Winona Ryder
Biography
Winona Ryder, born Winona Laura Horowitz on October 29, 1971, in Winona, Minnesota, is an American actress. Known professionally by her stage name, she is recognized for her extensive work in film and television, with 99 known acting credits. Throughout her career, she has garnered significant industry recognition, including a Golden Globe Award and two Academy Award nominations. Ryder has established herself as a prominent figure in the entertainment industry, transitioning from early character-driven roles to major performances throughout the 1990s and beyond. Her professional identity is defined by a diverse body of work that has earned her critical acclaim and a lasting presence in both cinema and television.
Career overview
Winona Ryder made her film debut in the 1986 production Lucas. She first gained widespread attention for her performance in the 1988 film Beetlejuice, directed by Tim Burton. Following this breakthrough, she rose to further prominence by securing major roles in several notable films throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s, including Heathers in 1989, and both Mermaids and Edward Scissorhands in 1990. Her performance in Bram Stoker's Dracula in 1992 continued this trajectory of high-profile work.
Ryder is noted for her ability to portray a wide range of characters, having initially gained recognition for taking on quirky roles early in her career. This foundation allowed her to move into more prominent roles as her career progressed through the 1990s. Her work during this period earned her critical acclaim, most notably resulting in two consecutive Academy Award nominations for her acting performances. With a career spanning several decades, Ryder remains an established American actress with a significant portfolio of credits.
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Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Full filmography
- Stranger Things: Tales from '85 (2026) Thanks
- One Last Adventure: The Making of Stranger Things 5 (2026) as Self (uncredited)
- Tim Burton: Life in the Line (2025) as Self
- Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024) as Lydia
- Tim Burton: Life in the Line (2024) as Self
- Haunted Mansion (2023) as Pat (uncredited)
- Gone in the Night (2022) as Kath
- Winona Ryder: The Ghosts She Called (2022) as Self - Actress (archive footage)
- The Mojo Manifesto: The Life and Times of Mojo Nixon (2022) as Self
- Hannibal Hopkins & Sir Anthony (2021) as Self (archive footage)
- The Plot Against America (2020) as Evelyn Finkel
- Sarah Cooper: Everything's Fine (2020) as Lacey Groin
- Destination Wedding (2018) as Lindsay
- Stranger Things (2016) as Joyce Byers
- Author: The JT LeRoy Story (2016) as Herself
- Hot Ones (2015) as Self
- Show Me a Hero (2015) as Vinni Restiano
- Experimenter (2015) as Alexandra "Sasha" Milgram
- Dr. Feelgood (2015) as Self (archive footage)
- Late Night with Seth Meyers (2014) as Self - Guest
- Turks & Caicos (2014) as Melanie Fall
- Scorsese's Women (2014) as Mask
- Drunk History (2013) as Mary Dyer
- Homefront (2013) as Sheryl Marie Mott
- Frankenweenie (2012) as Elsa Van Helsing (voice)
- The Iceman (2012) as Deborah Kuklinski
- The Letter (2012) as Martine Jamison
- Ben Lee: Catch My Disease (2012) as Self
- Stay Cool (2011) as Scarlet Smith
- The Dilemma (2011) as Geneva Brannen
- Black Swan: Metamorphosis (2011) as Self
- Black Swan: Metamorphosis (2011) Thanks
- Black Swan (2010) as Beth Macintyre / The Dying Swan
- When Love Is Not Enough: The Lois Wilson Story (2010) as Lois Wilson
- Late Night with Jimmy Fallon (2009) as Self - Guest
- Star Trek (2009) as Amanda Grayson
- The Private Lives of Pippa Lee (2009) as Sandra Dulles
- Water Pills (2009) as Carrie
- The Informers (2008) as Cheryl Moore
- The Last Word (2008) as Charlotte Morris
- Sex and Death 101 (2007) as Death Nell / Gillian De Raisx (#101)
- The Darwin Awards (2007) as Siri Taylor
- Welcome (2007) as Cynthia
- The Ten (2007) as Kelly La Fonda
- The Blood Is the Life: The Making of 'Bram Stoker's Dracula' (2007) as Self (archive footage)
- Voom Portraits (2007) as Self
- Marc Jacobs & Louis Vuitton (2007) as Self
- A Scanner Darkly (2006) as Donna Hawthorne
- One Summer in Austin: The Story of Filming 'A Scanner Darkly' (2006) as Self / Donna
- The Weight of the Line: Animation Tales (2006) as Self
- Nos Bastidores de Hollywood (2005) as Self (archive footage)
- Linklater: St. Richard of Austin (2004) as Self
- The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things (2004) as Psychologist
- Cabin Fever: Beneath the Skin (2004) as (archive footage) (uncredited)
- The Ellen DeGeneres Show (2003) as Self
- One Step Beyond: The Making of Alien Resurrection (2003) as Self
- Declaration of Independence (2003) as Self
- The Day My God Died (2003) as Narrator (voice)
- The Day My God Died (2003) Producer
- 101 Most Shocking Moments in Entertainment (2003) as Self (archive footage)
- Celebrities Uncensored (2003) as Self
- Mr. Deeds (2002) as Babe Bennett
- S1m0ne (2002) as Nicola Anders
- Zoolander (2001) as Winona Ryder (uncredited)
- Swatch Dogs and Diet Coke Heads (2001) as Self
- Lost Souls (2000) as Maya Larkin
- Autumn in New York (2000) as Charlotte Fielding
- Girl, Interrupted (1999) as Susanna
- Girl, Interrupted (1999) Executive Producer
- Strangers with Candy (1999) as Fran
- Celebrity (1998) as Nola
- The Entertainment Biz (1998) as Self
- Alien Resurrection (1997) as Call
- The Crucible (1996) as Abigail Williams
- Looking for Richard (1996) as Self / Lady Anne
- Boys (1996) as Patty Vare
- E! True Hollywood Story (1996) as Self
- Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist (1995) as Winona (voice)
- Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist (1995) Additional Writing
- How to Make an American Quilt (1995) as Finn Dodd
- Friends (1994) as Melissa Warburton
- Little Women (1994) as Jo March
- Reality Bites (1994) as Lelaina Pierce
- The Age of Innocence (1993) as May Welland
- The House of the Spirits (1993) as Blanca Trueba
- Innocence and Experience: The Making of 'The Age of Innocence' (1993) as Self
- The Larry Sanders Show (1992) as Winona Ryder
- Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992) as Mina Murray / Elisabeta
- Blood Lines: Dracula - The Man, The Myth, The Movies (1992) as Self
- Night on Earth (1991) as Corky
- Edward Scissorhands (1990) as Kim
- Mermaids (1990) as Charlotte Flax
- Welcome Home, Roxy Carmichael (1990) as Dinky Bossetti
- The Making of Edward Scissorhands (1990) as Self
- The Simpsons (1989) as Allison Taylor (voice)
- Heathers (1989) as Veronica Sawyer
- Great Balls of Fire! (1989) as Myra Gale Brown
- Beetlejuice (1988) as Lydia
- 1969 (1988) as Beth Carr
- Square Dance (1987) as Gemma
- Lucas (1986) as Rina
- Saturday Night Live (1975) as Self - Host
- Saturday Night Live (1975) as Self (uncredited)
- The Oscars (1953) as Self