Molly From ‘Annie’ Is All Grown Up and a Mom! See Her Daughter’s Sweet Viral Throwback
Toni Ann Gisondi played Molly in the 1982 film—now her daughter is updating fans on TikTok!
The 1982 film adaptation of Annie is one of the most iconic film adaptations of a Broadway musical to date. Led by Aileen Quinn as the film’s namesake, little orphan Annie made her way into the hearts and homes of the world with her adorable red hair and memorable musical numbers—but she wasn’t the only adorable youngster at the orphanage who stole hearts. Some might remember Annie’s pal Molly, the youngster who led the ever-iconic scene in which she and her friends sing along to “You’re Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile.”
If you ever found yourself wondering what happened to the young actress, her daughter pulled the curtain back in a post she recently shared to TikTok—and it’s almost hard to imagine that the little girl who brought the film to life is now a mother of two! Here, see what the actress who played Molly, Toni Ann Gisondi, is up to today!
Toni Ann Gisondi’s life after Molly in ‘Annie’
After her role in Annie, Gisondi stepped away from the big screen, her only credits after the 1982 film being 2019’s Wings of the Wasp and 2023’s Called to Duty—and according to the former actress, after the movie, she headed back to New Jersey, where her father’s job was. “I did continue to sing,” she shared back in 2020 on the Just Talkin’ YouTube show. “I went back to school to be a ‘normal kid’ again, and I continued through the years doing drama and local theater and singing and dancing and acting.”
Fan reactions to the viral Molly throwback
In the video the actress’s daughter shared to TikTok, many celebrated the behind-the-scenes look she shared at both her mom’s time as a part of the film, as well as her personal life and how things have progressed for her over the years. “My mom was the one who played ‘Molly’ in the original movie Annie (1982),” she wrote over the slide-show post. “I’ve seen a lot of Annie videos on my TikTok lately, so here goes,” she continued.
In the video, she shared stills of her mom as a youngster in the film scrubbing floors, followed by an image of her alongside Albert Finney, who brought to life the character of Oliver Warbucks. Following that was an iconic photo of her mother as a child standing alongside Bernadette Peters, Tim Curry and Carol Burnett, as well as a photo of her alongside her fellow castmates when they were kids in the film. Toni Ann’s daughter, who is coincidentally named Molly, also gave viewers a glimpse into their family—and many users took to the comments to share the love for her mom and her iconic character.
“Your mom was extremely important to me as a kid. That version of Annie was all I watched as a kid. My first love of musical theatre, and now I’m a Broadway performer. Tell your mom thank you!!” said one user. “When I was a kid, I was obsessed with her. Not Annie, always Molly. She was so cute and such a little star. Tell your mom she was a huge part of my childhood and I thank her for that,” expressed another.
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