Winona Ryder has always possessed an electrifying screen presence. The twice-Oscar-nominated actress rose to fame in the 1980s and 1990s, playing effortlessly cool and stylish outsiders. However, she defied easy categorization, showcasing her versatility with nuanced and captivating performances like her portrayal of a demure bride-to-be in ‘The Age of Innocence’. Now, three decades later, she remains cooler than ever, captivating audiences as the tenacious and resourceful Joyce Byers in ‘Stranger Things’ (whose final season is soon to grace Netflix) and reprising her role as the now-grown-up Lydia Deetz in ‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’. To celebrate the premiere of ‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’ at the Venice Film Festival, we take a look back at some of her most iconic roles.
At the tender age of 16, Ryder burst onto the scene as Lydia Deetz in Tim Burton’s eccentric comedy ‘Beetlejuice’. Her portrayal of a goth who befriends the ghosts (Geena Davis and Alec Baldwin) haunting her new home is a delight to watch. The scene where she shimmying in the air to Harry Belafonte’s ‘Jump in the Line’ is pure joy.
Few high school comedies are as deliciously satirical as Michael Lehmann’s ‘Heathers’. Ryder plays Veronica Sawyer, a rebellious student drawn to a new student (Christian Slater) with deadly consequences. The film is a must-watch for its power-shouldered costumes and devastating one-liners.
In Tim Burton’s enchanting fairy tale ‘Edward Scissorhands’, Ryder shines as Kim, a sweet and angelic young woman with blonde locks, porcelain skin, and a wardrobe of flowing white dresses. She stands alongside Johnny Depp’s titular humanoid, creating a captivating pairing. The goosebump-inducing scene where she dances in the snow is unforgettable.
Martin Scorsese’s adaptation of Edith Wharton’s ‘The Age of Innocence’ features Daniel Day-Lewis as the conflicted Newland Archer, Michelle Pfeiffer as the magnetic countess Ellen Olenska, and Ryder as his fiancée May Welland. Ryder radiates in bonnets and frothy ball gowns, adding to the film’s swooning atmosphere.
Ben Stiller’s ‘Reality Bites’, hailed as a cult classic by some and derided by others, remains an acquired taste. However, there’s no denying Ryder’s charm as an adorable and impeccably dressed videographer who harbors feelings for her best friend (Ethan Hawke).
Alongside Kirsten Dunst, Claire Danes, Trini Alvarado, and Christian Bale, Ryder embodies the definitive Jo March of her era in Gillian Armstrong’s dreamy adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s beloved novel ‘Little Women’. The film will make you laugh and cry in equal measure.
In Darren Aronofsky’s masterful thriller ‘Black Swan’, Ryder portrays Beth, a faded ballerina pushed out of the spotlight in favor of Nina (Natalie Portman). More than just a tragic symbol, Ryder’s portrayal of Beth is heartbreaking, her despair and desperation deeply moving.
A whole new generation fell in love with Ryder when she joined the cast of the nostalgia-laden sci-fi sensation ‘Stranger Things’, created by the Duffer Brothers. As Joyce Byers, the resilient mother of the fragile Will (Noah Schnapp), she delivers endlessly compelling performances.
