Molly Ringwald stressed the pervasive predatory behavior in Hollywood during a recent podcast appearance, describing her personal experience of the industry as “harrowing.”
“You can’t be a young actress in Hollywood and not have predators around,” said the ’80s starlet. She credited her “incredible survival instinct” and “pretty big superego” for helping her navigate and protect herself in the industry.
The actress also discussed her sense of isolation during her formative years in Hollywood, noting, “I never really felt like I was part of a community when I was in Hollywood, just because I was so young, really.”
The conversation took a personal turn as Ringwald mentioned her concerns for her daughter Matilda, who is also pursuing an acting career: “I have a 20-year-old daughter now who is going into the same profession, even though I did everything I could to convince her to do something else. And it’s hard.”
Ringwald has expressed belated misgivings about some of the films she starred in during her rough, such as John Hughes’s Sixteen Candles and The Breakfast Club.
“Back then, I was only vaguely aware of how inappropriate much of John’s writing was, given my limited experience and what was considered normal at the time,” she said.
“Of course, I don’t want to appear ungrateful to John Hughes, but I do oppose a lot of what is in those movies,” she added.
