Molly Ringwald talked about the predators she faced as a young actress in Hollywood in Monday’s episode of the “WTF with Marc Maron” podcast.
The star of “Pretty in Pink,” now 56, recently opened up about her difficult experiences as a young actress in Hollywood during her appearance on the “WTF with Marc Maron” podcast. Ringwald shared that despite steering clear of the typical Hollywood nightlife, she still faced the darker sides of the industry.
Molly Ringwald says “I was taken advantage of” and “you can’t be a young actress in Hollywood and not have predators around.”
“It can be harrowing. And 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… pic.twitter.com/F2hTRlZDPN
— Variety (@Variety) May 28, 2024
“I was taken advantage of. You can’t be a young actress in Hollywood and not have predators around,”she explained. “I wasn’t raped by Harvey Weinstein, so I’m grateful for that. But I also did write an essay for The New Yorker that was all like, ‘It’s not all Harvey Weinstein. He’s not the only one.’”
Using what she described as her “incredible survival instinct and a pretty big superego,” Ringwald managed to navigate through these questionable situations. Despite her resilience, the actress has expressed concerns over her daughter following in her footsteps into acting, despite her attempts to steer her towards a different career path.
MIAMI, FLORIDA – APRIL 06: Molly Ringwald attends the Variety Creative Vanguard Award honoring Molly Ringwald during the 41st Miami Film Festival at the Chapman Conference Center on April 06, 2024 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Ivan Apfel/Getty Images)
“But, yeah, it can be harrowing,” she continued. “And 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 reflected on her feelings of isolation during her early years in Hollywood, noting that she didn’t feel like part of any community. (RELATED: Actor Matthew Lawrence Claims He Was Dropped By Reps After Refusing To Strip For Director)
“I never really felt like I was part of a community when I was in Hollywood, just because I was so young, really,” Ringwald said. “I wasn’t into going out to clubs. I feel like I’m more social now than I was then. I was just too young.”
