Winona Ryder is a brilliant actress and became a huge success from a young age, being considered one of the 'It' girls of the 90s. She also set herself apart from other stars at the time because of her willingness to tackle roles that saw her typecast as outcasts, rejects, and geeks. Her style was unique and made a statement, and she appeared to have everything figured out. But her early career was not always easy or joyful and was marred with personal struggles and an infamous run-in with the law. All of this amounted to a lot of attention, not all of it good.
Ryder is celebrated for her successes, but she also had many issues she had to overcome, including anxiety, a breakup, and experiencing the cruelty of the media. Let's take a look at the highs and lows of Winona Ryder's early life and career to hopefully gain a better understanding of what she went through.
8 Winona Ryder Has Struggled With Anxiety From A Young Age
Winona Ryder has been honest about her struggles with anxiety and Entertainment Weekly notes that she had to forgo her role in The Godfather III in 1990 because of anxiety attacks. This reportedly led to her voluntarily checking herself into a mental hospital. Not unlike other celebrities who deal with the same issue, Winona Ryder wanted to address her struggles in the hope of helping others.
"Since I've talked about my anxiety, I’ve gotten a really good response," she said. "Young women were grateful to learn that it happens to everybody, even to people they consider perfect people with perfect lives."
7 Winona Ryder Became A Household Name Thanks To 'Beetlejuice'
Winona Ryder starred in Tim Burton's 1988 film, Beetlejuice, which propelled her into stardom. She would later go on to work with Burton again for the 1990 film, Edward Scissorhands, and much later in her career they collaborated again. This time it was to do voice acting for Burton's 2012 animated film, Frankenweenie.
Speaking of the experience of working with Burton, Ryder told Collider, "Oh, it's always amazing! I'm trying to think of like new adjectives to use because it truly is just such a special experience, every time." She continued, "He's one of my favorite people, in the world, to be around, so it never really feels like work, in that way, even though it is very creative." High praise for the director, indeed!
6 Winona Ryder Had An Infamous Run-In With The Law
Perhaps one of the most infamous moments in Winona Ryder's youth was her run-in with the law in 2001. Despite being a successful actress at the time, she is reported to have stolen thousands of dollars worth of items from Saks Fifth Avenue in New York. Her actions could have resulted in the end of her career, and a lengthy lawsuit followed, resulting in her serving community service, paying a fine, and being sentenced to probation.
5 Winona Ryder's Split From Johnny Depp Had A Profound Effect On Her
One of Winona Ryder's most memorable relationships from her youth was with actor Johnny Depp. Of course, Depp has been the subject of a lot of controversies in recent years, particularly when it comes to his relationships. While his thing with Winona Ryder certainly gained a lot of attention, there's no doubt it was more positive... at least, for the short duration of their relationship
At one point, the couple even got engaged, so, it was a serious and committed relationship. However, it was not meant to be, and in 1993 they split.
Years later, in an online interview with Harper's Bazaar in 2022, the publication claims that Ryder hinted that her breakup, in addition to the "Hollywood culture" at the time, left her struggling. They state the combination of events "made life far darker for her than anyone knew."
4 Winona Ryder Was Considered A 90s 'It' Girl
Winona Ryder was a big star in the 90s and was considered an 'It' girl, but this attention came with many drawbacks and a lot of pressure. It is a title that she has not embraced, telling Yahoo! Movies, "I feel like, in retrospect, this '90s 'it' girl thing has come up, but at the time there were a lot of 'it' girls."
She also acknowledged how things have changed for young actresses in the present day, learning to navigate the industry with the growing pressure of social media. "I don't know if I was very young if I could go into it today with the way that it's changed and the instant access and the Internet and everything," she said.
3 Winona Ryder Needed Time Away From The Media
In the aftermath of her shoplifting arrest and the intense media attention that followed, Winona Ryder needed to take time away from the limelight. "I definitely retreated. I was in San Francisco. But I also wasn't getting offers. I think it was a very mutual break," she told Harper's Bazaar in 2022.
"It's so interesting when you look at the early aughts. It was a kind of cruel time," she continued. "There was a lot of meanness out there... And then I remember coming back to L.A. and — it was a rough time. And I didn't know if that part of my life was over."
2 Winona Ryder Felt Intense Pressure To Perform As A Young Actress
Working in Hollywood may seem like one of the most glamorous and rewarding jobs there is, but this is far from reality. Several celebrities have spoken about the pressures of the industry, including Winona Ryder. In the same Harper's Bazaar interview, she is quoted as saying, "This business is brutal. You're working constantly, but if you want to take a break, they tell you, 'If you slow down, it's going to stop.' And then it did slow down."
She continued, "So then you're hearing, 'It's going to be impossible to come back.' And then that changes to, 'You're not even part of the conversation.' Like, it was brutal."
1 Winona Ryder Was Celebrated For Her Style Statements
It was not just Winona Ryder's movie roles that were praised during the late eighties and nineties, but also her fashion choices. She was one of the hottest talents at the time, but she was also an individual, with people drawn to her because of this.
It has been reported that she was considered a "grunge icon" and stood out from other stars at the time because her style made a statement. In addition to this, it was also her choice of roles that set her apart as she was drawn to playing characters that many would consider outcasts and geeks.
