Molly Ringwald has transitioned from a teen comedy icon to a dedicated mother of three young adults. The star of Sixteen Candles and her husband, Panio Gianopoulos, are the proud parents of daughter Mathilda, who is 20, and 15-year-old twins Adele and Roman.
Initially, the shift from having one child to three posed “a bit more challenging” circumstances for Ringwald, who welcomed her twins at age 41. She credits her husband and meticulous planning as key elements that have enabled her to juggle motherhood and her acting career. “It really helps to have a very supportive partner and a lot of flexibility,” she shared with PEOPLE back in September 2010.
Molly Ringwald and her husband, Panio Gianopoulos, celebrate the joys and challenges of raising their three children—Mathilda, Adele, and Roman
Now that her children are maturing, they each exhibit distinct personalities. Ringwald has consistently encouraged their individuality since childhood. “One of the hardest things parents have to accept is that they have to let their children express themselves, to love them and allow them to be different,” she reflected.
Here’s a closer look at Molly Ringwald’s three children.
Mathilda Ereni Gianopoulos, 21
On October 22, 2003, Ringwald and Gianopoulos celebrated the birth of their first child, Mathilda Ereni Gianopoulos. According to Ringwald, Mathilda’s conception took place in “a dressing room at Studio 54.”
In her book Getting the Pretty Back, the actress recounted the challenges surrounding their daughter’s name. Following Greek traditions, Gianopoulos wanted to name their firstborn after his parents. Upon discovering she was having a girl, Ringwald felt pressured to name her daughter Ereni after her mother-in-law, a notion she found difficult to accept. In the end, they compromised by using Ereni as Mathilda’s middle name.
From an early age, Mathilda exhibited a strong will. “My daughter is very headstrong,” Ringwald remarked about her eldest in 2010, particularly regarding her fashion choices and personal style.
Mathilda’s interest in fashion has developed into a modeling career. In 2017, she made her debut with a campaign for J. Crew and participated in Andrew Warren’s New York Fashion Week show in 2020.
Although her mother is a renowned actress, Mathilda spent several years without a television and initially showed little interest in pursuing acting. “For years we didn’t have a television. The first few years Mathilda was alive, we didn’t have a TV, and then we finally broke down and got one,” Ringwald disclosed to Mother Jones in April 2010.
Eventually, Mathilda caught the acting bug and secured her first film role in the upcoming adaptation of The Idea of You, which features Anne Hathaway and Nicholas Galitzine. Ringwald has offered her daughter industry insights, advising her to “be prepared to wait and be nice” and to “remember people’s names” on set.
Adele Georgiana Gianopoulos, 15
In January 2009, Ringwald announced her pregnancy with fraternal twins at the age of 40. Most doctors advised scheduling a cesarean section due to the twins, but Ringwald was determined to have a natural birth. She consented to be induced nearly a month early, leading to the births of Adele Georgiana and Roman Stylianos on July 10, 2009.
Given her age, Ringwald had concerns about having more children and shared with PEOPLE, “After Mathilda was born, I had some things fixed (surgery to remove fibroids) that made it easier to get pregnant again.” She expressed her joy at having another daughter, stating that it was “a dream come true,” and revealed that she chose Adele’s name in honor of her mother.
While Ringwald has introduced Mathilda to some of her classic ’80s films like The Breakfast Club, Adele has yet to see them. During a SiriusXM interview, she mentioned that certain aspects of those films seem “troubling” in today’s context, making her uncertain about sharing them with her twins.
“Adele is the most woke individual that you’ve ever met,” she commented, expressing her apprehension about watching the movies with her younger daughter. In October 2021, Ringwald and Adele drew inspiration from Pretty in Pink for their outfits when they appeared together on the red carpet at the American Ballet Theatre’s Fall Gala in New York City.
Roman Stylianos Gianopoulos, 15
Born three minutes after his twin sister Adele on July 10, 2009, Roman Stylianos Gianopoulos arrived after 11 hours of labor. His delivery was complicated, as he was breech. “The doctor grabbed him by the foot and pulled him out,” Ringwald recounted, noting that Adele had absorbed much of the oxygen during birth, requiring Roman to receive extra attention right away.
Despite the challenges, she described her pregnancy experience as “extraordinary,” saying, “I was so, so lucky to be 41 and to be so healthy during this pregnancy.” For Ringwald, her twins represent miracles. “Having a son as well as another daughter, it was just a really grand surprise,” she shared shortly after their arrival. “Miracles? You could say that.”
Like his sister and mother, Roman seems to favor the color pink. In July 2020, Ringwald shared a playful Instagram photo of him wearing a pink T-shirt, joking, “Of course my son’s favorite color is pink!”
In December 2022, Roman attended the premiere of Apple TV’s Christmas movie Spirited, starring Will Ferrell and Ryan Reynolds, with his parents and twin sister Adele. He opted for a relaxed look, wearing a red Levi’s hoodie and glasses on the red carpet.
