Molly Ringwald congratulated her former onscreen daughter Shailene Woodley after Woodley won Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series for "Paradise" at the 2026 Emmys.
"Congratulations to the best TV daughter a mother could ever ask for," Ringwald wrote on Instagram on Sept. 14, sharing two photos of the pair. "So proud of you Shai Shai."
Secret Life co-stars
Ringwald played mother Anne Juergens opposite Woodley on ABC Family's "The Secret Life of the American Teenager," which ran for five seasons.
Woodley won her category at the Creative Primetime Emmys on Sept. 6, when 101 categories at television's biggest night were announced. It marked her first-ever Emmy win.
Woodley reflects on the win
"I'm just stoked," the "Big Little Lies" actress told E! News in an exclusive interview at the Peacock Theatre after the win. "I just feel so lucky. I love what I do, and I never take it for granted."
"Every single time I get to walk onto a film set, it feels like a brand new opportunity with a new scope of things to learn and people to play off of and experiences to be had," she continued. "I love being a storyteller."
Looking back on her career
Woodley, 34, began acting at age 7 in 1999's "Replacing Dad" and went on to star in films including "The Fault in Our Stars."
"When I was growing up as an actor, my mom created this idea of a ladder," she explained, "where she was like, 'You got your first callback. That's one rung on the ladder. Oh, you booked your first commercial. That's another rung on the ladder.'"
"This just feels like another rung on the ladder," she said of the win. "I get to go home and have a conversation with my mama, where I'm like, I got the Emmy. We can put that on the ladder now."
Although her mother, Lori Woodley, has kept hold of most of her childhood awards, Woodley said she plans to display this one herself. "She currently has all of the trophies from when I was a soccer player as a child, the Teen Choice Awards," she said, "but I think I might keep this one."
2026 Emmy winners
Woodley's win came at a ceremony that crowned "The Pitt" Outstanding Drama Series and "Widow's Bay" Outstanding Comedy Series. Other top winners included:
- Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series: Rhea Seehorn, "Pluribus"
- Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series: Noah Wyle, "The Pitt"
- Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series: Allison Janney, "The Diplomat"
- Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series: Tom Pelphrey, "Task"
- Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series: Ernest Harden Jr., "The Pitt"
- Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series: Jean Smart, "Hacks"
- Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series: Matthew Rhys, "Widow's Bay"
- Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series: Kate O'Flynn, "Widow's Bay"
- Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series: Stephen Root, "Widow's Bay"
- Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series: Betty Gilpin, "Widow's Bay"
- Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series: Rob Reiner, "The Bear"
- Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series: "DTF St. Louis"
- Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie: Sally Field, "Remarkably Bright Creatures"
- Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie: Matthew Rhys, "The Beast in Me"
- Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie: Linda Cardellini, "DTF St. Louis"
- Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie: David Harbour, "DTF St. Louis"
- Outstanding Unstructured Reality Program: "Love on the Spectrum"
- Outstanding Structured Reality Program: "Antiques Roadshow"
- Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality Competition Program: Alan Cumming, "The Traitors"
- Outstanding Variety Series: "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert"
- Outstanding Reality Competition Program: "The Traitors"
- Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded): "The Muppet Show"
- Outstanding Host for a Game Show: Jimmy Kimmel, "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?"
