Annie first hit the big screen in 1982 and remains a firm family favourite nearly 50 years on. The actress who played Molly looks unrecognisable – but still has fond memories of the film
On a grey day, it’s impossible not to break into a rendition of ‘The Sun Will Come Out Tomorrow’ or reference ‘A Hard Knock Life’ from the beloved Annie film. Over 40 years have passed since Annie, played by Aileen Quinn, bid farewell to her tough life at the orphanage to reside in a grand mansion with a swimming pool.
Wealthy Mr Warbucks took her under his wing, helping her search for her estranged parents before adopting her and offering a fresh start.
The story originated on Broadway in the ’70s before being adapted into a film in 1982. A second film adaptation, starring Cameron Diaz and Jamie Foxx, followed in 2014.
Yet, the original film remains a timeless classic, still widely popular 43 years on.
The youngest orphan, Molly, captured hearts – especially during the iconic scene where the girls cleaned the orphanage and she exclaimed the floor “shines like the top of the Chrysler Building”. It’s hard to believe that little Molly, played by Toni Ann Gisondi, is now a grown woman and mother of two.
Her fond memories of the film even inspired her to name her first daughter Molly.
Toni’s daughter Molly has taken to sharing behind-the-scenes secrets from the movie online, giving fans a glimpse into her mum’s life today. On TikTok, Molly posted: “I’m seeing some people posting #Annie and I thought this would be cool for the fans to see. It’s so neat to know how much this movie has helped people or inspired them to perform – and the fact it’s doing that nearly 50 years later is amazing.”
Molly, the reigning Miss South Jersey 2025, took to social media to share photos of her mother’s time in the film, including then and now pictures, as well as snaps of the ‘orphans’ reuniting over the years.
She expressed her delight in still seeing her mum appear on screen, saying it’s “still so cool”.
The post also featured photos of Molly and her family, including her mum, sister Melody, and dad Theodore Pugliese, exploring Monmouth College, where scenes were filmed in Mr Warbucks’ mansion. It’s clear the family enjoys reminiscing about Toni’s experience working on the film.
Fans of the movie commented on the post, with one saying: “Oh, she was my favourite! She was so cute! I had a gorgeous brown eyed, brown haired little girl of my own!” Another shared: “Molly was my favourite,” while a third said: “I wanted to be her so bad! I watched this movie on repeat!”.
Now 50, Toni was just six years old when she played Molly in the film. After her time in the spotlight, she returned to being a ‘normal kid’, continuing to enjoy acting, dancing, and singing in local theatre performances.
As she grew older, Toni utilised her talents by performing at weddings and funerals. Although she hasn’t pursued many professional acting roles since, she has appeared in a few projects, including the 2023 war film Called to Duty and the 2019 film Wings of a Wasp.
She has been married to her husband Theodore since 1999.
Molly revealed that her mum still keeps in touch with some of her co-stars from the film, including Aileen Quinn (Annie) and Rosanne Sorrentino (Pepper). She also shared the interesting fact that Aileen’s hair in the film was actually a wig.
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
