Winona Ryder

Winona Ryder Profile Photo

Characters played by Winona Ryder

Joyce Byers — Stranger Things (2016)

Will Byers's mother who leads the search for him in season one. She dates Bob Newby in season two, learns that Hopper survived, and helps rescue him from a Soviet gulag in season four. Hopper eventually proposes to her after the final season's events.

Lydia — Beetlejuice (1988)

Gothic teenager who can see the dead, becomes key to the Maitlands.

Kim — Edward Scissorhands (1990)

The teenage daughter of Peg and Bill Boggs. She forms a deep, romantic bond with Edward, dancing in the ice snow he creates and ultimately breaking up with her jealous boyfriend Jim to be with Edward. She defends Edward against false accusations, confesses her love, and accepts their tragic separation. In the present timeline, she is revealed as the elderly narrator who still hopes Edward is alive and watching over her.

Amanda Grayson — Star Trek (2009)

Human mother of Spock, advocates for balance between logic and emotion.

Mina Murray / Elisabeta — Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992)

Jonathan Harker's fiancée and the reincarnation of Dracula's deceased wife, Elisabeta. She travels to London, forms an emotional connection with Dracula, and is forcibly transformed into a vampire. Despite being hunted, she retains her love for him and ultimately grants him peace by killing him, freeing herself from the curse and witnessing his spiritual reunion with Elisabeta.

Lydia — Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024)

Paranormal talk show host and estranged mother with psychic abilities.

Beth Macintyre / The Dying Swan — Black Swan (2010)

Beth Macintyre is the company’s current featured dancer before Thomas Leroy forces her into retirement. After Nina Sayers receives the lead, Beth publicly accuses her of trading sexual favors for the role. Beth is then seriously injured by a car and visits from Nina reveal that she will never dance again.

Donna Hawthorne — A Scanner Darkly (2006)

A drug dealer who supplies Substance D to Arctor. Shares a tense, occasionally caring romantic relationship with him. Secretly an undercover officer named Audrey who collaborates with his boss Hank. She later reveals that the New-Path corporation secretly manufactures and distributes the drug.

Call — Alien Resurrection (1997)

The synthetic human in Alien Resurrection who helps Ripley

Geneva Brannen — The Dilemma (2011)

Geneva Brannen is Nick's wife and the person whose infidelity drives the central conflict. Ronny sees her kissing Zip, and she initially promises to end the affair and tell Nick after the project. When Ronny discovers the relationship continues, she threatens to accuse him of hitting on her and reveal their college fling.

Elsa Van Helsing — Frankenweenie (2012)

Elsa is Victor’s somber next-door neighbor and classmate. When Mr. Whiskers carries her pet Persephone to the burning windmill, Elsa pursues them with Victor. She becomes endangered during the rescue, while the townspeople mistakenly blame Sparky for her disappearance.

Winona Ryder (uncredited) — Zoolander (2001)

Actress making an uncredited cameo at a fashion event.

Career Overview

Winona Ryder has 94 screen credits in a career dating back to 1975. Their work spans 8 cinematic universes — most prominently Beetlejuice with 3 titles. Signature works include Stranger Things, Stranger Things 5: The Finale, Beetlejuice. Explore the interactive character relationship maps on each title page to trace how their roles connect across franchises.

Personal Facts

Known For
Acting
Gender
female
Known Credits
94
Birth Date
1971-10-29
Birth Place
Winona, Minnesota, USA

Known For

Associated Universes

Universe traveler — spans 8 universes

Frequent Collaborators

Credits

Content sources

Related entry on Wikidata (Q101797), public domain (CC0).