Molly Ringwald, 56, believes that her daughter Mathilda was conceived in the dressing room at Studio 54 at the end of her run playing Sally Bowles in Cabaret in 2003. Despite always wanting children, it took Ringwald until she was 36 to have Mathilda. Ringwald shares Mathilda with her husband Panio Gianopoulos, and they are also parents to fraternal twins Adele and Roman, aged 14. Ringwald acknowledges the challenges of motherhood, particularly the realization that her time no longer belonged solely to herself and the ongoing effort to balance her career as an actress with her role as a mother.
Ringwald and Gianopoulos married in 2007, after Ringwald’s split from her ex-husband in 2002. Despite their seven-year age gap, Gianopoulos agreed to have children sooner than planned to accommodate Ringwald’s desire to expand their family. Ringwald credits her husband for being the “natural” parent in their relationship, given his stability and planning skills. As a prominent actress in the ’80s, known for her roles in iconic teen films like Pretty in Pink, The Breakfast Club, and Sixteen Candles, Ringwald has faced the dilemma of whether to show her children her earlier films, which sometimes contain controversial material.
Ringwald has expressed reservations about showing her two younger children her famous roles, particularly her daughter Adele, who she described as extremely politically aware. Despite her status as a teen queen in the ’80s, Ringwald has found that her children do not view her any differently from other parents and still see her as embarrassing and out of touch. In a talk for the Center for Parent and Teen Communications, Ringwald shared her realization that being a famous actress does not grant her any additional cool points in the eyes of her children, who simply see her as their mom.
In various interviews, Ringwald has opened up about the difficulties of balancing her career as an actress with the demands of motherhood. Ringwald described the struggle of feeling like her time was no longer her own after becoming a mother, noting that her husband’s stability and planning skills have helped her in trying to improve this aspect of her life. Despite her success in the film industry, Ringwald’s role as a mother has become her priority, leading her to make choices that prioritize her children over her career. As her children have grown older, Ringwald continues to grapple with how to navigate showing them her earlier work, knowing that some of the content may be seen as controversial in today’s more socially aware climate.
Ringwald’s personal journey as a mother has been influenced by her experiences as a prominent actress in the ’80s. Her fame has not shielded her from the universal challenges of parenthood, such as wanting to share her past work with her children but feeling conflicted about potentially controversial content. Ringwald recognizes the importance of her role as a mother over her career as an actress, choosing to prioritize her children’s well-being and development. Despite her iconic status in the film industry, Ringwald is ultimately a mother first, navigating the complexities of parenting in the public eye.
