Molly Ringwald Reflects on John Hughes’ Influence in Iconic Films

LOS ANGELES, Calif. — In a recent episode of Monica Lewinsky‘s podcast, actress Molly Ringwald shared her reflections on her collaboration with filmmaker John Hughes, noting that she now finds it ‘a little peculiar’ that her headshot inspired Hughes to write the 1984 classic film, ‘Sixteen Candles.’

Hughes, famed for creating iconic teen films such as ‘The Breakfast Club,’ ‘Weird Science,’ and ‘Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,’ wrote and directed ‘Sixteen Candles,’ which starred Ringwald as the protagonist, Sam Baker. Ringwald explained during the episode that Hughes had her headshot displayed prominently while he penned the film.

‘Over Fourth of July weekend, he put that up on his bulletin board above his computer station… and he wrote this movie,’ Ringwald revealed. ‘When it came time to cast it and they said, “Who do you want?” he said, “The girl that I wrote this about.”’

At just 15 years old, Ringwald played Sam Baker, who navigates the complexities of teenage romance on her birthday amidst various misunderstandings and social challenges. Lewinsky inquired whether Ringwald understood her role as Hughes’ ‘muse’ at the time. ‘I mean, he did tell me the story when we first met,’ Ringwald recalled. ‘When you’re that age, I mean, I had nothing really to compare it to.’

Reflecting on this history, she stated, ‘It didn’t seem that strange to me. I mean now it does.’ When pressed to elaborate, Ringwald added, ‘Yeah, it’s peculiar. It’s complimentary — I mean it always felt incredibly complimentary. But yeah, looking back on it, there is something a little peculiar.’

Lewinsky acknowledged Hughes’ significant impact on Ringwald’s career, prompting a deeper conversation. ‘It’s definitely complex, and it’s something that I turn over in my head a lot and try to figure out how that all affected me,’ Ringwald shared. ‘I feel like I’m still processing all of that, and I probably will until the day I die.’

Hughes, who passed away from a heart attack in 2009, left an indelible mark on the film industry, directing, writing, or producing some of the most memorable films of the 1980s and ’90s, including the beloved holiday classic ‘Home Alone’ and its sequels. Ringwald starred in several of these notable projects throughout the ’80s, including ‘Pretty in Pink.’ Recently, she has appeared in television series such as ‘Riverdale‘ and ‘Feud: Capote vs. The Swans.’