|access-date=August 2, 2018|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.vulture.com/2014/08/howard-deutch-true-blood-john-hughes-chat.html|title=Howard Deutch on John Hughes, Shooting Sex Scenes, and How Pretty in Pink Prepared Him for True Blood|date=August 18, 2014|work=Vulture|access-date=August 3, 2018|language=en}}</ref> In 1987, she was cast as Randy Jensen in ''[[The Pick-up Artist (1987 film)|The Pick-up Artist]]'', opposite [[Robert Downey, Jr.]] in one of his first lead roles.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/longterm/movies/videos/thepickupartistpg13hinson_a0c936.htm?noredirect=on|title='The Pick-Up Artist' (PG-13)|last=Hinson|first=Hal|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=August 3, 2018}}</ref> It focused on a womanizer who meets his match when he falls for a woman in debt to the Mafia. The film was met with mixed reviews while being a moderate commercial success.

The following year, she starred in ''[[For Keeps (film)|For Keeps]]'', a commercial success that received mixed reviews from critics but was well received by audiences. It is considered Ringwald's final teen movie. Ringwald portrayed Darcy Elliot, the editor at her high school paper, who becomes pregnant by her long-term boyfriend Stan, portrayed by [[Randall Batinkoff]]. Her performance received positive reviews. The film was praised by some critics for showing the struggles of teen pregnancy. She was later cast in ''[[Fresh Horses (film)|Fresh Horses]]''. The film was met with generally negative reviews and underperformed at the box office. The film also starred [[Andrew McCarthy]], who previously worked with Ringwald in ''[[Pretty in Pink]]''.<ref>{{cite web|title=Fresh Horses reception|url=http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/fresh_horses/|publisher=RottenTomatoes.com|access-date=October 18, 2014}}</ref>

Ringwald was turned down for leading roles in ''[[Working Girl]]'' and ''[[The Silence of the Lambs (film)|The Silence of the Lambs]]'', later commenting that: "I didn't really feel like darker roles were available to me. The ones that I wanted to do, I didn't get."<ref>{{cite web |title=Molly Ringwald Turned Down 'Pretty Woman' Role: It Was an 'Icky' Storyline |url=https://www.indiewire.com/features/general/molly-ringwald-turned-down-icky-pretty-woman-role-1234833355/ |website=IndieWire |date=April 28, 2023 |publisher=Penske Media Corporation |access-date=24 March 2024}}</ref> Ringwald reportedly turned down the female lead roles in ''[[Pretty Woman]]'' and ''[[Ghost (1990 film)|Ghost]]''.<ref name=LATimes>{{cite news |author=Monica Corcoran|url=http://www.latimes.com/features/lifestyle/la-ig-molly29-2008jun29,0,7763315.story|title=Molly Ringwald: Pretty in Pucci|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|access-date=March 6, 2009|date=June 29, 2008 }}</ref> 

In the mid-1990s, Ringwald, who had been educated at the [[Lycée Français de Los Angeles]] and is fluent in French, moved to Paris and starred in several French movies.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.blockbuster.com/browse/catalog/personDetails/53155 |title=Molly Ringwald Movies |access-date=March 12, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110310184034/http://www.blockbuster.com/browse/catalog/personDetails/53155 |archive-date=March 10, 2011 }}</ref> She returned to the United States intermittently to appear in American movies and television. In 1990, Ringwald appeared in the [[James Scott (artist)|James Scott]]-directed ''[[Strike It Rich (1990 film)|Strike It Rich]]'' alongside [[Robert Lindsay (actor)|Robert Lindsay]] and [[John Gielgud]]. That same year she starred in ''[[Betsy's Wedding]]'' as Betsy Hopper. This film gained generally mixed reviews despite being a commercial success. Ringwald later starred in ''[[Something to Live for: The Alison Gertz Story]]'' (1992).

In 1994, she was cast as Frannie Goldsmith in the TV miniseries ''[[The Stand (1994 miniseries)|The Stand]]'', an adaptation of [[Stephen King]]'s 1978 [[The Stand|novel of the same name]]. Ringwald's performance was generally well received. She next played the leading role in the film ''[[Malicious (1995 film)|Malicious]]'' (1995) as Melissa Nelson, a disturbed woman who has an affair with a college star baseball player. She later starred in the ABC sitcom ''[[Townies]]''. She appeared as a blind woman on the critically acclaimed cable series ''[[Remember WENN]]''. She starred with [[Lara Flynn Boyle]] and [[Teri Hatcher]] in the 1998 made-for-television film ''[[Since You've Been Gone (film)|Since You've Been Gone]]''. In 1999, she played the starring role of "Li'l Bit" in Paula Vogel's play ''[[How I Learned to Drive]]'' at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles. In 2000, she appeared in an episode of Showtime's ''[[The Outer Limits (1995 TV series)|The Outer Limits]]'', "Judgment Day".

[[File:Molly Ringwald with a fan.jpg|thumb|Ringwald (left) with a fan, 2007]]
In 2000, Ringwald appeared in the ensemble restaurant-themed film ''In the Weeds'', and in 2001 she had a cameo in the commercially successful ''[[Not Another Teen Movie]]'' that earned her an [[MTV Movie Award]] nomination. In theater, she wore a "Green, Green Dress" as Susan in Jonathan Larson's Off-Broadway musical ''[[tick, tick... BOOM!]]'',<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Bernardo |first=Melissa Rose |title=Tick, Tick...Boom |url=https://ew.com/article/2001/11/02/tick-tickboom/ |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |access-date=March 8, 2019 |date=November 2, 2001}}</ref> and headlined as Sally Bowles in Broadway's long-running revival of ''[[Cabaret (musical)|Cabaret]]'' from 2001 to 2002.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Simonson |first1=Robert |title=Molly Ringwald Leaves Cabaret April 28 |url=http://www.playbill.com/news/article/molly-ringwald-leaves-cabaret-april-28-105381 |website=Playbill |access-date=March 8, 2019 |date=April 28, 2002}}</ref> In 2003, Ringwald appeared in ''[[Enchanted April (2003 play)|Enchanted April]]'' on Broadway.<ref name="PregnantExit">{{cite web |last=Hernandez |first=Ernio |title=Expecting Molly Ringwald Exits Broadway's Enchanted April, June 15 |url=http://www.playbill.com/news/article/expecting-molly-ringwald-exits-broadways-enchanted-april-june-15-113785 |work=Playbill |access-date=March 8, 2019 |date=April 28, 2003}}</ref>

In 2004, she starred in the play ''Modern Orthodox'' on Broadway, opposite [[Jason Biggs]] and [[Craig Bierko]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.haaretz.com/culture/arts-leisure/a-comic-jewish-duel-1.143554 |title=A comic Jewish duel |first=Saul |last=Austerlitz |date=December 13, 2004 |work=[[Haaretz]] |access-date=May 24, 2011}}</ref> In 2006 she starred in the television film ''[[The Wives He Forgot]]'', and that fall and winter starred as Charity Hope Valentine in the national tour of the Broadway revival of the musical ''[[Sweet Charity]]''.<ref>AP. [https://www.usatoday.com/life/theater/news/2006-02-27-ringwald-sweet-charity_x.htm?POE=LIFISVA "Molly Ringwald to take 'Sweet Charity' on the road this fall"], ''[[USA Today]]'', February 27, 2006.</ref> She also played a supporting role as Molly McIntire's mother Helen in ''[[Molly: An American Girl on the Home Front]]''.<ref name="pittsburg">{{cite news|url=http://www.post-gazette.com/ae/tv/2006/11/23/TV-Preview-Molly-is-the-best-American-Girl-yet.print|title=TV Preview: 'Molly' is the best 'American Girl' yet|last=Rouvalis|first=Cristina|date=November 23, 2006|work=[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]]|access-date=September 1, 2014}}</ref> Ringwald starred in the ABC Family network's series ''[[The Secret Life of the American Teenager]]'', which ran for five seasons and 121 episodes between 2008 and 2013.<ref>[http://www.tvguide.com/news/molly-ringwald-teenager/080701-01 "Molly Ringwald's Not A Teenager Anymore!"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080704131354/http://www.tvguide.com/news/molly-ringwald-teenager/080701-01 |date=July 4, 2008 }}, ''TV Guide'', July 1, 2008.</ref> She played Anne Juergens, the protagonist's mother.

Ringwald played Madame Frechette in the 2014 [[Lifetime (TV network)|Lifetime]] Christmas film ''[[Wishin' and Hopin' (film)|Wishin' and Hopin'<nowiki/>]]''.<ref>[http://www.mylifetime.com/movies/wishin-and-hopin Wishin' and Hopin'] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141229082420/http://www.mylifetime.com/movies/wishin-and-hopin |date=December 29, 2014 }}, [[MyLifetime.com]]</ref> Ringwald plays Aunt Bailey in ''[[Jem and the Holograms (film)|Jem and the Holograms]]'', raising Jerrica, her sister Kimber, and adopted daughters.<ref>{{cite web |last=Corriston |first=Michele |title=Molly Ringwald Joins Jem and the Holograms Cast |url=https://people.com/movies/molly-ringwald-joins-jem-and-the-holograms-cast/ |work=People |access-date=March 8, 2019|date=May 21, 2014}}</ref> In 2016, she was cast as Amy in the crime-drama film ''[[King Cobra (2016 film)|King Cobra]]''. Ringwald had a recurring role as main character [[Archie Andrews]]' mother [[Families of Archie's Gang#Mary Andrews|Mary Andrews]] on [[The CW]] television series ''[[Riverdale (American TV series)|Riverdale]]''. After initially only appearing as a guest, Ringwald took a more prominent role in the series following the death of [[Luke Perry]] who played Archie's father.