Few actresses in history have a more impressive body of work than Winona Ryder, and the interesting thing about her biggest projects is that many of them have maintained a rabid following in the years since their release. Heathers, Edward Scissorhands, and Beetlejuice are all considered classics.
One of her most notable movies to date is Girl, Interrupted, which also featured Angelina Jolie. Since that movie made its debut, Ryder has made sure to remain exceptionally busy, even landing a role on a massive television show.
Let’s see what Winona Ryder has been up to since Girl, Interrupted.
She’s Appeared In Comedies Like ‘Mr. Deeds’
Girl, Interrupted was certainly dark in tone, but Ryder had plenty of experience with all types of movies before being cast in the film. So, it shouldn’t be too surprising to see that Ryder was able to thrive in lighthearted roles after Girl, Interrupted made its presence felt in Hollywood back in 1999. In fact, she found some solid success in lighter movies in the years to follow.
Two years after Ryder appeared in Girl, Interrupted, she made a cameo appearance in Zoolander, which is a comedy that fans are still obsessed with. In 2002, Ryder starred alongside Adam Sandler in Mr. Deeds, which was a sizable hit at the box office. This came at a time when Sandler was a box office gold mine, and Ryder wound up delivering a great performance in the flick.
The Darwin Awards was a smaller comedy project that Ryder appeared in with performers like Ralph Fiennes and David Arquette. The star-studded Private Lives of Pippa Lee marked another comedy appearance for Ryder. Things by this point in her career had slowed down considerably from her peak, but she was still scoring consistent work.
As great as it was to see the actress in comedies, she also made sure to appear in darker films, as well.
She’s Done Serious Movies Like ‘Black Swan’
Angelina Jolie may have won the Oscar for her work in Girl, Interrupted, but there is no denying that Winona Ryder was great in the movie, too. She made sure to keep up her solid performances in films that followed. In fact, some of her more serious projects have featured exceptional performances.
When looking at her body of work, a few films stand out from the pack. A Scanner Darkly, Star Trek, and Black Swan immediately jump off the screen, and they show that the actress is willing to take part in projects of all tones and sizes. Ryder also appeared in the action thriller, Homefront, and she starred as Sasha Milgram in Experimenter. Sure, some of these films weren’t massive hits, but they showed the studios still had a vested interest in what the actress could bring to the table.
It has been a diverse body of work for Winona Ryder on the big screen, and the fans have been loving the work that she has turned in over the years. While the bulk of her focus has been in film, Ryder has left a lasting impression on the small screen thanks to what she has done in a show that turned into a cultural phenomenon.
She Starred As On Joyce ‘Stranger Things’
Back in 2016, Stranger Things made its debut on Netflix, and it took absolutely no time at all for the series to become a massive hit for the streaming giant. Fans loved the story and the lead characters, and having everything set in the 80s was simply the cherry on top. The casting of Ryder was a nice nod to her work in classic 80s flicks like Heathers, and she was a perfect match for her character.
When speaking about her time playing Joyce, Ryder said, “It’s certainly the first time I’d played a mother who is going through something like that. I’ve done emotional stuff before, but it was much different. It was challenging and a lot of work. I’m always super aware of little details — and they were really on it with the details, we had a great production designer.”
So far, Stranger Things has had 3 incredible seasons and has gone down as one of the most popular shows of its era. The folks behind the scenes have stated that the series could end after season 4 or 5, meaning that the show is more than halfway done. Once it reaches its end, it will certainly leave a lasting legacy while raising the bar for upcoming projects. Let’s just hope it sticks the landing.
Winona Ryder has seen and done it all during her time in Hollywood, and ever since Girl, Interrupted, she has stayed quite busy.