Molly Ringwald rose to fame for her roles in the beloved 80s teen movies “Sixteen Candles,” “The Breakfast Club,” and “Pretty in Pink.” However, before this, she gained recognition for her portrayal in the NBC sitcom “The Facts of Life.” In addition, Ringwald has appeared in various projects such as “The Pick-up Artist,” “For Keeps,” and “Teaching Mrs. Tingle,” as well as the TV show “Riverdale.”
Molly Ringwald Bio Summary
Full name: Molly Kathleen Ringwald
Place of birth: Roseville, California, United States
Date of birth: 18 February 1968
Age: 56 years old
Height: 5 ft 8 in (173 cm)
Weight: 137 lbs (62 kg)
Eye color: Light Brown
Hair color: Red
Education: Lycee Francais De Los Angeles, Young Actors Space, Roseville High School, Casa Roble High School
Religion: Christian
Nationality: American
Zodiac Sign: Aquarius
Gender: Female
Sexual orientation: Straight
Marital status: Married
Husband’s name: Panio Gianopoulos
Kids: Mathilda Ereni Gianopoulos, Adele Georgiana Gianopoulos, Roman Stylianos Gianopoulos
Profession: Actor
Early Life & Family
Molly Ringwald was born on February 18, 1968, in Roseville, California, USA. She is currently 56 years old. Her mother, Adele Edith, was a chef and her father, Robert Scott, was a jazz pianist who was blind.
She also has two siblings named Beth and Kelly. Her passion for acting began at a young age and she embarked on her acting journey at the age of five.
From a young age, Ringwald displayed a natural talent for acting. When she was only five years old, she portrayed the role of ‘dormouse’ in the community’s production of ‘Alice in Wonderland.’
At six, she teamed up with her father and his band to release a jazz album called ‘I Wanna Be Loved by You.’ She continued pursuing acting opportunities as a child, including a role as a ‘Mouseketeer’ on the Disney Channel’s ‘The New Mickey Mouse Club.’
Career
Molly Ringwald embarked on her acting journey at the young age of five, taking on the role of the Dormouse in a theatrical rendition of “Alice in Wonderland.” She later went on to study at the Lycée Français de Los Angeles.
In 1978, at the young age of ten, Ringwald was chosen to star in a production of “Annie” in Los Angeles. The following year, she made an appearance on the sitcom “Diff’rent Strokes” and soon after joined the cast of its spinoff, “The Facts of Life.”
On both shows, she portrayed Molly Parker, a cheerful and strong-willed student at Eastland Girls School. Additionally, in 1980, Ringwald was featured as the main singer on two Disney albums: “Yankee Doodle Mickey” and “Disney’s Merry Christmas Carols.”
In 1984, Molly Ringwald rose to fame with her role in the John Hughes’ comedy “Sixteen Candles,” a coming-of-age film. She portrayed Samantha Baker, a girl whose family fails to remember her 16th birthday. Ringwald’s exceptional performance earned her the Young Artist Award for Best Young Actress in Motion Picture.
Following her achievement, she was acknowledged as a part of the “Brat Pack,” a collection of teenage performers from the 1980s that consisted of regular co-stars Anthony Michael Hall, Emilio Estevez, Judd Nelson, and Ally Sheedy. It was within the Brat Pack that Ringwald experienced her subsequent major success, John Hughes’ “The Breakfast Club.”
In 1987, Molly Ringwald appeared in her third successful teen movie, “Pretty in Pink,” directed by Howard Deutch and written by John Hughes. She also had roles in three other films that year: “P.K. and the Kid,” a Shakespeare adaptation titled “King Lear” by Jean-Luc Godard, and the romantic comedy “The Pick-up Artist,” where she acted alongside Robert Downey Jr.
The following year, she starred in “For Keeps,” which is considered her last movie aimed at a teen audience, and also appeared in “Fresh Horses” with her “Pretty in Pink” costar, Andrew McCarthy.
Following her appearances in the made-for-TV movies “The Wives He Forgot” and “Molly: An American Girl on the Home Front,” Ringwald became a regular on ABC Family’s “The Secret Life of the American Teenager” in 2008. She then went on to star in the Canadian show “Raising Expectations.”
In 2017, Molly Ringwald landed a recurring role as Archie Andrews’ mother in The CW’s “Riverdale.” She has also appeared in popular shows such as Netflix’s “Tales of the City”, “Dahmer- Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story,” and Shudder’s “Creepshow” horror anthology.
Personal Life
After appearing in French films and plays in France, Molly Ringwald tied the knot with Valéry Lameignère, a French writer, in Bordeaux, France in 1999.
However, their marriage came to an end within three years. Later on, she married Panio Gianopoulos, a Greek-American writer and book editor, in 2007. The couple now has three kids: Mathilda Ereni, Adele Georgiana, and Roman Stylianos.
Net Worth
Molly Ringwald has generated a substantial amount of wealth, adding to her overall net worth. Her main source of income was through her acting career in both film and television.
Additionally, her appearances on various shows and endorsement deals have also bolstered her net worth. She raked in millions of dollars each year and in 2024, her net worth has reached $13 million.
