Winona Laura Horowitz (/wɪˈnoʊnə/wi-NOH-nə; born October 29, 1971), known professionally asWinona Ryder, is an American actress. Having come to attention playing quirky characters in the late 1980s,[1] she achieved success with her more dramatic performances in the 1990s. Ryder'smany accolades include aGolden Globe, as well as nominations for twoAcademy Awards, aBAFTA Award, and aGrammy Award.
Winona Laura Horowitz[3] was born inWinona County, Minnesota,[4] on October 29, 1971,[3] the daughter of Cynthia Palmer (née Istas) and Michael D. Horowitz.[5] Cynthia is an author, video producer, and editor, while Michael was an author, editor, publisher, and antiquarian bookseller.[6][7] He also worked as an archivist for psychologistTimothy Leary, who became Ryder's godfather.[8] Ryder has Irish ancestry through her mother,[9][10] while her father was ofAshkenazi Jewish descent with roots in Romania, Russia,[11][12][13] and Ukraine.[14][15] Growing up, she visited her paternal grandparents inBrooklyn forPassover every year.[16] Her father later became anatheist and her mother became aBuddhist.[17] She has a younger brother named Urie (in honor ofYuri Gagarin) and, from her mother's prior marriage, a half-brother named Jubal and a half-sister named Sunyata.
Ryder was named afterWinona, Minnesota, the closest city to the rural farmhouse in which she was born. She was given the middle name Laura after writerAldous Huxley's wifeLaura, with whom her parents were friends.[18] She derived herstage name from singerMitch Ryder,[17] of whom her father was a fan.[19] Her family's friends included poetsAllen Ginsberg andLawrence Ferlinghetti and novelistPhilip K. Dick.[18] In 1978, when she was seven years old, she and her family relocated to acommune called Rainbow nearElk, California, where they lived with seven other families on a 300-acre (120 ha) plot of land. As the remote property had no electricity or television sets, Ryder began to devote her time to reading and became an avid fan ofJ. D. Salinger's bookThe Catcher in the Rye.[20]
When she was 10, Ryder and her family moved toPetaluma, California. During her first week at Kenilworth Junior High School, she was bullied by children who mistook her for an effeminate boy.[18] In 1983, at the age of 12, Ryder enrolled at theAmerican Conservatory Theater in nearbySan Francisco and took her first acting lessons. That same year, she nearly drowned, an experience that caused her to developaquaphobia.[18] This later caused problems in her career, such as during the filming of underwater scenes inAlien Resurrection (1997), which had to be reshot numerous times.[18] Ryder continued to be bullied in high school, even when she achieved early film success withBeetlejuice (1988). She recalled in 2017, "I remember thinking, 'Ooh, it's like the number one movie. This is going to make things great at school.' But it made things worse. They called me a witch."[21]
Ryder has said that she is a natural brunette who was "really blonde as a kid",[22] and began dyeing her hair blue and purple around the ages of 11 or 12. At the time of her audition forLucas (1986), her hair had been dyed black and the filmmakers asked her to keep it, which would later almost cost her a breakout role inHeathers (1988).[23]
Career
1985–1990: Early roles and breakthrough
Winona was so smart. She was fifteen, she turned sixteen on the movie. She was aprodigy. From a very young age, she was an old soul. She really got the words and the imagery. She had watched tons of old movies. She was really sophisticated intellectually. She had the beauty of Veronica. She had the intelligence. She was just the perfect anti-Heather.
In 1985, Ryder sent a videotaped audition, where she recited a monologue from the novelFranny and Zooey byJ. D. Salinger, to appear in the filmDesert Bloom. Although the role went toAnnabeth Gish,[18][20]David Seltzer cast her in his high school dramaLucas (1986), which starredCorey Haim,Charlie Sheen, andKerri Green. When asked how she wanted her name to appear in the credits, she suggested "Ryder" as her surname because aMitch Ryder album that belonged to her father was playing in the background.[20] Ryder's next film wasSquare Dance (1987), where her teenage character creates a bridge between two different worlds—a traditional farm in the middle of nowhere and a large city. She won acclaim for the performance, with theLos Angeles Times calling it "a remarkable debut".[25] Both films were only marginally successful commercially.
After seeing her inLucas, directorTim Burton cast Ryder in his filmBeetlejuice (1988).[26] She starred as agoth teenager whose family moves to a haunted house populated by ghosts played byGeena Davis,Alec Baldwin, andMichael Keaton. The film was a success at the box office, and the film as well as Ryder's performance received mostly positive reviews from critics.[27][28] She has since said that she owes her career to Burton.[29][30] Also in 1988, she appeared alongsideKiefer Sutherland andRobert Downey Jr. in1969, a drama about the Vietnam War and the tensions it created in American families.[31]
Ryder next starred in the independent filmHeathers (1989). The film, a satirical take on teenage life, featured Ryder andChristian Slater as high school sweethearts who begin killing off popular students. Her agent initially begged her to turn the role down, saying the film would "ruin her career".[18] Critical reaction to the film was largely positive,[32] and Ryder's performance was positively received, withThe Washington Post calling Ryder "Hollywood's most impressive ingénue [...] Ryder [...] makes us love her teen-age murderess, a bright, funny girl with a littleBonnie Parker in her. She is the most likable, best-drawn young adult protagonist since the sexual innocent ofGregory's Girl."[33] Despite its critical success,Heathers was a box-office flop, but has achieved the status of acult film in following decades.[34] However, soon after the film's release, Ryder had an offer to co-star in the 1990 filmThe Freshman rescinded because the production team was offended by the film's controversial subject matter.[35] Later that year, she starred in the 1989 biopicGreat Balls of Fire!, in which she played the 13-year-old bride (and cousin) of rock'n'roll idolJerry Lee Lewis. The film was a box-office failure and received mixed reviews from critics.[36] Ryder also appeared in 1989 in the music video forMojo Nixon's "Debbie Gibson Is Pregnant with My Two-Headed Love Child".[37]
Ryder began the 1990s with three starring roles. In the fantasy filmEdward Scissorhands (1990), she reunited with director Tim Burton to play the female lead alongside her then-boyfriendJohnny Depp. The film was a significant box office success, grossing $86 million and receiving much critical devotion.[38][39] Ryder's second role of the year was in the family comedy-dramaMermaids (1990), which co-starredCher,Bob Hoskins, andChristina Ricci.Mermaids was a moderate box-office success and Ryder's performance was acclaimed; criticRoger Ebert of theChicago Sun-Times wrote: "Winona Ryder, in another of her alienated outsider roles, generates real charisma."[40] For her performance, Ryder received aGolden Globe Award nomination for Best Actress in a Supporting Role[41] and a National Board Review award for the same category.[42] FollowingMermaids, Ryder had the lead role as a troubled teenager in the comedy-dramaWelcome Home, Roxy Carmichael (1990). The film co-starredJeff Daniels and was deemed a commercial flop. In 1990, Ryder also made a cameo inRoy Orbison's music video "A Love So Beautiful" withMatthew Modine,[43] and was awarded 'ShoWest's Female Star of Tomorrow' by The National Association of Theatre Owners.[42] She was next slated to appear asMary Corleone inFrancis Ford Coppola'sThe Godfather Part III, but withdrew from the project in the beginning of filming in 1990 due tonervous exhaustion.[44][45]
1991–2000: Established actress
In 1991, Ryder played a young taxicab driver inJim Jarmusch's independent filmNight on Earth. The film was given a limited release, but received critical praise.[46] Ryder then starred in three big-budget adaptations of literary classics. The first wasBram Stoker's Dracula (1992), directed by Francis Ford Coppola and featuring Ryder in the dual role ofMina Murray andCount Dracula's past lover, Princess Elisabeta.[18] The script was originally intended for a television adaptation but Ryder liked it so much she brought it to Coppola's attention. The film premiered in November 1992 to critical and commercial success.[47]
Ryder continued her work in period films withMartin Scorsese'sThe Age of Innocence (1993), an adaptation ofEdith Wharton's novel that co-starredMichelle Pfeiffer andDaniel Day-Lewis. Ryder considers Scorsese "the best director in the world".[48] For her portrayal of May Welland, the fiancée of Newland Archer (Day-Lewis), Ryder won aGolden Globe[41] and receivedAcademy Award andBAFTA nominations as well.[49] Although not a commercial success, theAge of Innocence received critical praise upon its release in October 1993.Vincent Canby in theNew York Times wrote, "Ms Ryder is wonderful as this sweet young thing who's hard as nails, as much out of ignorance as of self-interest."[50]
Ryder next starred alongsideMeryl Streep,Jeremy Irons,Antonio Banderas, andGlenn Close in the melodramaThe House of the Spirits (1993), based onIsabel Allende'snovel. Also released in October 1993, the film was poorly reviewed and a box-office flop, grossing just $6 million on its $40 million budget.[51] Ebert wrote that Ryder "seems an unlikely casting choice but she is more convincing, with more abandon and passion, and she makes her character work."[52] Ryder was next set to star inBroken Dreams[53] with actorRiver Phoenix. The project was put on hold due to his death on October 31, 1993.[54] In 1993, Ryder also appeared on the music video "Without a Trace" bySoul Asylum, whose memberDave Pirner was her boyfriend at the time.[55]
Among the movie's strengths are the performances, especially that of Ryder, who comes across as bright, beautiful and more delicate than ever before.
Ryder's next film, theGeneration X dramaReality Bites (1994), marked a departure from period films. Directed byBen Stiller and co-starringEthan Hawke, the film featured Ryder as a recent college graduate searching for direction in life. According to Hawke and Stiller, the film gotgreenlit only due to Ryder's star status.[57] Her performance received acclaim but the film did not meet its studio's expectations in the box office.[58] Ryder returned to period films later that year, appearing as Jo March inLittle Women, an adaptation ofLouisa May Alcott'snovel. The film received widespread praise; criticJanet Maslin ofThe New York Times wrote that it was the greatest adaptation of the novel and that "Ms. Ryder, whose banner year also includes a fine comic performance inReality Bites, plays Jo with spark and confidence. Her spirited presence gives the film an appealing linchpin, and she plays the self-proclaimed 'man of the family' with just the right staunchness."[59][60] Ryder received her secondOscar nomination for the role, this time asBest Actress.[49] In 1994, Ryder also made a guest appearance inThe Simpsons episode "Lisa's Rival" asAllison Taylor, whose intelligence and over-achieving personality makes her an adversary ofLisa.[61]
Ryder made several film appearances in 1996, the first inBoys. The film failed to become a box office success and attracted mostly negative critical reaction. Ebert wrote: "Boys is a low-rent, dumbed-down version ofBefore Sunrise, with a rent-a-plot substituting for clever dialogue", calling the film a waste of Ryder's talent.[64] Her next role was inLooking for Richard,Al Pacino's meta-documentary on a production ofWilliam Shakespeare'sRichard III, which grossed only $1 million at the box office but drew moderate critical acclaim.[65] She starred inThe Crucible withDaniel Day-Lewis andJoan Allen. The film, an adaptation ofArthur Miller'splay, centered on theSalem witch trials. It was expected to be a success, considering its budget, but was a commercial failure.[66] Despite this, it was well received and Ryder's performance was lauded, withPeter Travers ofRolling Stone writing, "Ryder offers a transfixing portrait of warped innocence."[67] Ryder later claimed that the role of Abigail Williams was the hardest in her whole career.[68]
Ryder next took on a role as anandroid inAlien Resurrection (1997), alongsideSigourney Weaver, who stars in the first fourAlien films. Ryder's brother, Uri, was a fan of the series, and when approached about it, she agreed to the project. The film became one of the least successful entries in theAlien film series, but was otherwise considered a success as it grossed $161 million worldwide.[69] Ryder's and Weaver's performances drew mostly positive reviews, and Ryder won aBlockbuster Entertainment Award for Best Actress. In his review of the film, Ebert commented that Ryder lacked the conviction and presence to stand alongside Weaver and the rest of the cast. He compared her with Jenette Goldstein inAliens. "Ryder is a wonderful actress, one of the most gifted of her generation, but wrong for this movie," he wrote.[70] At 1997'sShoWest event, she was presented with the 'Female Star of the Year' award.[71]
In 1999, Ryder starred in and served as an executive producer forGirl, Interrupted, based on the1993 memoir of the same name bySusanna Kaysen. The film had been in development since late 1996, but took time to begin filming. Ryder was deeply attached to the project, calling it her "child of the heart."[18] She played Kaysen, who hasborderline personality disorder and was admitted to a psychiatric hospital for recovery. Directed byJames Mangold and co-starringAngelina Jolie, the film was expected to mark Ryder's comeback playing leading roles. Instead, it turned out to be the "welcome-to-Hollywood coronation" for Jolie, who won theAcademy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance.[77] Ebert wrote: "Ryder shows again her skill at projecting mental states; one of her gifts is to let us know exactly what she's thinking, without seeming to."[78] He later called Ryder one of the reasons to see the film. The same year, Ryder was parodied inSouth Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut. She also started her own music company, Roustabout Studios, in 1999.[42]
In April 2000, Ryder was awarded the Peter J. Owens Award at theSan Francisco Film Festival.[79] Her next film, the melodramaAutumn in New York, co-starringRichard Gere, was released in August. The film received mixed reviews, but was a commercial success, grossing $90 million at the worldwide box office.[80][81] In September, Ryder made a guest appearance in the series finale ofComedy Central'sStrangers with Candy.[82] She then played a nun of a secret society loosely connected to the Roman Catholic Church and determined to preventArmageddon inLost Souls (2000), a commercial failure. Ryder refused to do commercial promotion for the film.[18] She later said, "I was attracted toLost Souls because I know nothing about this subject. I personally don't believe in demonic possession. For me to play this woman was a real challenge. She is the ultimate believer. Most of all, I just wanted to do a movie in the thriller genre, at least one."[83] On October 6, 2000, Ryder received a star on theHollywood Walk of Fame.[84]
2001–2005: Hiatus
In 2001, Ryder began a four-year career hiatus. Apart from a guest role onFriends asRachel's college sorority sister[85] and a brief cameo in the comedy filmZoolander (2001), she appeared in no new releases in 2001. She was scheduled to appear inLily and the Secret of Planting, but withdrew from the project after being hospitalized for a severe stomach issue in August 2001.[86]
Following Ryder's December 2001arrest for shoplifting, it became difficult for her to be insured for further film projects. After her courtroom appearances inMarc Jacobs clothes were noted in the media, she appeared in Jacobs' Spring 2003 advertising campaign.[87]Woody Allen wanted to castRobert Downey Jr. (who was also facing legal issues) and Ryder in his filmMelinda and Melinda (2004), but was unable to do so: "I couldn't get insurance on them. [...] We couldn't get bonded. The completion bonding companies would not bond the picture unless we could insure them. [...] We were heartbroken because I had worked with Winona before [onCelebrity] and thought she was perfect for this and wanted to work with her again."[88][89]
In 2002, Ryder appeared in two films shot before her arrest. The first was a romantic comedy,Mr. Deeds, withAdam Sandler, grossing over $126 million in the United States alone.[90] The film was not a critical success; film criticPhilip French called it a terrible film, saying that "remakes are often bad, but this one was particularly bad."[91] The second film was the science fiction dramaSimone, in which she portrayed a glamorous star who is replaced by acomputer simulated actress due to the clandestine machinations of a director, portrayed by Al Pacino. On May 18, 2002, Ryder hostedSaturday Night Live.[92][93] In 2005, Ryder co-produced and co-narrated the documentaryThe Day My God Died (2004) withTim Robbins, which focuses on internationalchild sex trafficking.[1]
Ryder then played Deborah Kuklinski,[109] the wife of contract killerRichard Kuklinski, in the thrillerThe Iceman (2012), co-starringMichael Shannon.[110] She also appeared with herThe Iceman co-starJames Franco inThe Letter (2012).[111] She reunited with director Tim Burton, who directed her in the music video forThe Killers' single, "Here with Me",[112] and cast her in the animated 3D feature filmFrankenweenie (2012). Ryder also worked with the classic film channelTCM in 2012, guest hosting for a week in September, while Robert Osborne was on vacation,[113] and introducing some of her favorite classic films in December.[114][113]
In 2013, Ryder appeared in the action thrillerHomefront (2013), again opposite James Franco, this time playing a meth-addicted woman. Steven Boone of RogerEbert.com wrote: "Ryder often seems on the verge of laughing in Franco's face as he attempts to manhandle and pimp-talk her. But it's nice to see her raven eyes and regal cheekbones on a big screen again, in whatever capacity."[115] Ryder also starred in a segment of theComedy Central television seriesDrunk History (2013) called "Boston". She played religious protesterMary Dyer opposite stern Puritan magistrateJohn Endicott, played byMichael Cera.[116] She then took on the role of Peggy Shippen, the wife of Benedict Arnold, in her appearance of the second season ofDrunk History (2014).[117] In 2014, Ryder appeared in the British television filmTurks & Caicos (2014) and modeled in the Fall advertising campaign of fashion labelRag & Bone.[118]
In 2015, Ryder was a juror at theSundance Film Festival.[119] She continued her work in television with theHBO miniseriesShow Me a Hero (2015), in which she played the president of the Yonkers City Council. She then starred alongsidePeter Sarsgaard in the biopicExperimenter, playing the wife ofStanley Milgram.Experimenter was released to positive reviews in October 2015.[120][121] Ryder also appeared in advertisements forMarc Jacobs,[122] both for their cosmetics and for their spring 2016 collection.[123][124]
2016–present:Stranger Things and resurgence
In 2016, Ryder began starring in theNetflix science fiction-horror seriesStranger Things,[125] created byThe Duffer Brothers, playingJoyce Byers, a single mother whose 12-year-old sonWill vanishes mysteriously. The Duffer brothers said that Ryder "has a very intense energy about her ... a wiry unpredictability, a sort of anxiousness that we thought we'd really lean into."[126] The series' first season premiered in July 2016 to critical acclaim and high audience ratings.[127] Ryder also received praise for her performance,[128] and the cast won theSAG Award for Best Ensemble in a Drama Series in 2017. The second and third seasons of the series were released in October 2017 and July 2019. For season 3, she was paid a reported $350,000 per episode.[129] The filming for the fourth season had been halted due to theCOVID-19 pandemic, but resumed in September 2020. The first volume of season four premiered on May 27, 2022, and the second volume on July 1, 2022.Kate Bush's 1985 song "Running Up That Hill" achieved renewed commercial success after it was included in the season; Ryder had frequently worn Kate Bush T-shirts and lapel badges on set.[130] The fifth and final season was released in November and December 2025.[131]
In 2018, Ryder appeared in the filmDestination Wedding, alongsideKeanu Reeves. The same year, Ryder also starred in aL'Oréal shampoo commercial,[132] and inH&M's spring collection campaign co-starringElizabeth Olsen.[133] In 2020, Ryder appeared inSquarespace'sSuper Bowl commercial, which aired during the first half of the game.[134] Later that year, she starred inThe Plot Against America, an HBO limited series based onPhilip Roth's 2004novel of the same name.[135]David Simon, the creator of the series, said: "Winona always had the standing of the great American ingenue. Now we're ready for the second act, because she's always been a remarkable actor—always asking questions about the role, doing the research, and then feeling the camera instinctively once the work begins."[16] The series was Ryder's second collaboration with Simon; in 2014, she appeared in hisHBO miniseriesShow Me a Hero.[136]
In 2021, Ryder reprised her role as Kim Boggs inEdward Scissorhands alongsideTimothée Chalamet in a Super Bowl ad forCadillac.[137] Her next film wasGone in the Night, co-starringDermot Mulroney. As early as 1992, Ryder had expressed her willingness to appear in a sequel toBeetlejuice,[138] hinting at such a return in a November 2013 interview, provided that Burton and Keaton were involved,[139] and confirmed again in August 2015 that she would reprise her role in the sequel.[140] The sequel,Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, wrapped filming in late 2023, and was released in October 2024.[141]
Ryder met actorJohnny Depp at theGreat Balls of Fire! premiere in June 1989 and they began dating after being reintroduced by a mutual friend in February 1990, when she was 18 and he was 26. They became engaged five months later, but split up in June 1993.[143][144] She dated musicianDave Pirner from 1993 to 1996,[145] actorMatt Damon from 1998 to 2000, and musicianPage Hamilton from 2003 to 2005.[146] She has been in a relationship with fashion designer Scott Mackinlay Hahn since 2011.[147][148]
Ryder is Jewish and has experiencedantisemitism,[16] stating in 2010 (and reiterating in 2020) thatMel Gibson made antisemitic and homophobic remarks to her and a gay friend in the 1990s.[149] She suffers frominsomnia and has been a victim ofstalking.[145][150][151] In 2025, she indicated that she may haveautism.[152]
Charity work
American Indian College Fund
Ryder has been involved in philanthropic work since her 20s for theAmerican Indian College Fund, which sends low-income Native Americans to universities.[153][154]
Polly Klaas
In 1993, Ryder offered a $200,000 reward for information leading to the safe return of kidnapped childPolly Klaas,[155][156] who had lived inPetaluma, California, where Ryder partially grew up. After Klaas' death, Ryder dedicated her performance as Jo in the1994 film adaptation ofLittle Women, one of Klaas' favorite novels, to her memory.[157]
During a sentencing hearing related to her 2001 shoplifting arrest, Ryder's attorneyMark Geragos referred to her work with the Polly Klaas Foundation and other charitable causes. In response, Deputy District Attorney Ann Rundle said, "What's offensive to me is to trot out the body of a dead child."[158] Klaas' father defended Ryder and denounced Rundle for her comments.[158][159]
Legal issues
On December 12, 2001, Ryder was arrested on shoplifting charges inBeverly Hills, California, accused of stealing $5,500 worth of designer clothes and accessories from aSaks Fifth Avenue department store.[160][161][162] Los Angeles District AttorneyStephen Cooley assembled a team of eight prosecutors and filed four felony charges against her.[163][failed verification] Ryder hired celebrity defense attorneyMark Geragos. Negotiations failed to produce a plea bargain in the summer of 2002 as the prosecution insisted on charging Ryder with a felony rather than a misdemeanor. Joel Mowbray fromNational Review noted that the prosecution also refused the store's own request to drop the charges.[164][165]
Ryder was accused of using drugs such asoxycodone,diazepam, andVicodin without a valid prescription, but prosecutors dropped a drug possession count after it was proved that a doctor indeed provided them to her as a medical treatment.[166] She was convicted of grand theft[167] and shoplifting, but acquitted on the charge of burglary.[168] In December 2002, she was sentenced to three years of probation, 480 hours of community service, $3,700 in fines, and $6,355 in restitution to the store, and ordered to attend psychological counseling and drug counseling.[169] On June 18, 2004, after Superior Court Judge Elden Fox reviewed Ryder's probation report and observed that she had served 480 hours of community service, the felonies were reduced to misdemeanors. She finished her probation in December 2005.[170]
Ryder later explained that the incident occurred during a difficult time in her life in which she was clinically depressed.[171] She added that the painkilling medication, which a "quack" physician had prescribed her, clouded her judgment significantly.[172][173] Jules Mark Lusman, who prescribed the medication, subsequently had his medical license revoked by theMedical Board of California for unethically prescribing medication to his patients.[174]
^Dockterman, Eliana (June 27, 2016)."90s Icon Winona Ryder Is Making Her Comeback".Time.Archived from the original on June 27, 2016. RetrievedJune 27, 2016.Born in 1971 to two writers in a farmhouse near Winona, Minnesota, Ryder had a rather unconventional childhood.
^Hart, Mary (Host) (1989).Entertainment Tonight (Television production). CBS Paramount. Archived fromthe original on May 17, 2015. RetrievedSeptember 3, 2007.
.jpg)
