When telephoned to ask how winona ryder 'd like to have winona ryder name appear on the credits, winona ryder suggested Ryder as winona ryder father's Mitch Ryder album was playing the background. Ryder was selected for the part of Mary Corleone in Godfather: Part III, The (1990), but had to drop out of the role after catching the flu from the strain of doing the films Welcome Home, Roxy Carmichael (1990) and Mermaids (1990) back to back. winona ryder said winona ryder didn't want to let everyone down by doing a substandard performance. Others have suggested that winona ryder pulled out from the part because of problems with boyfriend Johnny Depp, with whom winona ryder had been going out since winona ryder was 17. Depp got a tattoo saying "winona ryder Forever" put on his biceps. winona ryder was set to film Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992) as a TV movie with Michael Apted, but took the script to Francis Coppola and he agreed to film it. winona ryder later made Age of Innocence, The (1993) which was directed by Martin Scorsese, who winona ryder believes to be "the best director in the world".

This talented actress has graced the screen and entertainment news for the past two decades, thanks to winona ryder roles in more than 20 films and winona ryder comprehensive dating history, which is probably just as long as winona ryder movie credits. Winona Laura Horowitz was born October 29, 1971, in Winona, Minnesota (hence winona ryder first name). The daughter of Michael and Cindy Horowitz, hippy, free-spirited parents to say the least, Winona's surroundings and childhood were far from normal. The Horowitz family relocated to an electricity-free commune in Northern, California, where Winona's siblings (Sunyata, Jubal and Uri) did not have the luxury of television. Young winona ryder instead watched films at a movie theatre that winona ryder mother ran on a barn, and delved into literature. Watching classic films piqued the young girl's interest in becoming an actress, while winona ryder fascination with Holden Caulfield, the alienated hero from The Catcher in the Rye, was almost a hint of Winona's childhood and alternative film roles.

When winona ryder was eight, winona ryder parents decided to move back to city-life in Petaluma, California. Thin and tomboyish, winona ryder was bullied by thugs her first week of school, who mistook her for an effeminate, scrawny boy. This incident led to winona ryder being home-schooled and eventually studying at the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco.

While performing on the American Conservatory Theater stage, winona ryder was spotted by talent scouts who wanted her to audition for a role in Desert Bloom, starring legendary actor Jon Voight. winona ryder did not get the part, but her tape made its way to Triad Artists. Thanks to the agency, winona ryder was cast in the 1986 film Lucas. Though it was not a very successful film, it was a milestone in Winona's career as it was the first time that the actress was credited as winona ryder (after a Mitch Ryder album her father owned), at her request.

Several forgettable films followed, and winona ryder finally became recognized after her role in the 1988 Tim Burton comedy, Beetlejuice. Her role as the ghost-friendly, dark teen marked the beginning of a string of dark roles for Winona, all of which winona ryder portrayed to a tee. Heathers, in which winona ryder plays an equally dark role in an even darker movie, can be considered the favorite film among winona ryder fans. After her performance in Great Balls of Fire!, winona ryder teamed up with Tim Burton again in what can be considered one of her most memorable parts, as the love interest of the freak in the off-beat Edward Scissorhands. winona ryder starred as Cher's daughter that same year in Mermaids

winona ryder was then on to the next chapter of her life, on to more mature roles and period films. After her role in the independent film, Night on Earth, winona ryder was cast as what could have been another career defining role -- Michael Corleone's daughter in The Godfather, Part III. Unfortunately for winona ryder and the film, the actress had to withdraw from the project due to a respiratory infection. winona ryder signed with Creative Artists Agency, and found the script for the Francis Ford Coppola vehicle Bram Stoker's Dracula. winona ryder approached the legendary director and was cast in the film as the love interest of the bloodsucking count. winona ryder was all grown up and her career was on the fly.

Donning corsets once again, winona ryder next starred in The Age of Innocence, co-starring Daniel Day Lewis. Her work garnered her a Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination. After having returned to modern times as a Gen-Xer in Reality Bites, winona ryder went back to latter day films, with adaptations of The House of Spirits and Little Women, which garnered her a Best Actress Oscar nomination. winona ryder dedicated Little Women to Polly Klaas, a girl from her hometown who was kidnapped and killed.

After roles in the female-bonding flick How to Make an American Quilt; Al Pacino's Looking for Richard; the adaptation of The Crucible; a visit in space with Alien Resurrection; and Woody Allen's star-studded Celebrity co-starring Leo DiCaprio, Famke Janssen and Charlize Theron, winona ryder starred and acted as executive producer in this year's film adaptation of Girl, Interrupted, co-starring the pouty-lipped Angelina Jolie. Although winona ryder has been in the Hollywood scene since the mid-80's, winona ryder only made her first talk show appearance recently on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, to promote Girl, Interrupted.

winona ryder was recently seen co-starring in the tearjerker romance Autumn in New York, co-starring the much-older Richard Gere, and can soon be seen in the thriller Lost Souls. Named one of People Magazine's 50 Most Beautiful People in the World in 1997, it's safe to say that not only People finds winona ryder beautiful, considering the long list of boyfriends and flames winona ryder has had. The actress had a three-year engagement to Johnny Depp, a long courtship with David Pirner, and has dated Christian Slater, Daniel Day Lewis, David Duchovny, Chris Noth, Matt Damon, and Beck... to name a few. There is more to be said about winona ryder than winona ryder beauty; winona ryder wide variety of movie roles, off-screen charm and talent explain winona ryder long-term appeal. What else do you need to know?

Filmography
2002 MTV Movie Awards (2002) (TV) .... Presenter
S1m0ne (2002) .... Nicola Anders
Mr. Deeds (2002) .... Babe Bennett/Pam Dawson
Zoolander (2001) (uncredited) .... Herself
... aka Zoolander (2001) (Germany)
73rd Annual Academy Awards, The (2001) (TV) (uncredited) .... Herself
Lost Souls (2000) .... Maya Larkin
Autumn in New York (2000) .... Charlotte Fielding
Girl, Interrupted (1999) .... Susanna Kaysen
... aka Durchgeknallt (2000) (Germany)
Celebrity (1998) .... Nola
"From the Earth to the Moon" (1998) (mini) TV Series (uncredited) .... Susan Borman's party guest (Episode 11)
Alien: Resurrection (1997) .... Annalee Call
... aka Alien 4 (1997)
American Film Institute Salute to Martin Scorsese, The (1997) (TV) .... Guest
Crucible, The (1996) .... Abigail 'Abby' Williams
Looking for Richard (1996) .... Lady Anne/Herself
Boys (1996) .... Patty Vare
How to Make an American Quilt (1995) .... Finn Dodd
Little Women (1994) .... Jo March
Reality Bites (1994) .... Lelaina Pierce
House of the Spirits, The (1993) .... Blanca
... aka Casa dos Espíritos, A (1993) (Portugal)
... aka Geisterhaus, Das (1993) (Germany)
... aka Åndernes hus (1993) (Denmark)
Age of Innocence, The (1993) .... May Welland/Archer
Dracula (1992) .... Mina Murray/Elisabeta
... aka Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992) (USA: complete title)
Night on Earth (1991) .... Corky
... aka Une nuit sur terre (1991) (France)
Mermaids (1990) .... Charlotte Flax
Edward Scissorhands (1990) .... Kim Boggs
Welcome Home, Roxy Carmichael (1990) .... Dinky Bossetti
Great Balls of Fire! (1989) .... Myra Gale Lewis
Heathers (1989) .... Veronica Sawyer
1969 (1989) .... Beth
Beetlejuice (1988) .... Lydia Deitz
Square Dance (1987) .... Gemma
... aka Home Is Where the Heart Is (1987) (USA: TV title)
Lucas (1986) .... Rina

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