Winona Ryder
This natural beauty, has appeared in numerous films with the likes of Angelina Jolie and Cher. A Golden Globe winning and Academy Award nominated actress, Winona ’s genuine talent shines through in each and every role.
Winona Ryder was born on October 29th, 1971, in Olmsted County, Minnesota .
Living on a California commune without electricity or television from the age of seven until she was ten, Ryder’s early childhood was anything but typical. After the family moved to Petaluma, California, Winona began taking acting lessons at the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco.
After appearing in the 1986 film Lucas and the 1987 flick Square Dance, Ryder had her breakthrough role in Bettlejuice. The 1988 film, directed by Tim Burton, featured Ryder as , a gothic teenager who finds herself living in a haunted house and forging a strong personal relationship with the residing spirits. The film also starred Geena Davis, Alec Baldwin, and Michael Keaton.
Heathers, co-starring Christian Slater and Shannen Doherty, was Winona ’s next undertaking, followed by Great Balls of Fire, in which she played the child bride of Jerry Lee Lewis. In 1990, she again worked in a Tim Burton directed film; Edward Scissorhands, starring Johnny Depp. Mermaids and Welcome Home, Roxy Carmichael, both released in 1990, has her working with Cher , Christina Ricci, Bob Hoskins, and Jeff Daniels.
The 1990s were a productive decade for the now twenty-something Ryder. Taking on challenging and diverse roles, she appeared in Dracula, based on the novel by Bram Stoker; The Age of Innocence, directed by Martin Scorsese and co-starring Daniel Day Lewis and Michelle Pfeiffer; Little Women, starring Kirsten Dunst, Claire Danes, and Christian Bale; Reality Bites, starring Ben Stiller and Ethan Hawke; Girl, Interrupted, also starring Angelina Jolie; and the 2000 film Autumn in New York, in which she plays the much younger love interest of Richard Gere. The Age of Innocence earned her a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress as well as an Academy Award nomination, and the 1994 film Little Women also earned her a nod from the Academy.
The early to mid 2000s were a slow time for Winona . She appeared in two films in 2002, the romantic comedy Mr. Deeds starring Adam Sandler, and S1m0ne, which also featured screen legend Al Pacino.
Winona’s image was tarnished on December 12, 2001, when she was arrested for shoplifting merchandise from a Beverly Hills department store. During her trial, it was also alleged that she had dozens of illegally obtained prescriptions. She was convicted of grand theft and vandalism, and was sentenced to probation, community service, and was fined about ten thousand dollars in fines and restitution. In addition, she was ordered to attend psychological and drug counseling. In 2004, the charges were reduced from felonies to misdemeanors.
After a four year hiatus from film, it seems that Winona ’s career is now back on track. In 2006, she appeared in A Scanner Darkly, which also featured Keanu Reeves, Robert Downey Jr., and Woody Harrelson. She has three upcoming films slated for release, proving that her brief absence from film was just that, a relief to die-hard Ryder fans.
Winona seems to keep the juicy details of her personal life fairly private. She was engaged to actor Johnny Depp for several years, but the couple ultimately ended both the engagement and the relationship. Since her split from Depp, Ryder has been linked to Dave Pirner of the musical group Soul Asylum, actor Matt Damon, and vocalist Page Hamilton. |
