Molly C. Quinn
Molly Quinn is a Texarkana native who may be best known for her role as Alexis Castle, the daughter of the lead in the television series Castle, which was part of the ABC line up from 2009 to 2016. Getting her start on the stage of the Perot Theatre while performing in the Nutcracker, she caught the attention of director Martin Beck and the two paired up to launch Molly’s acting career.
Molly made her film debut in the comedy Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story in 2007. She has since appeared in the movies, Hansel & Gretel Get Baked, The Secret of the Lost Kingdom, We’re the Millers, Welcome to Happiness, My One and Only, Disney’s A Christmas Carol, and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. Her performance in the movie The Sacrifice, won her the award for “Best Newcomer” in a short film. She also became ‘Princess Bloom’ in the Nickelodeon version of the animated TV series Winx Club which aired from 2011 to 2014 and was the voice behind the same character in the two films adapted from the series.
Hello! My name is Molly C. Quinn.
I am an Actress.
I was born in Texarkana, Texas and lived there until I was 12.
What is your favorite Texarkana memory?
My favorite Texarkana memory is when my now fiancé, Elan Gale, came to Texarkana for the first time. We’d only been dating for two months and he flew to Texarkana to spend Christmas with me and my family. Going to the TXK airport to pick him up, taking him to the Texarkana Heritage museum and having him straddle the state line were all so much fun. I think I knew then that I was going to be with this guy for the rest of my life. I mean, who else is crazy and fun enough to come meet their girlfriend’s entire family in her hometown after only dating for eight weeks!
Where was your favorite place to eat in Texarkana?
Some of my best memories of eating in Texarkana are less about the food itself and more about the experience. For example, I felt so cool getting to go to Sonic with my older brother, Jonathan, and getting a Cherry Limeade. I loved when my Dad would take me to DQ, and we’d eat grilled cheese sandwiches and ice cream. My love of food is tied to the time and conversations I got to spend with family and friends.
Were you a Hawk, Leopard, Razorback, or Tiger?
I was already living and working in Los Angeles during my high school years, but most of my classmates from St. James Day School were Tigers, so in solidarity with them… GO TIGERS!!!
Who is someone from Texarkana who impacted your life and why?
Martin Beck may not have been born in Texarkana, but that’s where I met him. He was my acting teacher and mentor. Those weekly acting lessons gave me purpose and filled me with joy. I don’t think I would’ve turned into the person I am today without his early teachings. I miss him every day.
What do you think makes Texarkana famous?
Okay, so… I am a big horror fan and many of my closest friends make horror movies. I am obsessed with the Phantom Killer of Texarkana, the serial killer that evaded arrest in the 1940s. I just finished reading a great book by James Presley called The Phantom Killer that I highly recommend.
What do you miss about Texarkana?
More than missing anything, I am just grateful that I had such a fun childhood in Texarkana. It’s the little things: the freedom of knowing that my favorite cousin lived down the street from me and we could just run around and play until the sun went down. I don’t take that for granted.
What words do you live by?
The pandemic has changed all of our lives. Rather than trying to act like everything is normal, I try to remind myself to take things “one day at a time.” 
TXK Roots is Texarkana Monthly’s forum to highlight and honor Texarkana natives who have accomplished big things in the world. These folks may have relocated, but they took the values, education, work ethic and creativity instilled in them by growing up in this unique border city and used these qualities to blaze extraordinary trails. We asked them to share their thoughts about growing up here. No matter how far from Texarkana they may find themselves, we will always consider them our neighbors and we are proud to claim them as forever members of our extended Texarkana community. After all, “everyone is famous in their hometown!”
