Sometimes movies feature rags-to-riches stories, as the main character gets a makeover and then has to learn that what is inside counts. In the case of the 1986 John Hughes classic Pretty In Pink, Molly Ringwald's character Andie Walsh doesn't want to change who she is. She may live on "the wrong side of the tracks" but she's happy with her dad, best friend Duckie, and her homemade clothing. Andie's outfits are some of the best in the entire Hughes era.
Would a remake capture the '80s magic of Andie's story? If this movie was made today, it's fascinating to think about who would comprise the cast.
Jack Walsh: John Cho
Harry Dean Stanton's character, Jack Walsh, is up there with the best characters from John Hughes movies. He might not have a lot of money, but he's sweet and he adores his daughter Andie, which is what counts.
John Cho would be a smart casting choice for a modern version of Pretty In Pink. He has been in many comedies, such as the Harold and Kumar movies, along with horror like The Grudge. In the thriller Searching, his character looked for his missing teenage daughter, and he did a wonderful job as a caring and concerned father.
Bouncer: Dwayne Johnson
Andrew Dice Clay played the bouncer in Pretty In Pink and while this is a small role, it definitely needs an actor who is memorable.
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is a total Hollywood icon and would do a lot with this part as he lights up any scene he's in. His recent credits include Jumanji: The Next Level and Jungle Cruise.
Duckette: Kathryn Newton
Kristy Swanson played the main character in the Buffy The Vampire Slayer movie and she also appeared in Pretty In Pink near the movie's conclusion. This character, credited as Duckette, liked Duckie, and the scene where she smiles at him is adorable.
Kathryn Newton, known for her role in the movie Blockers and the Netflix teen drama The Society, would do a great job as this character. Most recently, she played opposite Vince Vaughn in the horror-comedy Freaky, and it was a feat of acting as she pretended to swap bodies with an adult serial killer. She can truly do anything.
Jena Hoeman: Shailene Woodley
Jena and Andie were friends and they seemed like the only two students who didn't want to be part of the popular group. Jena was played by Alexa Kenin, who sadly passed away in 1985. The celebrated character stood up for herself in one scene during gym class and insulted popular girl Benny.
The actor playing Jena needs to have the same strong, tough, and independent personality, and Shailene Woodley would do an amazing job. She often portrays high schoolers, like in her powerful movie The Spectacular Now.
Benny Hanson: Vanessa Morgan
Kate Vernon's character, Benny, was a pretty and popular girl who hung around with Steff and the rest of the crowd.
Riverdale star Vanessa Morgan would be a great casting choice here. Besides playing Toni on the teen mystery series, she was also Bird on MTV teen drama Finding Carter, so she is great at portraying characters in high school who are going through a lot.
Steff McKee: Hunter Parrish
James Spader's character Steff is a total jerk, but he's also a lot of fun to watch.
The actor taking on this role needs to have a mysterious and charming vibe to him, and Hunter Parrish would be fantastic. Parrish is known for playing Nancy's son Silas Botwin on Weeds and this character was always able to get out of a bind thanks to his good looks and cheeky personality.
Iona: Melissa McCarthy
Annie Potts was praised for her portrayal of Iona, a woman who owns a record store and lives a super fashionable life. Andie really looks up to Iona and talks to her about her problems, and their relationship is so sweet.
Melissa McCarthy has portrayed both dramatic and comedic characters, and she would be fascinating to watch as Iona. Since Iona has a quirky side to her and also a zest for life, McCarthy's sense of humor and comedic timing would fit perfectly.
Blane McDonough: Nat Wolff
Andrew McCarthy is famous for portraying Blane, Andie's crush. Despite the fact that he had a lot of money, he was much nicer and more caring than his friends, and she liked that.
Known for his roles in Paper Towns and The Fault in Our Stars, two movies adapted from young adult novels by John Green, Nat Wolff can play a funny and light-hearted character in an otherwise serious story. He would be absolute teen movie perfection as Blane.
Duckie Dale: Jack Quaid
Who's a better movie best friend than Jon Cryer's Pretty In Pink character Duckie?
That's definitely a rhetorical question. The actor who plays Duckie in a new version of Pretty in Pink needs to have the same sweet, quirky vibe as Cryer, and Jack Quaid would work perfectly. He has some memorable roles to his name, such as Ben in the romantic comedy Plus One and Hughie Campbell on The Boys. Duckie is so kind and he doesn't care what people think, which is so necessary for a movie about high school life.
Andie Walsh: Lana Condor
Andie is a strong, fashionable character and Molly Ringwald became very famous for her work with John Hughes in the '80s.
Lana Condor is beloved for starring in the Netflix movie To All The Boys I've Loved Before and its sequel, and this actor would be a great choice to play Andie. Her character, Lara Jean, is stylish and compassionate, just like Andie, and is also a hopeless romantic.