Molly Ringwald says ‘predators’ took ‘advantage of’ her as young actress in Hollywood

Molly Ringwald has reflected on her experience navigating Hollywood as a young actress with many “predators” around.

Like many young starlets, Molly Ringwald was preyed upon as she was coming up in Hollywood.

The 56-year-old star, known for her starring roles in ’80s hits The Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles and Pretty in Pink, shared her experience of industry “predators” on the WTF with Marc Maron podcast Monday.

Ringwald said she was shy when she was younger, and so she didn’t go out clubbing much or insert herself into the celeb scene.

“Well, you’re lucky you didn’t get taken advantage of or got into some sort of horrible situation,” host Marc Maron said in response, which prompted the actress to rebut, “Oh, I was taken advantage of.”

Molly Ringwald (right) is known for starring in hits such as The Breakfast Club with Ally Sheedy.

“You can’t be a young actress in Hollywood and … not have predators around,” Ringwald explained. “But I wasn’t raped by Harvey Weinstein, so, I’m grateful for that.”

She did not give further details about who allegedly took advantage of her and what exactly occurred, but she has spoken out about her experiences in the past.

Ringwald wrote an essay for the New Yorker in 2016, which she told Maron, 60, was meant to show that Weinstein, 72, was “not the only one”.

Stream Molly Ringwald in The Breakfast Club on BINGE, available on Hubbl.

Ringwald also starred in Pretty In Pink alongside Andrew McCarthy (centre) and Jon Cryer.

In the article titled All the Other Harvey Weinsteins, Ringwald wrote: “When I was 13, a 50-year-old crew member told me that he would teach me to dance, and then proceeded to push against me with an erection.

“When I was 14, a married film director stuck his tongue in my mouth on set.”

Ringwald and Cryer in a scene from Pretty in Pink.

Ringwald wrote that at a time when she was still coming to terms with her own sexuality, “at every turn some older guy tried to help speed up the process.”

“And all this went on despite my having very protective parents who did their best to shield me,” she added. “I shudder to think of what would have happened had I not had them.”

Ringwald says she was preyed upon as a young actress in Hollywood. Picture: Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images

The Brat Pack member told Maron her daughter Mathilda Ereni Gianopoulos is now trying to break into the entertainment industry despite her trying to convince the 20-year-old not to, noting, “It’s hard.”

Ringwald explained that despite what she went through, she figured out a way to “protect” herself as a young woman.

“I was definitely in questionable situations,” she admitted. “But I do have an incredible survival instinct, and a pretty big superego and kind of managed to sort of figure out a way to protect myself.”

The actress recognised, however, “It can be harrowing.”

This article originally appeared in Page Six and was reproduced with permission

Originally published as Molly Ringwald says ‘predators’ took ‘advantage of’ her as young actress in Hollywood