Biography

Molly Kathleen Ringwald (born February 18, 1968) is an American actress, singer, dancer, and author. She was cast in her first major role as Molly in the NBC sitcom The Facts of Life (1979–80) after a casting director saw her playing an orphan in a stage production of the musical Annie. She and several other members of the original Facts of Life cast were let go when the show was reworked by the network. She subsequently made her motion-picture debut as Miranda in the independent film Tempest (1982), which earned her a Golden Globe nomination for New Star of the Year.

Ringwald is primarily known for her collaborations with filmmaker John Hughes. She established herself as a teen icon after appearing in the successful Hughes films Sixteen Candles (1984), The Breakfast Club (1985), and Pretty in Pink (1986). She later starred in The Pick-up Artist (1987), Fresh Horses (1988), and For Keeps (1988). She starred in many films in the 1990s, most notably Something to Live for: The Alison Gertz Story (1992), The Stand (1994), and Some Folks Call It a Sling Blade (1994 short film – precursor to Sling Blade). Ringwald had regular roles on the television series The Secret Life of the American Teenager (2008 - 2013) as Anne Juergens, Riverdale(2017 - 2023) as Mary Andrews, and Feud: Capote vs. The Swans (2024) as Joanne Carson. She is also recognized by younger audiences for her role as Sara Flynn in The Kissing Booth movies.

Ringwald was part of the "Brat Pack", and she was ranked number one on VH1's 100 Greatest Teen Stars.