Winona Ryder
In 1988, Winona Ryder's deadpan turn as the death-obsessed Lydia in Tim Burton's Beetlejuice made her the face of offbeat teen cinema. The role launched a string of acclaimed parts that carried her from quirky ingenue to two-time Oscar nominee within five years.
Minnesota Roots
Born Winona Horowitz in 1971, she took her stage surname as a teenager. A standout debut and her role in Beetlejuice quickly marked her as a distinctive new talent.
Nineties Acclaim
Through the 1990s Ryder moved from quirky teen roles into prestige drama. Back-to-back Oscar nominations for The Age of Innocence and Little Women cemented her as a leading actress.
A Lasting Comeback
After a quieter stretch, she returned to wide acclaim in Black Swan and then Stranger Things. The Netflix series introduced her to an entirely new generation of fans.
Career Timeline
- 1971Born in Winona County, Minnesota
- 1986Film debut in the drama Lucas
- 1988Breakout role as Lydia in Beetlejuice
- 1989Stars in cult satire Heathers
- 1990Leads Edward Scissorhands and Mermaids
- 1993Oscar-nominated for The Age of Innocence
- 1994Oscar-nominated as Jo March in Little Women
- 1999Produces and stars in Girl, Interrupted
- 2010Featured in the hit Black Swan
- 2016Career resurgence on Netflix's Stranger Things
Biggest Hits
- She was named after Winona, Minnesota, the city nearest the farmhouse where she was born.
- Ryder earned two consecutive Oscar nominations for The Age of Innocence and Little Women.
Portrait: Josh Jensen · CC BY-SA 2.0 · via Wikimedia Commons