Make a wish! Sixteen Candles encapsulated what it was like to be a teenager who feels invisible but is really a star in their own right — and more than three decades later, it still resonates with fans.
John Hughes’ 1984 film introduced fans to Molly Ringwald as Samantha Baker and Anthony Michael Hall as the Geek or Farmer Ted. The two stars’ careers quickly took off after the rom-com became a mega-hit, leading to even bigger roles in The Breakfast Club, Pretty in Pink and Weird Science.
While some of the story lines from Sixteen Candles are controversial in modern times — like when Jake Ryan (Michael Schoeffling) trades his drunk girlfriend Caroline (Haviland Morris) for Sam’s underwear — a lot of the themes are still relevant.
In the film, Sam’s parents forget her Sweet 16 because her older sister, Ginny (Blanche Baker), is getting married to a bohunk named Rudy (John Kapelos). As Sam tries to forget about her failed birthday, her high school crush, Jake, finally starts to notice her — and not just because she was cool enough to lend a freshman geek her underwear to help him win a bet.
The movie also starred both Joan Cusack and her brother, John Cusack, in minor roles that are still memorable for fans of the teenage love story.
Looking back, the cast of Sixteen Candles still can’t believe how much staying power the film has had.
Gedde Watanabe, who plays foreign exchange student Long Duk Dong, described the movie’s continued success as “quite incredible” and something he didn’t see coming.
“I’m still sideswiped by it all,” he told Vulture in May 2014 after doing an autograph show and screening with former costar Debbie Pollack, who played Long Duk Dong’s girlfriend Marlene. “Maybe because it’s been so many years since the movie and even several years since I’ve seen it, I expected, like, two people to show up. And when so many did — and brought their kids and talked about how much the movie meant to them, I don’t know — I’m humbled and I’m grateful.”
Watanabe added: “It also says so much about John Hughes, his movies, their resilience and his brilliance. Bless his heart, because we don’t have him anymore.”
Ringwald also spoke fondly of the late director while writing an essay for the New Yorker in April 2018. She remembered meeting Hughes while he was casting The Breakfast Club and instead of making that film his directorial debut, he switched gears and created Sixteen Candles.
“He told me later that, over a July 4th weekend, while looking at headshots of actors to consider for the movie, he found mine, and decided to write another movie around the character he imagined that girl to be,” she wrote. “That script became Sixteen Candles, a story about a girl whose family forgets her sixteenth birthday. ”
The Riverdale actress praised Hughes for writing so many movies with a female lead. “No one in Hollywood was writing about the minutiae of high school, and certainly not from a female point of view,” she explained.
Scroll down to see what the cast of Sixteen Candles has been doing since the ‘80s:
Ringwald played the newly 16-year-old Samantha Baker, whose parents forget her birthday, in the coming of age rom-com. The actress then starred in The Breakfast Club, Pretty in Pink, The Giving Tree, Jem and the Holograms and the Kissing Booth franchise. The California native also appeared on Townies, The Secret Life of the American Teenager, Raising Expectations and Riverdale. The actress penned her biography, Getting the Pretty Back, in 2010. Two years later, she wrote When It Happens to You: A Novel in Stories. She then dropped a jazz record titled Except Sometimes in 2013.
Ringwald divorced French writer Valéry Lameignère in 2002 after three years of marriage. She moved on with writer and editor Panio Gianopoulos. The couple, who wed in 2007, welcomed daughter Mathilda in 2003 and twins Roman and Adele in 2009.
Shutterstock (2)
Hall portrayed the freshman Geek, who is called “Farmer Ted” by his friends, and falls for Samantha after riding with her on the bus. He went on to star in The Breakfast Club and Weird Science before appearing in Edward Scissorhands, Six Degrees of Separation, LA Blues, The Dark Knight and Halloween Kills. The Massachusetts native also starred on Claude’s Crib, The Dead Zone (which he also produced), Warehouse 13, Awkward and The Goldbergs.
The actor released his debut album, Hall of Mirrors, in 1999 through his own Ram Records label. He also created the literacy program The Anthony Michael Hall Literacy Club to help at-risk youth. Hall proposed to girlfriend Lucia Oskerova while on a trip to Italy in September 2019.
Shutterstock (2)
Schoeffling played Sam’s high school crush Jake Ryan, who falls for her after getting fed up with his girlfriend Caroline. The Pennsylvania native then appeared in Vision Quest, Sylvester, Slaves of New York, Mermaids and Wild Hearts Can’t Be Broken before walking away from acting in 1991.
The former model, who shares two children, Zane and Scarlett, with wife Valerie Robinson, has continued to stay out of the spotlight since the early ‘90s. He does, however, own a woodworking shop in his home state and pops up from time to time on his model daughter’s social media feeds.
Universal/Kobal/Shutterstock; Courtesy Scarlet Schoeffling/Instagram
Morris made her big-screen debut playing Jake’s girlfriend, Caroline. The same year she appeared in Reckless. The New Jersey native has since starred in Love or Money, A Shock to the System, Home Alone 3, Rick, Cherry Crush, Jack & Diane, Burning Blue and Better Off Single. Morris portrayed Claire Baxter on One Life to Live from 1999 to 2003. She later guest-starred on One Tree Hill, As the World Turns and Quarry. The actress is now a licensed real estate agent but popped up as a guest star on City on a Hill in 2019.
Morris shares two children, daughter Faith and son Henry, with husband Robert Score.
Shutterstock (2)
Watanabe played foreign exchange student Long Duk Dong, who lives with Sam’s grandparents. The Utah native then appeared in Volunteers, Gremlins 2: The New Batch, Alfie, Two for the Money and voiced Ling in the animated Mulan films. He also starred on Gung Ho, Down Home, Sesame Street, ER and The Disappointments. Watanabe directed his first short film, She Had It Coming, in 2020.
Shutterstock (2)
Henry’s role as Samantha’s little brother, Mike Baker, was his second feature film. He then appeared in Martin’s Day, Sweet Hearts Dance, Finding Home, The Junior Defenders and Reaper, before taking a break from Hollywood in 2014. He returned to the industry in 2019 in a cameo for The New On Cinema Oscar Special. The New York native cofounded the Slamdunk Film Festival in 1998.
AFF-USA/Shutterstock; YouTube
Baker played Sam's older sister, Ginny Baker, whose wedding pulls focus from Sam’s sweet 16. The New York native then appeared in Raw Deal, The Handmaid’s Tale, The Girl Next Door, The Grand Theft, Curiosity Killed the Cat, Coin Heist, Alice Fades Away and Zoe. She is also a director, producer and writer, with credits including The Coffee Shop and Make America Safe. The actress has also worked in theater, appearing in Lolita and the Off-Broadway production of Steel Magnolias.
Baker was married to Bruce Van Dusen from 1983 to 2002. During their marriage, they welcomed three children: son Zane and daughters Wynn and Dara. The actress married Mark Magill in 2003. They share son James.
Shutterstock (2)
Joan’s role as Geek Girl #1, who shows up on the school bus and at the gym dance, was one of her first acting roles. She then appeared on Saturday Night Live before starring in Working Girl, Men Don’t Leave, Toys, Addams Family Values, Nine Months and In & Out. Some of Joan’s biggest roles include Peggy in Runaway Bride, Rosalie Mullins in School of Rock, Dr. Burton in The Perks of Being a Wallflower and voicing Jessie in the Toy Story franchise. The New York native, who has been nominated for two Oscars, also appeared on Peep the Big Wide World, Shameless, A Series of Unfortunate Events and The Stinky & Dirty Show.
The comedian, who owns the Judy Maxwell House shop in Chicago, has been married to Richard Burke since 1996. They share two sons: Dylan and Miles.
Eric Charbonneau/Shutterstock; YouTube
John’s role as one of the Geek’s (or Ted) best friends named Bryce was his second acting gig. The New York native quickly rose to fame with roles in Better Off Dead…, Hot Pursuit, Eight Men Out and Say Anything. Some of his other big roles include playing Rob Gordon in High Fidelity, Jonathan Trager in Serendipity, Jake in Must Love Dogs, Jack in The Bag Man and Miller in Blood Money. John has produced more than 10 projects, including Hot Tub Time Machine, and written five films or screenplays, including High Fidelity. In 2020, he starred on Amazon Prime’s Utopia.
John is the son of the late filmmaker Dick Cusack and the younger brother of actresses Joan Cusack and Ann Cusack.
Shutterstock (2)
Dooley portrayed Sam’s father, Jim Baker, who is the first person to remember her birthday. The actor then appeared in Flashback, Shakes the Clown, Mother of the Bride, Clockwatchers, Runaway Bride, Insomnia, Hairspray, Other People, Saving Paradise and voiced Sarge in the Cars franchise. The West Virginia native also starred on Coming of Age, Dream On, Grace Under Fire, Once and Again, The Practice, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Huge and The Kids Are Alright. Dooley is also a writer and producer, most recently working on 2015’s The Middle Ages.
Dooley married screenwriter and poet Winnie Holzman in 1984. The couple share one daughter, Savannah. The actor is also the father of daughter Robin and sons Peter and Adam, whom he shares with ex-wife Donna Lee Wasser.
Rob Latour/Shutterstock; YouTube
0 Comments