Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Winona Ryder
From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Winona Ryder made an impact.
Winona Ryder, born Winona Laura Horowitz, is a celebrated American actress. She gained prominence in the late 1980s playing unconventional roles and solidified her career with powerful dramatic performances throughout the 1990s. Ryder has received numerous awards including a Golden Globe and has been nominated for two Academy Awards, a BAFTA Award, and a Grammy Award, marking her significant contributions to the entertainment industry.
1969: Appearance in 1969
In 1988, Winona Ryder appeared alongside Kiefer Sutherland and Robert Downey Jr. in 1969, a drama about the Vietnam War.
1985: Videotaped Audition for Desert Bloom
In 1985, Winona Ryder sent a videotaped audition, reciting a monologue from Franny and Zooey by J.D. Salinger, to appear in the film Desert Bloom. She was not cast.
1986: Hair Color Change for Lucas
At the time of her audition for the 1986 film Lucas, Winona Ryder's hair had been dyed black, and the filmmakers asked her to keep it that way for the role.
1986: Film Debut in Lucas
In 1986, Winona Ryder made her film debut in Lucas. This marked the beginning of her career in the film industry.
1987: Starring in Square Dance
In 1987, Winona Ryder starred in Square Dance, where she played a teenage character creating a bridge between a traditional farm and a large city. She won acclaim for her performance.
1988: Starring in Beetlejuice
In 1988, Winona Ryder starred in Tim Burton's film Beetlejuice as a goth teenager whose family moves to a haunted house. The film was a box office success.
1989: Starring in Heathers
In 1989, Ryder starred in Heathers. This was another major part in her career.
1989: Starring in Heathers and Great Balls of Fire!
In 1989, Winona Ryder starred in the independent film Heathers, a satirical take on teenage life. She also starred in the biopic Great Balls of Fire!, playing Jerry Lee Lewis's 13-year-old bride.
1990: Offer for The Freshman Rescinded
In 1990, Winona Ryder had an offer to co-star in The Freshman rescinded because the production team was offended by the controversial subject matter of Heathers.
1990: Starring in Edward Scissorhands and Mermaids
In 1990, Winona Ryder had major parts in Edward Scissorhands and Mermaids, furthering her career.
1990: Starring Roles in Edward Scissorhands, Mermaids, and Welcome Home, Roxy Carmichael
In 1990, Winona Ryder starred in Edward Scissorhands with Johnny Depp, Mermaids with Cher and Christina Ricci, and Welcome Home, Roxy Carmichael with Jeff Daniels.
1991: Starring in Night on Earth
In 1991, Winona Ryder played a young taxicab driver in Jim Jarmusch's independent film Night on Earth.
November 1992: Premiere of Bram Stoker's Dracula
In November 1992, Bram Stoker's Dracula, directed by Francis Ford Coppola and starring Winona Ryder, premiered to critical and commercial success. Ryder played the dual role of Mina Murray and Princess Elisabeta.
1992: Expressed willingness to appear in Beetlejuice sequel
As early as 1992, Winona Ryder had expressed her willingness to appear in a sequel to Beetlejuice.
1992: Starring in Bram Stoker's Dracula
In 1992, Winona Ryder starred in Bram Stoker's Dracula.
October 1993: Release and Acclaim for The Age of Innocence
In October 1993, The Age of Innocence, starring Winona Ryder, was released and received critical praise. Ryder won a Golden Globe and received Academy Award and BAFTA nominations for her role as May Welland.
October 1993: Release of The House of the Spirits
In October 1993, The House of the Spirits, starring Winona Ryder alongside Meryl Streep, Jeremy Irons, and Antonio Banderas, was released. It was poorly reviewed and a box-office flop.
1993: Oscar Nomination for The Age of Innocence
In 1993, Winona Ryder earned an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her portrayal in The Age of Innocence.
1993: Offered reward for return of Polly Klaas
In 1993, Winona Ryder offered a $200,000 reward in hopes that it would lead to the safe return of kidnapped child Polly Klaas.
1994: Dedicated 'Little Women' performance to Polly Klaas
After Polly Klaas's death, Winona Ryder dedicated her performance as Jo in the 1994 film adaptation of Little Women to Klaas's memory.
1994: Oscar Nomination for Little Women
In 1994, Winona Ryder earned an Oscar nomination for Best Actress for her portrayal in Little Women.
1994: Starring in Reality Bites and Little Women
In 1994, Winona Ryder starred in Reality Bites, a Generation X drama, and Little Women, an adaptation of Louisa May Alcott's novel. She also made a guest appearance in The Simpsons episode "Lisa's Rival".
1995: Starring in How to Make an American Quilt
In 1995, Ryder had a starring role in How to Make an American Quilt.
1995: Starring in How to Make an American Quilt and Narrating Anne Frank's Diary
In 1995, Winona Ryder starred in How to Make an American Quilt and narrated Anne Frank's The Diary of a Young Girl, earning a Grammy Award nomination for the narration.
1996: Film Appearances in Boys, Looking for Richard, and The Crucible
In 1996, Winona Ryder appeared in several films, including Boys, which was a box office failure. She also starred in Looking for Richard and The Crucible, both of which had mixed success. Her performance in The Crucible was praised, despite the film's commercial failure.
1996: Starring in The Crucible
In 1996, Winona Ryder starred in The Crucible, adding to her list of acting credits.
1996: Development of Girl, Interrupted film
In late 1996, development began for the film "Girl, Interrupted," based on the memoir by Susanna Kaysen, in which Winona Ryder would eventually star and serve as executive producer. Filming took time to begin.
1997: Starring in Alien Resurrection
In 1997, Ryder starred in Alien Resurrection.
1997: Starring in Alien Resurrection and ShoWest Award
In 1997, Winona Ryder starred as an android in Alien Resurrection, which grossed $161 million worldwide and earned her a Blockbuster Entertainment Award. At the 1997 ShoWest event, she also received the 'Female Star of the Year' award.
1998: Performance in The Vagina Monologues, Celebrity, and Other Appearances
In 1998, Winona Ryder performed in Eve Ensler's play The Vagina Monologues on Valentine's Day. She also starred in Woody Allen's film Celebrity and appeared in the music video for Jon Spencer Blues Explosion's song "Talk About the Blues". Additionally, Ryder narrated Survivors: Testimonies of the Holocaust, a CD-ROM, and served on the jury at the Cannes Film Festival in 1998.
1998: Starring in Celebrity
In 1998, Winona Ryder starred in Celebrity, continuing her acting career.
1999: Starring in Girl, Interrupted
In 1999, Ryder starred in Girl, Interrupted.
1999: Starring in and Executive Producing Girl, Interrupted
In 1999, Winona Ryder starred in and served as an executive producer for Girl, Interrupted, based on Susanna Kaysen's memoir. She played Kaysen, who has borderline personality disorder. Also in 1999, Ryder was parodied in South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut and started her own music company, Roustabout Studios.
May 18, 2002: Hosting Saturday Night Live
On May 18, 2002, Winona Ryder hosted Saturday Night Live.
2003: Appearance in Marc Jacobs' Advertising Campaign
Following media attention on her courtroom appearances in Marc Jacobs clothing, Winona Ryder appeared in Jacobs' Spring 2003 advertising campaign.
2004: Release of The Day My God Died
In 2004, Winona Ryder co-produced and co-narrated the documentary The Day My God Died, which focuses on international child sex trafficking.
2004: Inability to be Cast in Melinda and Melinda due to insurance issues
In 2004, Woody Allen wanted to cast Winona Ryder in his film Melinda and Melinda but was unable to do so because he couldn't get insurance on her due to past issues.
2005: Co-producing and Co-narrating The Day My God Died
In 2005, Winona Ryder co-produced and co-narrated the documentary The Day My God Died, which focuses on international child sex trafficking.
2006: Career Return with Independent Films
In 2006, Winona Ryder made a career return with appearances in several independent films, including The Darwin Awards and A Scanner Darkly.
2007: Appearances in The Ten, Sex and Death 101 and other works
In 2007, Winona Ryder appeared in David Wain's comedy The Ten, the black comedy Sex and Death 101, the short horror film Welcome, and the music video for "We're All Stuck Out In The Desert" by Jonathan Rice.
2008: Roles in The Last Word, The Informers, and Star Trek
In 2008, Winona Ryder played the female lead in The Last Word, starred in The Informers, and appeared in J.J. Abrams's Star Trek as Spock's mother, Amanda Grayson. Media outlets noted her return to film during this time.
2009: Appearance in Star Trek
In 2009, Winona Ryder returned to acting with a smaller appearance in the film Star Trek.
2009: Starring in The Private Lives of Pippa Lee
In 2009, Winona Ryder starred alongside Robin Wright and Julianne Moore in Rebecca Miller's The Private Lives of Pippa Lee.
2010: Appearance in Black Swan and When Love Is Not Enough
In 2010, Winona Ryder appeared in Black Swan and portrayed Lois Wilson in the Hallmark television film When Love Is Not Enough.
2011: Appearance in The Dilemma
In 2011, Winona Ryder had a smaller appearance in the film The Dilemma.
2011: Roles in Black Swan, Stay Cool, When Love Is Not Enough, and The Dilemma
In 2011, Winona Ryder played an aging ballet star in Black Swan and starred in Stay Cool and When Love Is Not Enough: The Lois Wilson Story, for which she was nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award. She also appeared in The Dilemma.
2012: Roles in The Iceman, The Letter, Frankenweenie and Hosting TCM
In 2012, Winona Ryder played Deborah Kuklinski in The Iceman, appeared in The Letter, reunited with Tim Burton for Frankenweenie, and guest-hosted on TCM.
November 2013: Expressed willingness to appear in Beetlejuice sequel
In November 2013, Winona Ryder expressed her willingness to appear in a sequel to Beetlejuice, provided that Burton and Keaton were involved.
2013: Appearances in Homefront and Drunk History
In 2013, Winona Ryder appeared in the action thriller Homefront and in a segment of the Comedy Central television series Drunk History called "Boston," playing Mary Dyer.
2014: Appeared in 'Show Me a Hero'
In 2014, Winona Ryder appeared in the HBO miniseries 'Show Me a Hero'.
2014: Appearance in Drunk History and Turks & Caicos
In 2014, Winona Ryder appeared in the second season of Drunk History as Peggy Shippen, and in the British television film Turks & Caicos. She also modeled in the Fall advertising campaign of Rag & Bone.
August 2015: Confirmed reprisal of role in Beetlejuice sequel
In August 2015, Winona Ryder confirmed that she would reprise her role in the Beetlejuice sequel.
October 2015: Release of Experimenter
In October 2015, Experimenter, a biopic starring Winona Ryder as the wife of Stanley Milgram, was released to positive reviews.
July 2016: Premiere of Stranger Things Season 1
In July 2016, the first season of the Netflix science fiction-horror series Stranger Things, starring Winona Ryder as Joyce Byers, premiered to critical acclaim.
2016: Advertisements for Marc Jacobs
In 2016, Winona Ryder appeared in advertisements for Marc Jacobs, both for their cosmetics and for their spring collection.
2016: Starring in Stranger Things
Since 2016, Winona Ryder has played Joyce Byers on the Netflix series Stranger Things, earning her a third Golden Globe nomination.
October 2017: Release of Stranger Things Season 2
In October 2017, the second season of the Netflix series Stranger Things, starring Winona Ryder, was released.
2018: Appeared in 'Destination Wedding', L'Oréal commercial, and H&M campaign
In 2018, Winona Ryder appeared in the film Destination Wedding, alongside Keanu Reeves. She also starred in a L'Oréal shampoo commercial and in H&M's spring collection campaign with Elizabeth Olsen in 2018.
July 2019: Release of Stranger Things Season 3
In July 2019, the third season of the Netflix series Stranger Things, starring Winona Ryder, was released.
September 2020: Resumption of Filming for Stranger Things Season 4
In September 2020, filming for the fourth season of Stranger Things, starring Winona Ryder, resumed after being halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
2020: Starred in Squarespace Super Bowl commercial and 'The Plot Against America'
In 2020, Winona Ryder appeared in Squarespace's Super Bowl commercial. Later in 2020, she starred in 'The Plot Against America', an HBO limited series based on Philip Roth's novel.
2020: Starring in The Plot Against America
In 2020, Winona Ryder starred in the HBO miniseries The Plot Against America.
2021: Reprised role in Edward Scissorhands Super Bowl ad and starred in 'Gone in the Night'
In 2021, Winona Ryder reprised her role as Kim Boggs in Edward Scissorhands in a Super Bowl ad for Cadillac. Also in 2021, her next film 'Gone in the Night', co-starring Dermot Mulroney, was released.
May 27, 2022: Premiere of Stranger Things Season 4, Volume 1
On May 27, 2022, the first volume of the fourth season of Stranger Things, starring Winona Ryder, premiered.
July 1, 2022: Premiere of Stranger Things Season 4, Volume 2
On July 1, 2022, the second volume of the fourth season of Stranger Things, starring Winona Ryder, premiered.
2023: 'Beetlejuice Beetlejuice' filming wrapped up
In late 2023, the filming for the sequel 'Beetlejuice Beetlejuice' wrapped up.
October 2024: Release of 'Beetlejuice Beetlejuice'
In October 2024, the sequel to Beetlejuice titled 'Beetlejuice Beetlejuice' was released.
2024: Starring in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
In 2024, Winona Ryder starred in the comedy horror sequel Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.
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