Winona Ryder Biography
Winona Ryder is an American actress who gained fame for her diverse performances in several genres in the 1990s. Additionally, she is known for portraying Joyce Byers in Netflix’s Stranger Things for which she attained a Golden Globe nomination.
Winona Ryder Education
Ryder attended the American Conservatory Theater in nearby San Francisco at the age of 12 where she took acting classes. After studying at Kenilworth Junior High, she graduated from Petaluma High School with a 4.0 GPA in 1989.
Winona Ryder Career
Ryder gained fame for her diverse performances in several genres in the 1990s. Additionally, she is known for portraying Joyce Byers in Netflix’s Stranger Things for which she attained a Golden Globe nomination. Further, she has numerous awards counting a Golden Globe Award.
Aside from Grammy nominations, she has received nominations for a BAFTA Award, and two Academy Awards. After debuting in the film, Lucas in 1986, she received attention for her performance in Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice.
She gained more fame when she attained in Heathers, Mermaids, Edward Scissorhands, and Dracula. In 1993, she played the role of May Welland in The Age of Innocence. The following year, she starred as Jo March in Little Women.
For her performance, she received critical praise and two consecutive Academy Award nominations. Moreover, she starred in Reality Bites, How to Make an American Quilt, The Crucible, Alien Resurrection, and Celebrity.
In 1999, she starred in Girl, Interrupted and worked as its executive producer. Ryder starred in Mr. Deeds in 2002. Following her role, she went on a hiatus because her career was declining. She returned in 2009 with a role in Star Trek.
In 2010, she acted in When Love Is Not Enough: The Lois Wilson Story and played a supporting role in Black Swan. She worked with Tim Burton again in Frankenweenie. Since 2016, she has played Joyce Byers in Netflix’s Stranger Things.
In 2020, she starred in HBO’s The Plot Against America. In 2000, she attained a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. She is scheduled to star in Gone in the Night along with Dermot Mulroney.
Winona Ryder Age
Ryder was born Winona Laura Horowitz on October 29, 1971, in Winona County, Minnesota, U.S. She is 51 years old as of 2022. Ryder celebrates her birthday every October 29th annually.
Winona Ryder Height
Ryder stands at an approximate height of 5 feet and 3½ inches
Winona Ryder Family
Ryder was born to Cynthia Palmer (née Istas) and Michael D. Horowitz. Cynthia, her mother, works as an author, video producer, and editor. On the other hand, Michael, her father works as an author, editor, publisher, and antiquarian bookseller.
Also, he worked as an archivist for psychologist, Timothy Leary, Ryder’s godfather. Her father hails from Ukrainian Jewish and Romanian Jewish roots while her mom is of Belgian, German, Irish, and English roots. While growing up, she visited her paternal grandparents in Brooklyn for Passover yearly.
Her father is an atheist while her mother is a Buddhist. She has a younger brother named Urie, after Yuri Gagarin. Further, she has two older half-siblings from her mother’s previous marriage, Jubal Palmer and Sunyata Palmer. At the age of 10, she and her family relocated to Petaluma, California.
Winona Ryder Husband
Ryder is in a relatioship with Scott Mackinlay Hahn since 2011. Hahn works as a fashion designer. Previously, she had been in relationships with Soul Asylum’s Dave Pirner. From 1998 to 2000, she dated actor Matt Damon.
Winona Ryder Johnny Depp
Ryder and Depp met at the Great Balls of Fire! premiere in June 1989. Shortly after, they started dating when she was 17. From 1990 to 1993., they were engaged. Depp had an original tattoo “Winona Forever” which reduced to “Wino Forever” after they broke up.
Winona Ryder Net Worth
Ryder has an estimated net worth ranging between $10 Million – $30 Million which she has earned through being an actress.
Winona Ryder Stranger Things
Since 2016, Ryder plays the role of Joyce Byers in Netflix’s Stranger Things. Joyce is the financially struggling single mother of Jonathan and Will Byers, the foster mother of Eleven, and the best friend/girlfriend of Jim Hopper.
After her son Will goes missing and turns up dead, people think she is having a mental breakdown crazy after she insists she talks to Will through the lights in her house. For her performance, she received a Golden Globe nomination. In the series, she stars alongside actors and actresses;
- Millie Bobby Brown
- Finn Wolfhard
- Noah Schnapp
- Caleb McLaughlin
- Sadie Sink
- Joe Keery
Winona Ryder Name
Ryder was named after Winona, Minnesota. Her middle name, Laura, came from her parents’ friendship with Laura Huxley, writer Aldous Huxley’s wife. On the other hand, her stage name comes from Mitch Ryder, a soul and rock singer of whom her father was a fan.
Winona Ryder Beetlejuice
Ryder starred in Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice in the role of Lydia Deetz. Lydia is a goth teenager whose family relocates to a haunted house populated by ghosts. Ryder’s bullying heightened when she gained early film success for playing the role and some called her a witch. Tim cast her after seeing her performance in Lucas.
Winona Ryder Dracula
In 1992, Ryder starred in Bram Stoker’s Dracula as the dual role of Mina Murray and Count Dracula’s past lover, Princess Elisabeta. Mina is a young schoolmistress who is betrothed to Jonathan Harker, and best friends with Lucy Westenra
Winona Ryder Black Swan
Ryder played a supporting role of an aging ballet star in Darren Aronofsky’s Black Swan in 2010.
Winona Ryder Edward Scissorhands
In 1990, Ryder starred in the fantasy film, Edward Scissorhands as the female lead, Kim Boggs, alongside her then-boyfriend Johnny Depp. In 2021, she recurred her role in Edward Scissorhands with Timothée Chalamet in a Super Bowl ad for Cadillac. Boggs is the love interest of Edward Scissorhands.
Winona Ryder Arrest/Shoplifting
Ryderr was apprehended on shoplifting charges in Beverly Hills, California on December 12, 2001. She was charged with stealing designer clothes and accessories at a Saks Fifth Avenue department store worth $5,500. 8 prosecutors, gathered by Los Angeles District Attorney Stephen Cooley, submitted four felony charges against her.
She employed Mark Geragos, a celebrity defense attorney. The prosecuters accused her of using drugs, like diazepam, oxycodone, and Vicodin without authentic medication, however, they dropped a drug possession count after it was verified that a doctor provided it to her as a medical treatment.
Ryder was convicted of grand theft and shoplifting. Later, she was exempted on the charge of burglary. In December 2002, she was convicted to 480 hours of community service, three years of probation, $3,700 in fines, and $6,355 in compensation to the Saks Fifth Avenue store.
Also, she received orders to frequent psychological counseling and drug counseling. Superior Court Judge, Elden Fox reviewed her probation report and observed that she had served 480 hours of community service, and the felonies were decreased to trespasses on June 18, 2004.
In December 2005, she completed her probation. Ryder later revealed that the event happended during a difficult time in her life. Further, she voiced that the pain-killing medication prescribed by a fraud physician muddled her judgment.
The doctor in question, Jules Mark Lusman, lost his practitioning license after the Medical Board of California annulled his medical license for improperly prescribing medication to his patients.
Winona Ryder Bullied
During her initial week at Kenilworth Junior High, Ryder was bullied by children who confused her for an effeminate boy. She has attended school in Salvation Army clothes when he bullies called her a “faggot” and beat others. They hurt her to the point of needin stitches.
The school expelled for her own “safety” and she started being homeschooled. Throughout her high school, bullying continued and heightened when she gained early film success with Beetlejuice with some calling her a witch.
Winona Ryder Aquaphobia
In 1983, Ryder almost drowned which caused her to develop aquaphobia. The trauma she got caused problems later in her life when she was rewuired to play an underwater scenes in Alien Resurrection in 1997. Some of the scenes had to be reshot many times.
Winona Ryder Polly Klaas
In 1993, Ryder bid a $200,000 reward hoping that it would lead to the return of an abducted child, Polly Klaas. Klaas resided in Petaluma, Ryder’s hometown. She offered the money in exchange for the safe return of Klaas. After her death, Ryder devoted her performance as Jo in Little Women to Klaas’ memory.
During her shoplifting trial, her attorney, Mark Geragos cited her work with the Polly Klaas Foundation and other charitable causes. Deputy District Attorney, Ann Rundle, said that it was offensive that the attorney brought a dead child into the case. Marc Klaas, Klass’ father, defended Ryder and raged about the prosecuter’s comment.
Winona Ryder Etnicity
Ryder is of Ukrainian Jewish and Romanian Jewish roots on her father’s side and is of Belgian, German, Irish, and English roots on her mother’s side.
Winona Ryder Movies and TV Shows
During her career, Ryder has starred in a number of movies and TV shows such as
- Square Dance
- Heathers
- Mermaids
- Night on Earth
- The Age of Innocence
- Reality Bites
- The Darwin Awards
- Show Me a Hero
- The Last Word
- Destination Wedding