Editing Molly Ringwald

{{Short description|American actress and writer (born 1968)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox person
| name               = Molly Ringwald
| image              = MollyRingwaldApr2013 cropped.jpg
| caption            = Ringwald in 2013
| birth_name         = Molly Kathleen Ringwald
| birth_date         = {{Birth date and age|1968|2|18}}
| birth_place        = [[Roseville, California]], U.S.
| occupation         = {{flatlist|
* Actress
* singer
* dancer
* writer
* model
}}
| years_active       = 1977–present
| spouse             = {{Plain list|
* {{marriage|Valery Lameignère<br/>|1999|2002|reason=divorced}}
* {{marriage|[[Panio Gianopoulos]]<br/>|2007}}
}}
| children           = 3
| signature          = Molly Ringwald signature.svg
}}
'''Molly Kathleen Ringwald''' (born February 18, 1968)<ref (age 52) name=biography.com>{{cite web| url= http://www.biography.com/people/molly-ringwald-408812| title=Molly Ringwald Biography: Theater Actress, Film Actress, Television Actress (1968–)| publisher=[[Biography.com]] ([[FYI (TV network)|FYI]] / [[A&E Networks]]) | access-date= December 15, 2016}}</ref> is an American actress, writer, and translator. She began her career as a child actress on the [[sitcom]]s ''[[Diff'rent Strokes]]'' and ''[[The Facts of Life (TV series)|The Facts of Life]]'' (both 1979–1980) before being nominated for a [[Golden Globe Awards|Golden Globe Award]] for her starring role in the drama film ''[[Tempest (1982 film)|Tempest]]'' (1982). Ringwald became a [[teen idol]] following her appearances in filmmaker [[John Hughes (filmmaker)|John Hughes]]' teen films ''[[Sixteen Candles]]'' (1984), ''[[The Breakfast Club]]'' (1985), and ''[[Pretty in Pink]]'' (1986). These films led to the media referring to her as a member of a group of actors known as the "[[Brat Pack]]."

Ringwald's final starring roles as a teen were in ''[[The Pick-up Artist (1987 film)|The Pick-up Artist]]'' (1987), ''[[For Keeps (film)|For Keeps]]'' (1988), and ''[[Fresh Horses (film)|Fresh Horses]]'' (1988). In the 1990s, she starred in the films ''[[Betsy's Wedding]]'' (1990) and ''[[Teaching Mrs. Tingle]]'' (1999), as well as starring in multiple [[Cinema of France|French films]] after a move to [[Paris]]. Ringwald also returned to television, with main roles as Frannie Goldsmith in the [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] miniseries ''[[The Stand (1994 miniseries)|The Stand]]'' (1994) and Carrie Donovan on the ABC sitcom ''[[Townies]]'' (1996). In the 2000s, she had a main role as Anne Juergens on the [[Freeform (TV channel)|ABC Family]] series ''[[The Secret Life of the American Teenager]]'' (2008–2013).

In the 2010s, Ringwald had starring roles in the films [[Jem and the Holograms (film)|''Jem and the Holograms'']] (2015), ''[[King Cobra (2016 film)|King Cobra]]'' (2016), and ''[[Siberia (2018 film)|Siberia]]'' (2018), and a main role as Paige Wayney on the [[Family Channel (Canada)|Family Channel]] television series ''[[Raising Expectations]]'' (2016–2018). In the late 2010s and 2020s, she experienced a career resurgence with a recurring role as Mary Andrews on the [[The CW|CW]] series ''[[Riverdale (American TV series)|Riverdale]]'' (2017–2023), and a starring role in the ''[[The Kissing Booth (film series)|The Kissing Booth]]'' film series (2018–2021). Ringwald later had main roles as Shari Dahmer on the first season of the [[Netflix]] biographical anthology series ''[[Monster (American TV series)|Monster]]'' (2022) and [[Joanne Carson (model)|Joanne Carson]] on the second season of the [[FX (TV channel)|FX]] biographical anthology series ''[[Feud (TV series)|Feud]]'' (2024).

== Early life and education ==
Ringwald was born in [[Roseville, California]], in 1968<ref name=biography.com /><ref name=MRingwald-EdgeBoston>{{cite web|url=http://www.edgeboston.com/columnists/fame_with_bebe_sweetbriar///143712/molly_ringwald_swings_on_new_cd|title=Molly Ringwald Swings on New CD|date=April 18, 2013|first=BeBe|last=Sweetbriar|publisher=EDGE Boston|access-date=July 20, 2013}}
*<sup>a</sup> "BeBe: I'm from the Sacramento, California area as are you, and we did a production of 'Oliver' together (as a part of Fagin's gang) at Sacramento State University once upon a time."&nbsp;– ¶ 14.
*<sup>b</sup> "BeBe: With my experience in knowing you from way back when in the theaters of our hometown of Sacramento, I was not of course surprised with this release from you knowing your roots in jazz with your Dad...— ¶ 34.</ref> the daughter of Adele Edith (''née'' Frembd), a cook, and Robert Scott "Bob" Ringwald, a blind jazz pianist.<ref>{{cite web | title=Bob Ringwald, jazz ambassador and actor's father, dies at 80 | website=AP NEWS | date=August 8, 2021 | url=https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-music-arts-and-entertainment-jazz-138d23020b02cdb4193c11c8df58da52 | access-date=August 8, 2021}}</ref> Ringwald has two siblings, Beth and Kelly, and an older brother, who died before she was born.<ref>[http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/526/transcript Is That What I Look Like? (2014)]. This American Life Episode 526, Transcript.</ref> She is of [[German Americans|German]] and [[Swedish Americans|Swedish]] descent.<ref>{{Cite episode|series=[[Who Do You Think You Are? (American TV series)|Who Do You Think You Are?]]|title=Molly Ringwald|publisher=[[TLC (TV network)|TLC]]|airdate=April 24, 2016|season=7|number=4|url=https://www.tlc.com/tv-shows/who-do-you-think-you-are/full-episodes/molly-ringwald}}{{Dead link|date=March 2022 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} {{closed access}}</ref> She started her acting career at age five, appearing in a stage production of ''[[Alice in Wonderland]]'' as the Dormouse. The next year, she recorded ''Molly Sings: I Wanna Be Loved by You'', a music album of [[Dixieland jazz]] with her father and his group, the Fulton Street Jazz Band.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fultonstreetjazz.com/music.php|title= Sacramento's Fulton Street Jazz Band's Recordings|date=July 11, 2011 | work=Fulton Street Jazz |access-date=May 29, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110711053920/http://www.fultonstreetjazz.com/music.php|archive-date=July 11, 2011}}</ref> Ringwald graduated from the [[Lycée Français de Los Angeles]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.interviewmagazine.com/fashion/new-again-molly-ringwald|title=New Again: Molly Ringwald|last=Belk|first=Melissa|date=4 December 2012|work=Interview|access-date=28 July 2019}}</ref>

== 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.

== Other ventures ==

Ringwald has translated two books from French to English. The first was the novel ''Lie with Me'' by [[Philippe Besson]]. The second was ''My Cousin Maria Schneider'' by [[Vanessa Schneider]], a book about the French actress [[Maria Schneider (actress)|Maria Schneider]], whose career was largely defined by a sex scene with [[Marlon Brando]] in the film ''[[Last Tango in Paris]]'' despite her many other accomplishments as an actress.<ref>{{cite news | last =Krug | first =Nora | title =Why Molly Ringwald translated an infamous story of film exploitation: Ringwald talks about 'My Cousin Maria Schneider,' a book she translated from French about the life of Maria Schneider, who starred in 'Last Tango in Paris' | newspaper =[[Washington Post]] | location = | pages = | language = | publisher = | date =April 16, 2023 | url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/books/2023/04/16/molly-ringwald-interview-maria-schneider/ | accessdate =February 7, 2024 }}</ref>

Ringwald read the audiobook edition of the 2012 novel ''The Middlesteins'' by [[Jami Attenberg]]. In 2013, Ringwald released ''[[Except Sometimes]]'', a [[jazz]] record. It follows a tradition in jazz for the Ringwald family set by her father. "I grew up in a home filled with music and had an early appreciation of jazz since my dad was a jazz musician. Beginning at around age three I started singing with his band and jazz music has continued to be one of my three passions along with acting and writing. I like to say jazz music is my musical equivalent of comfort food. It's always where I go back to when I want to feel grounded," Ringwald said in a statement.<ref>[http://www.noise11.com/news/molly-ringwald-covers-the-movie-theme-that-made-her-famous-20130311 "Molly Ringwald Covers The Movie Theme That Made Her Famous"], ''Noise11.com'', March 11, 2013.</ref>

In 2014, Ringwald began writing an advice column for ''The Guardian'', answering questions about "love, family, or life in general".<ref>{{cite news |last=Reynolds |first=John |date=September 12, 2014 |title=Guardian revamps weekday and weekend editions |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2014/sep/12/guardian-revamps-weekday-weekend-editions |newspaper=The Guardian}}</ref>

In February 2024, Ringwald made her runway modeling debut at New York Fashion Week, walking for Batsheva.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Moore |first=Booth |date=2024-02-14 |title=Batsheva Fall 2024 Ready to Wear: Molly Ringwald The Ringleader of a Gorgeous Over 40 Runway Cast |url=https://wwd.com/runway/fall-2024/new-york/batsheva/review/ |access-date=2024-02-14 |website=WWD |language=en-US}}</ref> 

== Media image ==
Ringwald stated she was very aware of her public image during her teen years and she tried to be a good role model for her fans. When asked about ''[[For Keeps (film)|For Keeps]]'' (1988), Ringwald said, "I didn't want to give the wrong message to teenagers. I sort of felt a certain responsibility – I mean, I was a very, very famous teenager and I thought a lot of teenagers were looking up to me and emulating me, and I really didn't want to make a movie that said in any way that having a baby at that age was going to be easy."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://jezebel.com/5526331/molly-ringwald-on-teen-pregnancy-bristol-palin-and-for-keeps|title=Molly Ringwald On Teen Pregnancy, Bristol Palin, And For Keeps|first=Irin|last=Carmon|date=April 28, 2010 }}</ref>

== Personal life ==
In the 1980s, Ringwald dated musician [[Dweezil Zappa]] and rapper [[Ad-Rock]] of the hip-hop group [[Beastie Boys]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2012-12-04 |title=New Again: Molly Ringwald |url=https://www.interviewmagazine.com/fashion/new-again-molly-ringwald |access-date=2023-11-04 |website=Interview Magazine |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Tenreyro |first=Tatiana |date=2023-03-12 |title=Molly Ringwald Looks Back at Attending the 1987 Oscars |url=https://parade.com/news/molly-ringwald-1987-oscars-beastie-boys-adam-ad-rock-horovitz-photo-instagram |access-date=2023-11-04 |website=Parade |language=en}}</ref>

Ringwald married Valéry Lameignère, a French writer, in [[Bordeaux]], France, on July 28, 1999; they divorced in 2002.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://nymag.com/nymetro/arts/theater/10522/ |title=Don't You Forget About Me |first=Michael |last=Agger |date=May 21, 2005 |publisher=[[nymag.com]] |access-date=May 24, 2011}}</ref> She married [[Panio Gianopoulos]], a Greek-American writer and book editor, in 2007. They have a daughter, Mathilda,<ref>{{cite web |title=This American Life: The Blunder Years |url=https://www.thisamericanlife.org/813/is-that-what-i-look-like/act-three-3 |access-date=November 6, 2023 |date=November 3, 2023}}</ref> born in 2003,<ref name="PregnantExit" /> and fraternal twins, daughter Adele Georgiana and son Roman Stylianos,  born in July 2009.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Wang |first1=Cynthia |last2=Michaud |first2=Sarah |title=Molly Ringwald Welcomes Twins! |url=https://people.com/parents/molly-ringwald-welcomes-twins/ |work=People |access-date=March 8, 2019 |date=July 13, 2009}}</ref> Her pregnancy was written into the storyline of ''[[The Secret Life of the American Teenager]]''.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Warrick |first1=Pamela |title=Molly Ringwald Expecting Twins! |url=https://people.com/parents/molly-ringwald-expecting-twins/ |work=People |access-date=March 8, 2019 |date=January 23, 2009}}</ref> She was the subject of an episode in season 7 of the genealogy series ''[[Who Do You Think You Are? (American TV series)|Who Do You Think You Are?]]''.

== Filmography ==
===Film===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+Molly Ringwald film work
|-
!scope="col"| Year
!scope="col"| Title
!scope="col"| Role
!scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes
|-
| 1982
|scope="row"| ''[[Tempest (1982 film)|Tempest]]''
| [[Miranda (The Tempest)|Miranda Dimitrius]]
| 
|-
| 1983
|scope="row"| ''[[Spacehunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone]]''
| Niki
|
|-
| 1984
|scope="row"| ''[[Sixteen Candles]]''
| Samantha "Sam" Baker
|
|-
| 1985
|scope="row" data-sort-value="Breakfast Club, The" | ''[[The Breakfast Club]]''
| Claire Standish
|
|-
| 1986
|scope="row"| ''[[Pretty in Pink]]''
| Andie Walsh
|
|-
| rowspan="3"| 1987
|scope="row"| ''[[P.K. and the Kid]]''
| P.K. Bayette
|
|-
|scope="row"| ''[[King Lear (1987 film)|King Lear]]''
| [[Cordelia (King Lear)|Cordelia]]
|
|-
|scope="row" data-sort-value="Pick-up Artist, The" | ''[[The Pick-up Artist (1987 film)|The Pick-up Artist]]''
| Randy Jensen
|
|-
| rowspan="2"| 1988
|scope="row"| ''[[For Keeps (film)|For Keeps]]''
| Darcy Bobrucz
|
|-
|scope="row"| ''[[Fresh Horses (film)|Fresh Horses]]''
| Jewel
|
|-
| rowspan="2"| 1990
|scope="row"| ''[[Strike It Rich (1990 film)|Strike It Rich]]''
| Cary Porter
|
|-
|scope="row"| ''[[Betsy's Wedding]]''
| Betsy Hopper
| 
|-
| 1993
|scope="row"| ''Face the Music''
| Lisa Hunter
|
|-
| 1994
|scope="row"| ''[[Some Folks Call It a Sling Blade]]''
| Theresa Tatum
|Short
|-
| rowspan="3"| 1995
|scope="row"| ''Baja''
| Bebe Stone
|
|-
|scope="row"| ''[[Seven Sundays (1994 film)|Seven Sundays]]''
| Janet Gifford
|
|-
|scope="row"| ''[[Malicious (1995 film)|Malicious]]''
| Melissa Nelson
|
|-
| 1996
|scope="row"| ''Bastard Children''
| Susan
|
|-
| 1997
|scope="row"| ''[[Office Killer]]''
| Kim Poole
|
|-
| rowspan="3"| 1999
| ''Requiem for Murder''
| Anne Winslow
|
|-
|scope="row"| ''[[Teaching Mrs. Tingle]]''
| Miss Banks
|
|-
|scope="row"| ''Kimberly''
| Nancy
|
|-
| rowspan="4"| 2000
|scope="row"| ''[[Cut (2000 film)|Cut]]''
| Vanessa Turnbill/Chloe
|
|-
|scope="row" data-sort-value="Brutal Truth, The" | ''The Brutal Truth''
| Penelope
|
|-
|scope="row"| ''In the Weeds''
| Chloe
|
|-
|scope="row" data-sort-value="Translator, The" | ''The Translator''
| Julie Newman
|Short
|-
| rowspan="2"| 2001
|scope="row"| ''[[Cowboy Up]]''
| Connie
|
|-
|scope="row"| ''[[Not Another Teen Movie]]''
| Flight Attendant
|
|-
| 2008
|scope="row"| ''Guest of Cindy Sherman''
| Herself
| Documentary
|-
| 2010
|scope="row"| ''Wax On, F*ck Off''
| Herself
| Short film
|-
| 2014
|scope="row"| ''[[Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon Films]]''
| Herself
| Documentary
|-
| rowspan="2" | 2015
|scope="row"| ''[[Jem and the Holograms (film)|Jem and the Holograms]]''
| Aunt Bailey
|
|-
|scope="row"| ''[[Bad Night]]''
| The Collector
|
|-
| 2016
|scope="row"| ''[[King Cobra (2016 film)|King Cobra]]''
| Amy Kocis
|
|-
| 2017
|scope="row"| ''[[SPF-18]]''
| Faye Cooper
|
|-
| rowspan="3" | 2018
|scope="row"| ''[[All These Small Moments]]''
| Carla Sheffield
|
|-
|scope="row" data-sort-value="Kissing Booth 1, The" | ''[[The Kissing Booth]]''
| Mrs. Flynn
|
|-
|scope="row"| ''[[Siberia (2018 film)|Siberia]]''
| Gabby Hill
|
|-
| 2020
|scope="row" data-sort-value="Kissing Booth 2, The" | ''[[The Kissing Booth 2]]''
| Mrs. Flynn
| 
|-
| 2021
|scope="row" data-sort-value="Kissing Booth 3, The" | ''[[The Kissing Booth 3]]''
| Mrs. Flynn
| 
|-
| rowspan="2" | 2023
|scope="row"| ''[[Judy Blume Forever]]''
| Herself
| Documentary
|-
|scope="row"| ''[[Bad Things (film)|Bad Things]]''
| Ms. Auerbach
|
|-
| TBA
|scope="row"| ''Montauk<ref name="SSS">{{cite web |title=Montauk (2021) |url=https://www.sssentertainment.com/montauk |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210126191431/https://www.sssentertainment.com/montauk |archive-date=January 26, 2021 |access-date=March 3, 2021 |website=SSS Entertainment }}</ref>''
| Wolcott
| Post-production; previously called ''Kingfish''<ref>{{cite news|title= Charlyne Yi Boards 'Second Act'; Molly Ringwald Cast In YA Film 'Kingfish'; Robert Scott Wilson Joins 'Relic'|url= https://deadline.com/2017/11/charlyne-yi-second-act-molly-ringwald-kingfish-robert-scott-wilson-relic-1202204427/|work= Deadline|date= November 8, 2017}}</ref>
|-
|}

===Television===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+Molly Ringwald television work
|-
!scope="col"| Year
!scope="col"| Title
!scope="col"| Role
!scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes
|-
| 1979–1980
|scope="row"| ''[[Diff'rent Strokes]]''
| Molly Parker
| 2 episodes
|-
| 1979–1980
|scope="row" data-sort-value="Facts of Life, The" | ''[[The Facts of Life (TV series)|The Facts of Life]]''
| Molly Parker
| Main role (Season 1–2); 14 episodes
|-
| 1983
|scope="row"| ''[[Packin' It In]]''
| Melissa Webber
| Television film
|-
| 1985
|scope="row"| ''[[Surviving: A Family in Crisis]]''
| Lonnie Carson
| Television film
|-
| 1986
|scope="row"| ''[[Tall Tales & Legends]]''
| Jenny Smith
| Episode: "Johnny Appleseed"
|-
| 1990
|scope="row"| ''[[Women & Men: Stories of Seduction]]''
| Kit
| Television film
|-
| 1992
|scope="row"| ''[[Something to Live for: The Alison Gertz Story]]''
| [[Alison Gertz]]
| Television film
|-
| 1994
|scope="row" data-sort-value="Stand, The" | ''[[The Stand (1994 miniseries)|The Stand]]''
| Frannie Goldsmith
| Lead role
|-
| 1996
|scope="row"| ''[[Townies]]''
| Carrie Donovan
| Lead role
|-
| 1996
|scope="row"| ''[[Remember WENN]]''
| Angela Colton
| Episode: "Sight Unseen"
|-
| 1998
|scope="row"| ''[[Saturday Night Live]]''
| [[Anne Frank]] (voice)
| Episode: "[[Steve Buscemi]]/[[Third Eye Blind]]"
|-
| 1998
|scope="row"| ''[[Twice Upon a Time (1998 film)|Twice Upon a Time]]''
| Beth Sager
| Television film
|-
| 2000
|scope="row" data-sort-value="Street, The" | ''[[The $treet]]''
| Devyn Alden
| Episode: "Propheting on Losses"
|-
| 2000
|scope="row" data-sort-value="Outer Limits, The" | ''[[The Outer Limits (1995 TV series)|The Outer Limits]]''
| Allison Channing
| Episode: "Judgment Day"
|-
| 2006
|scope="row"| ''[[Medium (TV series)|Medium]]''
| Kathleen Walsh
| Episode: "The Darkness is Light Enough"
|-
| 2006
|scope="row" data-sort-value="Wives He Forgot, The" | ''[[The Wives He Forgot]]''
| Charlotte Saint John
| Television film
|-
| 2006
|scope="row"| ''[[Molly: An American Girl on the Home Front]]''
| Helen McIntire
| Television film
|-
| 2008–2013
|scope="row" data-sort-value="Secret Life of the American Teenager, The" | ''[[The Secret Life of the American Teenager]]''
| Anne Juergens
| Main cast; lead role's mother
|-
| 2011
|scope="row"| ''[[Psych]]''
| Nurse McElroy
| Episode: "Shawn, Interrupted"
|-
| 2011
|scope="row"| ''[[RuPaul's Drag U]]''
| Herself
| Episode: "Like a Virgin"
|-
| 2014
|scope="row"| ''[[Rainbow Brite (2014 TV series)|Rainbow Brite]]''
| Dark Princess (voice)
| 3 episodes
|-
| 2014
|scope="row"| ''[[Wishin' and Hopin' (film)|Wishin' & Hopin']]''
| Madame Frechette
| Television film
|-
| 2016–2018
|scope="row"| ''[[Raising Expectations]]''
| Paige Wayney
| Main cast
|-
| 2016
|scope="row"| ''[[Odd Mom Out]]''
| Joy Greene
| 2 episodes
|-
| 2016
|scope="row"| ''[[Doc McStuffins]]''
| Darla (voice)
| 4 episodes
|-
| 2017–2023
|scope="row"| ''[[Riverdale (American TV series)|Riverdale]]''
| Mary Andrews
| Recurring role; 36 episodes
|-
| 2018
|scope="row"| ''[[Drop the Mic]]''
| Herself
| Episode: "[[Odell Beckham Jr.]] vs. [[Shawn Mendes]] / Molly Ringwald vs. [[Jon Cryer]]"
|-
| 2019
|scope="row"| ''[[Tales of the City (2019 miniseries)|Tales of the City]]''
| Mrs. Duncan
| 2 episodes
|-
| 2021
|scope="row"| ''[[Creepshow (TV series)|Creepshow]]''
| Mrs. Porter
| Episode: "Sibling Rivalry"
|-
| 2022
|scope="row" data-sort-value="Bear, The" | ''[[The Bear (TV series)|The Bear]]''
| Al-Anon Moderator
| Episode: "Brigade"
|-
| 2022
|scope="row"| ''[[Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story]]''
| Shari Dahmer
| Main cast; Dahmer's stepmother
|-
| 2023
|scope="row"| ''[[Single Drunk Female]]''
| Alice
| Episode: "Shiva"
|-
| 2023
|scope="row"| ''[[HouseBroken]]''
| Milly (voice)
| Episode: "Who Got Burned?"
|-
| 2024
|scope="row"| ''[[Feud: Capote vs. The Swans]]''
| [[Joanne Carson (model)|Joanne Carson]]
| 5 episodes 
|}

== Bibliography ==
[[File:Molly Ringwald 2010.jpg|alt=Ringwald seated at a table with a microphone|thumb|Ringwald at the WeHo Book Fair in 2010]]

* ''Getting the Pretty Back: Friendship, Family, and Finding the Perfect Lipstick'' (2010)
* ''[[When It Happens to You: A Novel in Stories]]'' (2012)
* ''[[Arrête avec tes mensonges|Lie With Me]]'' (2019) by [[Philippe Besson]], as translator
* ''My Cousin Maria Schneider: A Memoir'' (2023) by [[Vanessa Schneider]], as translator<ref>{{Cite news |last=Force |first=Thessaly La |date=2023-04-16 |title=For 'Last Tango' Actress, the Ugly Aftermath of Notoriety |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/16/books/my-cousin-maria-schneider-vanessa-schneider.html |access-date=2023-04-17 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=Why Molly Ringwald translated an infamous story of film exploitation |language=en-US |newspaper=Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/books/2023/04/16/molly-ringwald-interview-maria-schneider/ |access-date=2023-04-18 |issn=0190-8286}}</ref>

== Awards and nominations ==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!Year
!Award
!Category
!Nominated work
!Result
|-
|1982
|[[Young Artist Award]]s
|Best Young Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture
| rowspan="2" |''[[Tempest (1982 film)|Tempest]]''
|{{Nominated}}
|-
|1983
|[[Golden Globe Awards]]
|[[Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year – Actress|New Star of the Year – Actress]]
|{{Nominated}}
|-
|1985
|[[Young Artist Award]]s
|Best Young Actress in a Motion Picture: Musical, Comedy, Adventure or Drama
|''[[Sixteen Candles]]''
|{{Won}}
|-
|1989
|[[Kids' Choice Awards]]
|[[Kids' Choice Award for Favorite Movie Actress|Favorite Movie Actress]]
|''[[For Keeps (film)|For Keeps]]''
|{{Nominated}}
|-
|1991
|[[Golden Raspberry Awards]]
|[[Worst Actress]]
|''[[Betsy's Wedding]]''
|{{Nominated}}
|-
|2002
| rowspan="2" |[[MTV Movie & TV Awards]]
|[[MTV Movie Award for Best Cameo|Best Cameo]]
|''[[Not Another Teen Movie]]''
|{{Nominated}}
|-
|2005
|Silver Bucket of Excellence Award
|''[[The Breakfast Club]]''
|{{Won}}
|-
|2009
|[[Teen Choice Awards]]
|Choice TV Parental Unit
|''[[The Secret Life of the American Teenager]]''
|{{Nominated}}
|}

== Discography ==
* ''Molly Sings: I Wanna Be Loved by You'' (1975)
* ''[[Except Sometimes]]'' (2013)
* ''Going Home Alone'' (2013)

== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}

== External links ==
{{sister project links|d=Q231460|n=no|b=no|v=no|voy=no|wikt=no|c=category:Molly Ringwald|s=no}}
* {{Official website}}
* {{IMDb name|0000208}}<!-- IMDb -->
* {{TCMDb name|id=162039{{!}}0|name=Molly Ringwald}}

{{Brat Pack}}
{{Young Artist Award for Best Leading Young Actress in a Feature Film}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ringwald, Molly}}
[[Category:1968 births]]
[[Category:21st-century American novelists]]
[[Category:21st-century American translators]]
[[Category:Actresses from California]]
[[Category:American child actresses]]
[[Category:American expatriates in France]]
[[Category:American female dancers]]
[[Category:American dancers]]
[[Category:American women jazz singers]]
[[Category:American jazz singers]]
[[Category:American film actresses]]
[[Category:21st-century American memoirists]]
[[Category:American musical theatre actresses]]
[[Category:American people of German descent]]
[[Category:American people of Swedish descent]]
[[Category:American stage actresses]]
[[Category:American television actresses]]
[[Category:American feminists]]
[[Category:American women novelists]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Lycée Français de Los Angeles alumni]]
[[Category:People from Roseville, California]]
[[Category:Oakmont High School alumni]]
[[Category:20th-century American actresses]]
[[Category:21st-century American actresses]]
[[Category:21st-century American women writers]]
[[Category:American women memoirists]]
[[Category:Novelists from California]]
[[Category:Jazz musicians from California]]