What Caroline From Sixteen Candles Looks Like Now

When you think of quintessential coming-of-age movies, John Hughes' 1984 romantic comedy "Sixteen Candles" should be one of the first to come to mind. Starring '80s icon Molly Ringwald (who is among the famous '80s actors who are practically unrecognizable now), the film charmed young Gen X-ers with the story of a teen whose family forgets her birthday. Every teenage coming-of-age film needs a popular girl to serve as a foil to the main character, and in "Sixteen Candles," this role was filled by Caroline — portrayed by actor Haviland Morris. In the film, Morris' party-loving character Caroline was an archetypical blond cool girl. Today, in real life, Morris looks quite different. 

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In a photo posted to her Instagram account in May 2023, Morris posed with husband Robert Score during a trip to Ireland. In the picture, we can see Morris' stunning red hair (which she's been rocking for decades). It can be tricky to make the switch from blond to red hair, but Morris has made it look easy. While Molly Ringwald is the perfect hair inspo for older women who want to get bangs, Morris provides ample inspiration for women who enjoy rocking bolder hair colors. Although Morris doesn't often post on social media, the brief glimpses we've gotten of the actor have shown how she has maintained her natural beauty in the decades since "Sixteen Candles."

While most would recognize Haviland Morris from "Sixteen Candles," the actor has done far more over the years than just the 1984 coming-of-age flick. After "Sixteen Candles," Morris appeared on a couple of television shows in guest roles, like "Family Ties," before starring in "Who's That Girl" alongside Madonna in 1987. Throughout the '90s, Morris continued to act in film and television, starring in "A Shock to the System," "Gremlins 2: The New Batch," and "Home Alone 3" in addition to a variety of brief TV appearances on popular series like "Sex and the City" and "Law and Order." She married her husband Robert Score around this time, welcoming their daughter Faith in 1991 and son Henry in 2000. 

While Morris' character Caroline in "Sixteen Candles" wore preppy, brightly colored clothing (as most popular characters in teen movies do, especially those set in the '80s), as an adult, Morris looks quite different. Perhaps reflecting her more mature vibe as a mother and hard worker, Morris is spotted more often than not rocking professional, toned-down businesswear — which suits her new career path. At the 2004 Tribeca Film Festival where she made an appearance, the actor went with a sleek black blazer complemented with a statement necklace, cementing her look as simple but stylish.

While Haviland Morris continues to occasionally appear in film and television projects, she has also pursued a different career path. Off screen, Morris is a licensed real estate broker for New York City agency Halstead Property. During an interview with Celebrity Parents Magazine in 2023, Morris explained that she made the major career shift because acting was no longer financially viable or stimulating enough, praising the flexibility her new role gave her as a working mom. "I thought it sounded like a great idea and had the potential for flexibility. It does work for a parent — at least, for me anyway," she said, sharing sentiments with Jennifer Garner, who balances her acting career with motherhood.

Outside of work, Morris has been spotted enjoying time with her daughter Faith, who looks just like her mother did when she had blond hair. In a photo of the mother-daughter duo shared to Instagram in 2019, Morris stuck to her signature toned-down fashion with a simple black look, though she did add a pop of color with a dark-pink lip that almost matched her daughter's lipstick. 

Morris has laid low over the past few years, but we love getting these rare glimpses of her current life on social media. While we loved Morris in "Sixteen Candles," it is refreshing to see her enjoy a fulfilling life off-screen, and rock a sophisticated, grown-up style that she clearly shines in.