stood agents pushing scripts at her that she had no
understanding for—in particular, blockbuster mov-
ies featuring cookie-cutter characters. Instead, Ryder
strove for artistry and challenges in her roles in both
independent and major studio releases.
In 1990, Ryder starred in three movies:Welcome
Home, Roxy Carmichael,Edward Scissorhands, andMer-
maids. Exhaustion from working on those three films
forced her to withdraw her commitment to play Mi-
chael Corleone’s daughter inThe Godfather, Part III
(1990). Her work in the early 1990’s propelled her
into the spotlight for the rest of the decade. She
earned a Golden Globe nomination in 1991 for her
supporting role inMermaidsand a Golden Globe
Award in 1994 for her supporting role inAge of Inno-
cence(1993). She received Oscar nominations for
her supporting role inAge of Innocenceand for her
lead role inLittle Women(1994).
Her empathy for young women was reflected in
her dedication ofLittle Womento Polly Klaas, a girl
from Petaluma who was kidnapped and murdered.
Ryder offered a $200,000 reward for information on
Klaas’s abduction and persuaded Universal Studios
to have the premiere ofReality Bites(1994) benefit
the Polly Klaas Foundation. She narrated the
audiobook version ofAnne Frank: The Diar y of a Young
Girl—The Definitive Editionin 1995 and was nomi-
nated for a Grammy for her performance.
Set in Houston, Texas,Reality Bitesexplores the
angst of transition from college to adulthood that
twentysomethings experience. The movie influ-
enced Ryder’s personal appearance, as she took on a
grunge look while dating David Pirner of the rock
band Soul Asylum. She dressed for interviews in
frayed overalls and combat boots and immediately
became the icon of Generation X. Ryder was named
one of the “Top Players Under 35” byPeoplemaga-
zine in 1996 and one of the “50 Most Beautiful Peo-
ple” in 1997 by the same magazine.
Ryder read Susanna Kaysen’s 1993 memoir,Girl,
Interrupted, which tells the story of the author’s stay
at a mental hospital in the 1960’s, and felt an imme-
diate affinity with Kaysen. Ryder was too late to op-
tion the rights but was signed on to the project. She
starred in the 1999 film and was its executive pro-
ducer.Impact Ryder’s ability to transform from tomboy to
androgyne to ingénue indicates her broad range
offscreen and onscreen, thus rendering her one of
the greatest actresses of her generation.Further Reading
UsMagazine.Winona Ryder. Boston: Little, Brown,- An oversized collection of interviews, maga-
zine profiles, and photographs of Ryder.
“Winona Ryder.”Current Biography. New York: H. W.
Wilson, 1994. A standard biography of the actor
covering her career up to 1994.
Rebecca Tolley-Stokes
See also Academy Awards; Fashions and clothing;
Film in the United States; Grunge fashion; Indepen-
dent films; Klaas kidnapping and murder case.The Nineties in America Ryder, Winona 739