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Wide ScreenMolly Ringwald’s Reddit ‘Ask Me Anything’ charms the Internet
You're never past your prime if you can impress the jaded denizens of the social news site Reddit. Molly Ringwald, the former teen star, member of the famous "brat pack," and current "Secret Life of the American Teenager" co-star, has taken the Internet by storm over the past few weeks, first by joining Twitter and then by committing to do an "Ask Me Anything" session on Reddit.
The 44-year-old mother of three held her own, answering almost every question thrown her way. That may not sound terribly impressive for those unfamiliar with Reddit, but taking part in one of these Q&A's can be a risky venture. Members of the Reddit community (or "redditors") can and will ask a person almost anything during these informal question and answer periods. The person taking part can choose not to answer, of course, but will often be taken to task for doing so.
A few months ago, actor Woody Harrelson took part in an "AMA" to promote his latest film "Rampart," but refused to answer any questions not related to the movie. As a result, the former "Cheers" star was essentially told to take a hike by the Reddit community and is now a running gag on the site.
Ringwald had a little more luck than Harrelson during her AMA, regaling her questioners with tales from the sets of classic John Hughes movies like "The Breakfast Club" and "Sixteen Candles" and delving into her life as a teenage star.
Unsurprisingly, Ringwald revealed that the classic "The Breakfast Club" was her favourite film experience, but she went on to say that "Sixteen Candles" was the most fun to make. A bunch of teenagers running rampant on a film set? Sounds like a drag.
For years there it had been rumoured that director John Hughes almost fired actor Judd Nelson because of the way he treated Ringwald on the set of "The Breakfast Club." When asked about the rumour, Ringwald confirmed that it was true but said that Nelson was merely method acting.
"He was wearing Bender's clothes and trying to annoy me. I was fine but John Hughes was very protective of me." The director had good reason to be protective of Ringwald. She was barely 17 at the time, and Nelson was almost 10 years her senior. Ringwald was discovered at a young age, and in a move that would be nearly unheard of today, actually played a teenager when she was a teenager.
Thankfully for Nelson, her castmates intervened on his behalf. "We ended up having a powwow, led by Ally [Sheedy]," said Ringwald. "A bunch of us including myself called John and asked him to reconsider. I am thankful he did." The film wouldn't have been the same without Bender.
Besides her recurring role as Amy Juergens mother on "The Secret Life of the American Teenager," Ringwald doesn't do much acting these days. The actress, who began her career singing in her father's jazz band (and who also sings the theme song for "Secret Life"), told redditors that she has a jazz album coming out next year. Never hurts to diversify.
Ringwald also revealed that the secret to her apparent agelessness is quite simple. "I drink the blood of Kristen Stewart," she joked, referencing the "Twilight" actress's vampire co-stars and the upcoming "Snow White and the Huntsman." Between Ringwald, Edward, and the Evil Queen, Stewart should really watch her back.
Ringwald wasn't all positive, though. Starting her career at such a young age had a definite effect on her. "It's a hard thing to survive," she told Reddit when asked if she would encourage her own children to get into show business. "I think it's better for my children to complete their schooling before getting involved."
The actress has definitely made some fans online in the past few weeks. Here's hoping she returns to do another Reddit AMA sometime soon.
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