Molly Ringwald Starred In A Hit '90s Stephen King Miniseries

Because she's best known for the string of acclaimed John Hughes movies she starred in during the 1980s, it's easy to forget that Molly Ringwald has also plied her trade on the small screen several times over the years. Her first television project of note is now recognized as one of the best Stephen King TV shows ever made: the 1994 miniseries based on his novel "The Stand." Gary Sinise stars as hero Stu Redman, with Ringwald playing Frannie Goldsmith, a woman who must survive both the apocalypse and an unplanned pregnancy.

Ringwald had been away from the spotlight for a while when she made "The Stand," having spent a couple of years living in France. The role of Frannie allowed her to start a new, more mature chapter in her career, and she was clearly excited about the project — even though the fact that it was a TV show raised some eyebrows. "I find that television oftentimes does the most interesting stuff," she told the Associated Press at the time. "All this business of people saying, 'I'm a film actor, not a television actor' is ridiculous. You're either an actor or you're not."

In "The Stand," a staggering 99.4% of the human population is wiped out by a deadly manmade virus. Ringwald found the story so compelling in part because the early episodes — in which everyone around Frannie is slowly succumbing to this mysterious virus — felt reminiscent of the real-life AIDS epidemic. "There are so many striking similarities," she said. "It made me think a lot [about] the idea of people having to start over again and refocus their lives and learn how to reconnect with people. I'm much more interested in the human aspect of the story rather than the horror aspects."

Stephen King doesn't hold back if he doesn't enjoy an adaptation of his work, even when there's a big name director at the helm: He famously hated Stanley Kubrick's "The Shining" and John Carpenter's "Christine." King called both films "boring," adding, "I'd rather have bad than boring." So what did King think of "The Stand" when it aired on ABC in May 1994? He actually liked the miniseries, praising the cast in his own roundabout way. "I'll tell you the truth and this is no bull," he told the Indiana Gazette at the time. "Of everything that I've done, when I look at 'The Stand' and I hear [the actors] say my words, at least I don't want to throw up."

Viewers felt the same way, with many declaring themselves impressed with Molly Ringwald's performance in particular. "The Stand" director Mick Garris has revealed that he went online to see what people were saying about the miniseries when it was first announced, and there was a lot of skepticism. "Everybody had been saying, 'Oh no, The Stand, they're going to ruin my favorite book,' And, 'Molly Ringwald, what a terrible choice,'" he told Entertainment Weekly. He went back to those same chat rooms after the show aired and the tune had changed considerably. "People are going, 'Wow, are you watching The Stand? This is fantastic! Amazing! I've never seen Molly Ringwald better!'"

CBS made a new TV adaptation of "The Stand" in 2020, with Stephen King penning a new ending. However, despite a flashy cast led by James Marsden, critics and viewers alike were unimpressed. CNN said: "For those who enjoyed the original inclined to ask, 'Why do I need this?,' the answer is pretty well 'You don't.'"