Chloe Adams
The 1984 film Sixteen Candles is a coming-of-age comedy that follows high school student Samantha (Sam) Baker on her 16th birthday. In the film, Sam, played by Molly Ringwald, has a crush on Jake Ryan, played by Michael Schoeffling, who is dating Caroline Mulford, played by Haviland Morris. After Sixteen Candles, Schoeffling appeared in eight more films, including Mermaids and Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken, before retreating from the spotlight in the early '90s to focus on his woodworking business and family.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Michael Schoeffling |
| Date of Birth | December 10, 1960 |
| Age during filming | 23 |
| Character Name | Jake Ryan |
| Character Description | Hunky high school senior |
| Post-filming career | Appeared in 9 other movies between 1984 and 1991, then retreated from the spotlight in the early '90s to live in Pennsylvania and focus on woodworking |
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What You'll Learn
Michael Schoeffling played Jake Ryan, the object of Sam's affection
In the 1984 film Sixteen Candles, Michael Schoeffling played Jake Ryan, the object of Sam's affection. The film was Schoeffling's acting debut, and he was 23 years old at the time of filming. Schoeffling's performance as the popular yet sensitive high school athlete earned him a spot on People's list of the dreamiest teen movie heartthrobs in 2022.
Sixteen Candles follows newly 16-year-old Samantha Baker (played by Molly Ringwald), who deals with a seemingly unrequited crush on high school senior Jake Ryan while also being pursued by freshman Ted "The Geek" Farmer (played by Anthony Michael Hall). Jake is already dating the beautiful and wealthy but stuck-up Caroline Mulford (played by Haviland Morris). However, as fate would have it, Samantha gets her man in the end.
In the film, Jake notices how Sam looks at him and asks his friend about her. His friend dismisses her as immature, reminding Jake that he is already in a relationship with Caroline. However, Jake expresses frustration with Caroline's partying. On the day of her sister's wedding, Sam's family finally remembers her birthday, and Jake surprises her at the church. He gives her a birthday cake with 16 candles and invites her to his house. They kiss, and her crush is reciprocated.
After Sixteen Candles, Schoeffling went on to appear in nine other movies between 1984 and 1991, most notably playing romantic leads in Mermaids opposite Winona Ryder and in Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken. However, in the early 1990s, he retreated from the spotlight, leaving Hollywood behind to live a quieter life in a small town in Pennsylvania with his wife, former model and actress Valerie C. Robinson, and their two children. Schoeffling has never publicly spoken about his decision to walk away from acting, but he appears to prefer a life outside of show business, focusing on his woodworking shop.
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Schoeffling's career and life after '16 Candles'
Michael Schoeffling, who played Jake Ryan in Sixteen Candles, went on to appear in eight or nine more films between 1984 and 1991. His other notable roles include romantic leads in Mermaids, opposite Winona Ryder, and in Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken. He also appeared in the 1986 action film Let's Get Harry and had a starring role in Vision Quest.
In the mid-1980s, Schoeffling began modelling for GQ, and photographer Bruce Weber paid for his acting classes at the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute in Manhattan. Schoeffling came to international prominence at the age of 23 for his role as Jake Ryan, the popular yet sensitive high school athlete on whom Molly Ringwald's character has a crush in Sixteen Candles.
However, in the early '90s, Schoeffling retreated from the spotlight and moved to a small town in Pennsylvania, turning his attention to his woodworking shop. He has never publicly spoken about his decision to walk away from fame, but he appears to prefer a life outside of show business with his family. Schoeffling has two children with his wife, former model and actress Valerie C. Robinson: a daughter, Scarlett, and a son, Zane.
Scarlett Schoeffling has since followed in her father's footsteps, working as a model and actress. She appeared in Blackjack: The Jackie Ryan Story and made a guest appearance in the series Billions. She has also modelled for Tommy Bahama, represented by New York Models and LA Models.
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Anthony Michael Hall played Ted, who had a crush on Sam
In the 1984 film Sixteen Candles, Anthony Michael Hall played Ted, a geek with a crush on Sam. Hall's character is also referred to as "The Geek", Farmer Ted, and freshman Ted. In the film, Sam is dealing with a crush on high school senior Jake Ryan, while also being pursued by Ted.
Sixteen Candles was Hall's breakout role, and he was only 15 when he played the part. The film was written and directed by John Hughes and starred Molly Ringwald as Sam. It was the first in a string of films Hughes would direct, centring on teenage life. Hall tried to avoid the clichés of geekiness, saying:
> I didn't play him with 100 pens sticking out of his pocket. I just went in there and played it like a real kid. The geek is just a typical freshman.
Hughes originally saw several other actors for the part of Ted, including Jim Carrey, Jon Cryer, Keith Coogan, and Ralph Macchio. However, he felt they were all playing into the stereotype of the high school nerd. He said of Hall's audition:
> Every single kid who came in to read for the part... did the whole, stereotyped high school nerd thing. You know—thick glasses, ballpoint pens in the pocket, white socks. But when Michael came in he played it straight, like a real human being. I knew right at that moment that I'd found my geek.
Hall went on to star in two additional teen-oriented films written and directed by Hughes: The Breakfast Club (1985) and Weird Science. He also joined the cast of Saturday Night Live in 1985.
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Hall's legal troubles in 2016
In 2016, Anthony Michael Hall, who played "Farmer" Ted in the 1984 film "Sixteen Candles", faced legal troubles when he was charged with felony assault. The charges stemmed from a confrontation with a neighbour in Los Angeles. As a result, the 56-year-old pleaded no contest to a lesser charge and was sentenced to three years of probation and 40 hours of community service.
At the time of his legal troubles, Hall had been acting for several decades, with a career that began in commercials at the age of seven. After his role in "Sixteen Candles", he went on to appear in several other successful films in the 1980s and 1990s, including "The Breakfast Club", "Weird Science", "Edward Scissorhands", and "Six Degrees of Separation". He also ventured into directing, with his first film, "Hail Caesar", released in 1994.
In more recent years, Hall has continued to act, taking on smaller roles in films such as "The Dark Knight", "Foxcatcher", and "Live by Night". He has also appeared in television shows, including guest roles on "Entourage", "Community", "CSI: Miami", "Psych", and "The Goldbergs". In 2019, three years after his legal troubles, Hall married fellow actor Lucia Oskerova, and the couple welcomed a son in 2020.
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Haviland Morris played Caroline, Jake's girlfriend
In the 1984 film Sixteen Candles, Haviland Morris played the role of Caroline Mulford, Jake Ryan's girlfriend. Jake Ryan, played by Michael Schoeffling, is the object of affection of the protagonist, Sam, played by Molly Ringwald. Caroline is depicted as wealthy and stuck-up, and the film centres around Sam's 16th birthday, which her family forgets.
Morris described the experience of working with director John Hughes as "the best", and said that he "created such an amazing and fun atmosphere". She also revealed that the film was Hughes' first directing job, and that it was "like we were all at a big fun party at summer camp for six weeks".
Morris's character, Caroline, is at the centre of a subplot in which she gets black-out drunk at a house party and is left in the care of Ted, played by Anthony Michael Hall. The film has received criticism for its implication that Ted may have taken advantage of Caroline while she was drunk.
Morris's performance in Sixteen Candles led to guest roles on TV series such as Family Ties and Tales from the Darkside. She went on to land a film role opposite Madonna in 1987's Who's That Girl, and also appeared in Gremlins 2: The New Batch, Home Alone 3, and several television shows. In recent years, she has pursued a career in real estate, working as a licensed real estate salesperson in Manhattan.
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Frequently asked questions
Assuming "the guy" refers to Jake Ryan, played by Michael Schoeffling, he retreated from the spotlight in the early '90s to live in a small town in Pennsylvania with his family.
Schoeffling appeared in nine other movies between 1984 and 1991, including Mermaids and Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken.
Assuming you mean "Farmer" Ted, played by Anthony Michael Hall, he has gone on to have a successful acting career, appearing in films such as Edward Scissorhands and The Dark Knight, and TV shows such as Saturday Night Live and Riverdale.
Molly Ringwald, who played Sam, became one of the biggest stars of the '80s, appearing in films such as The Breakfast Club and Pretty in Pink. She has continued to work in film, television, and theater, and has released two albums.
