0
0
Winona Ryder is an American actress with a career that has spanned since the 1990s. Ryder has done it all and showed diverse acting skills and range through her years. She has received many accolades for her performances from a Golden Globe Award, in addition to nominations for a Grammy Award, a BAFTA Award, and two Academy Awards. Even when her career took a decline, she returned better than ever in the iconic Netflix series, Stranger Things.
Lydia Deetz- Beetlejuice (1988)
In Tim Burton’s classic horror comedy film about a married couple named the Maitlands. The Maitlands die in a crash and a forced to haunt their home to live in peace. Things become complicated when a new couple who wont leave decides to move in. Ryder plays Lydia, a goth-girl teen daughter of the family and is able to communicate with the Maitlands. Ryder stone faced but funny even if she calls upon the title character to help. She also has an epic dance scene at the end.
Abigail Williams- The Crucible (1996)
If there was a role that I couldn’t stand Ryder, it was definitely Abigail Williams in the Crucible. Playing a real-life person, Williams was a 11- or 12-year-old girl who was the first among to falsely accuse her neighbors of witchcraft. Homegirl set off the infamous Salem witch trials. Ryder showed the craziness of the girl while trying to get the love of John Proctor. Bravo to Ryder to showing the insanity of her character and trying to get out with being hanged.
Joyce Byers- Stranger Things (2016–present)
In the hit TV shows on Netflix, Stranger Things, Ryder plays Joyce, a single mother who son mysteriously disappears. Ryder is funny yet intense as Joyce. Each season she becomes more involved in what is happening in her small town. I love Ryder in this role because she tells it how it is, not afraid to tell Hopper or anyone off and is the major mother figure in the whole show.
Veronica Sawyer- Heathers (1988)
Ryder is funny in this classic and iconic film as Veronica Sawyer. She is part of the “Heathers” clique even though her name isn’t Heather. The film gets crazy when Veronica falls for new kid Jason Dean who is played by freakin Christian Slater. Their dislike for the Heathers goes from 0 to 100 as they plan revenge. Ryder is funny in this high school comedy with monologues and crazy plan.
Kim Boggs- Edward Scissorhands (1990)
In Tim Burton’s classic and strange film, it tells the story of an unfinished artificial humanoid who has scissor blades instead of hands. The story is a love story where Edward falls in love with Kim. Ryder is fun to watch as the blonde, white dress flowing Kim who is opposite to the dark cloth wearing Edward. Ryder is fantastic as her older version telling a story to her grandchildren, I think.
May Welland- The Age of Innocence (1993)
Who would’ve ever thought that Martin Scorsese would make a romance drama? I sure didn’t. The film is a retelling of a courtship and marriage between Newland Archer, played by the great Daniel Day-Lewis, and May Welland. Ryder was excellent as May which helped her receive her first ever Best Supporting Actress nomination.
Josephine “Jo” March- Little Women (1994)
Little Women has had more adaptations than Batman. I think this is the fifth adaptation of the classic book with a sixth one coming out in 2018. Leading the way was Ryder as Jo March. Ryder was nominated for her second Academy Award but this time as Best Actress. The book/film revolves around women’s issues and Ryder was great at Jo as the passionate writer. Ryder seemed to be on another level in this film.
Beth MacIntyre/The Dying Swan- Black Swan (2010)
Nothing like a spiteful former actress/dancer watching her role and job going to a younger dancer. In Darren Aronofsky’s psychological film about a ballerina named Nina who won the role of both the Black and White Swan, her mind slowly goes into madness as her reality becomes madness. Ryder plays Beth, the former ballerina who is forced into retirement, you can see the spitefulness in her face and tone. Even though the role was short, Ryder was great in it.
Wilhelmina “Mina” Murray- Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992)
In the Francis Ford Coppola, Ryder plays Mina Murray, the love interest of both Jonathan Harker and the legendary vampire, Count Dracula. Ryder was good in her role. She was way better than some of the other actors who went way over the top. She played Mina as the naive girl who wanted to be in love with Jonathan, but fate seemed to pull her in the form of Dracula.
Susanna Kaysen- Girl, Interrupted (1999)
Ryder has the lead and starring role as Susanna Kaysen who spends around 18 months in a psychiatric hospital after trying to commit suicide. Winona Ryder as Susanna Kaysen was okay. She didn’t command the screen as the title character. I found her character more annoying than anything else. Ryder was upstaged by the performance of Jolie.
