Molly Ringwald on those '80s movies, #metoo, parenting and supporting Planned Parenthood

One of America's most famous teenagers in the 1980s is now raising a teen of her own.

Molly Ringwald, who gained fame for starring in iconic coming-of-age movies such as "Pretty in Pink" and "The Breakfast Club," has three children with her husband.

But don't think that gives her an edge in parenting.

"I may be cool to her friends, but not to her," Ringwald, referring to her 14-year-old, told a crowd of more than 1,000 people gathered Friday for the annual Planned Parenthood luncheon at the downtown Omni Hotel. "I'm just mom."

Ringwald, 50, now has a recurring role in the TV series Riverdale.

Last year she joined the #metoo movement and talked about sexual harassment she's experienced, such as when a married film director stuck his tongue in her mouth when she was 14.

And on Friday she spoke in support of Planned Parenthood, saying that the organization works hard to make sure that anyone who needs health care can get it, despite the threat of further loss of federal funding .

At the event, the local Planned Parenthood chapter raised more than $400,000, which officials say is greatly needed. Every $1, officials say, pays for five condoms.

Among elected officials at the luncheon: U.S. Rep. Marc Veasey, D-Fort Worth, Democratic state Reps. Chris Turner of Grand Prairie and Ramon Romero of Fort Worth, Fort Worth Councilwoman Ann Zedah and Fort Worth school Trustee Ashley Paz.

Outside the luncheon, a handful of protesters from Waco held signs saying "Planned Parenthood is killing our future" and talked to people walking by.

"We are here to protest the banquet," said Carroll Warschak, 73. "We feel babies are being aborted and murdered. We are out here to at least make people think about it."

Be kind

Ringwald spoke to the crowd for around half an hour, participating in a conversation with former local news anchor Gloria Campos.

She said she tries to live a "productive life, a moral life."

And she tries to always be as kind as she can — something easier said than done some days.

She did ask the audience, in honor of her recent 50th birthday, to donate to Planned Parenthood.

Donations were flashed up on a screen during the luncheon, showing the dollar amount and if it was in honor of someone.

Some donations were made in the name of Republicans Vice President Mike Pence and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. One was made in honor of Long Duk Dong, a character in "Sixteen Candles," another iconic Ringwald movie.

Parenting

Ringwald and her husband have a 14-year-old daughter and 8-year-old twins.

When asked for parenting advice, she said she tries "to keep the lines of communication open as much as I possibly can," particularly with the 14-year-old.

But she said there's a learning curve with parenting.

With her oldest, for instance, she was determined to share all the information she knew as soon as her daughter asked about sex or where babies came from.

When that day finally arrived, Ringwald said, it was like a dam bursting and she kept sharing more and more information.

She watched her daughter's reaction in the rearview mirror, since they were on the way home from school. "Her eyes kept getting bigger and bigger," Ringwald said.

That's when she realized she may have given her daughter, who then was in kindergarten, too much information. Ringwald said she now works to only share "age appropriate" information.

And she said it seems the acting bug has bitten her oldest daughter.

That's just fine with her, with one condition.

"I told her she can do anything she wants — after she graduates from college," Ringwald said.

More about Molly

Ringwald shared a few stories about her movie days.

*After filming wrapped up on "Pretty in Pink," she got to keep all the clothes. The one item she didn't keep she would love to have now — the pink prom dress. "I wanted to burn it at the end of the movie," she said.

*There was an alternate ending in which her character ended up with her best friend, Duckie. But it didn't go over well with test audiences, so it was changed.

*Ringwald also wishes she had kept the boots she wore in "The Breakfast Club," but she was so tired of them by the end of the movie.

*She talked about the article she wrote for The New Yorker regarding the #metoo movement and some of her experiences about sexual harassment.

She said she was impacted even though her parents were very protective.

"I don't think any woman of a certain age can say she made it through unscathed," she said.

Anna Tinsley: 817-390-7610, @annatinsley

This story was originally published February 23, 2018 at 5:31 PM with the headline "Molly Ringwald on those '80s movies, #metoo, parenting and supporting Planned Parenthood."