She began her career as a child actress on the sitcoms Diff'rent Strokes and The Facts of Life (both 1979–1980) before being nominated for a Golden Globe for her performance in the drama film Tempest (1982).

Following leading roles in King Lear (1987), The Pick-up Artist (1987), Strike It Rich (1990), and Betsy's Wedding (1990), Ringwald moved to Paris and began acting in French films.

[5] She started her acting career at age five, appearing in a stage production of Alice in Wonderland as the Dormouse.

[8] In 1979, Ringwald appeared on the TV series Diff'rent Strokes and was selected to become part of the large cast of that show's spin-off, The Facts of Life.

On the patriotic album Yankee Doodle Mickey, Ringwald sang "This Is My Country", "The Star-Spangled Banner", and "God Bless America".

Ringwald was cast as Claire Standish, a spoiled, wealthy beauty who is in detention for skipping class to go to the mall.

The following year, still in high school, she was cast as Andie Walsh in another successful Hughes film, Pretty in Pink (1986).

When first asked to be in Pretty in Pink, Ringwald was reluctant, but after seeing how hard it was for the producers to find a replacement for her, she decided she would portray Andie in the film.

In 1990, Ringwald appeared in the James Scott-directed Strike It Rich alongside Robert Lindsay and John Gielgud.

She next played the leading role in the film Malicious (1995) as Melissa Nelson, a disturbed woman who has an affair with a college star baseball player.

[28] In 2004, she starred in the play Modern Orthodox on Broadway, opposite Jason Biggs and Craig Bierko.

[31] Ringwald starred in the ABC Family network's series The Secret Life of the American Teenager, which ran for five seasons and 121 episodes between 2008 and 2013.

[33] Ringwald plays Aunt Bailey in Jem and the Holograms, raising Jerrica, her sister Kimber, and adopted daughters.

After initially only appearing as a guest, Ringwald took a more prominent role in the series following the death of Luke Perry who played Archie's father.

Beginning at around age three I started singing with his band and jazz music has continued to be one of my three passions along with acting and writing.

[36] In 2014, Ringwald began writing an advice column for The Guardian, answering questions about "love, family, or life in general".

[37] In February 2024, Ringwald made her runway modeling debut at New York Fashion Week, walking for Batsheva.

[38] Ringwald stated she was very aware of her public image during her teen years and she tried to be a good role model for her fans.

"[39] In the 1980s, Ringwald dated musician Dweezil Zappa and rapper Ad-Rock of the hip-hop group Beastie Boys.

[40][41] Ringwald married Valéry Lameignère, a French writer, in Bordeaux, France, on July 28, 1999; they divorced in 2002.