Winona Ryder's Decades-Long Obsession with This Acclaimed Director
The Stranger Things star reveals her lifelong fascination with a filmmaker whose work shaped her understanding of human complexity and emotional storytelling in cinema.
Winona Ryder stands apart in Hollywood. Her ability to channel raw emotion through subtle facial expressions has made her irreplaceable across decades of filmmaking. From the heartbreaking vulnerability she brought to Kim in Edward Scissorhands to the fierce maternal instincts of Joyce Byers in Stranger Things, Ryder transforms ordinary characters into unforgettable ones.
The Duffer brothers discovered this firsthand when casting their hit Netflix series. Joyce wasn't compelling on paper until Ryder stepped in. "She's such a unique actress that we wanted to lean into her skill set," Matt Duffer explained. "So she became Richard Dreyfuss in Close Encounters [of the Third Kind], and that's where we came up with all the Christmas light stuff. I don't know if any of that would have existed had Winona said no to the role."
The Director Who Captured Her Heart
Ryder's distinctive approach to acting stems from her deep appreciation for cinema that explores human fragility. One filmmaker has particularly influenced her worldview: John Sayles. "I'm obsessed with John Sayles movies, and I always have been," Ryder told Interview magazine.
She discovered his work during her teenage years, gravitating toward films like Matewan, Lone Star, and Passion Fish. "I specifically remember Matewan because it was such a gorgeously shot movie and also completely devastating," she recalled. "It's about so many different things that are all haunting and fascinating and terrifying and human. God, I miss that in movies these days."
Finding Beauty in Contradiction
Sayles' films resonate with Ryder because they capture what she values most: human contradictions paired with stunning visuals. This combination appears throughout her own career choices, where she consistently seeks roles that showcase the complexity of female characters.
Her emotional intelligence on screen reflects years of studying films that refuse to simplify the human experience. Ryder doesn't just act; she channels the multifaceted nature of real people, complete with their flaws and inconsistencies.
This approach explains why casting directors continue seeking her out. She brings depth to characters that might otherwise feel flat or predictable. Whether playing a troubled teenager or a desperate mother, Ryder finds the authentic emotional core that makes audiences care.