Molly Ringwald as Shari and Richard Jenkins as Lionel in DAHMER —Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story. Shari and Lionel wear large glasses and sit on the couch.

The Cast of ‘DAHMER — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story’ Features an ’80s Movie Star

The cast of 'DAHMER — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer' story includes an actor who starred in several popular '80s movies.

by Erica Scassellati

Published on October 1, 2022

2 min read

Molly Ringwald portrays Shari Dahmer in ‘DAHMER — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story’

Viewers watching DAHMER — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story might be surprised to learn that 1980s movie star Molly Ringwald has a part in the show. Ringwald portrays Shari Dahmer, Jeffrey Dahmer’s stepmother, who married Lionel Dahmer after his split with his wife, Joyce.

In the ’80s, Ringwald starred in popular films such as The Breakfast Club, Pretty in Pink, and 16 Candles. Understandably, Ringwald is almost unrecognizable as Shari Dahmer. The actor is now 54 years old, and she was only a teenager when she acted in some of her most famous films from the ’80s.

Additionally, Ringwald’s signature red hair was dyed brunette for DAHMER — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, and she wears large glasses. It’s interesting to note that the time period the Netflix series takes place is very close to when Ringwald starred in many of her movies.

Who is Shari Dahmer?

After Lionel Dahmer divorced Jeffrey’s mother, Joyce Flint, in 1978, he married Shari Dahmer, as the Netflix series DAHMER — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story portrays. The real-life Shari was concerned about Jeffrey, who was only 18 at the time of his parent’s divorce and began drinking heavily.

“What I wanted to do, and what most people wanted to do, was mother him,” she stated while appearing in the 2017 Oxygen documentary Dahmer on Dahmer: A Serial Killer Speaks. “He was just vulnerable. Even if I wasn’t his stepmother all his life, as a mother, you sense those things.”

Shari also discussed Jeffrey’s feelings about Lionel and Joyce’s split. She stated in the documentary that Jeffrey was “embarrassed and ashamed that his parents were divorced.” She added, “He didn’t want his friends to know, and he withheld his true feelings. He was very good at disguising his feelings.”

Is Shari Dahmer still alive?

According to The Cinemaholic, Shari Dahmer is still alive. She is in her 80s by now and still married to Lionel. The couple reportedly lives together in Ohio and have not attempted to change their last name from Dahmer. “We’re no different than anyone else in the world… Nobody bothers us here, nobody picks on us,” she stated in the Oxygen documentary. “We’ve been here 17 years, and we’re part of the neighborhood, no more, no less.”

All episodes of Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story are currently streaming on Netflix.