Winona Ryder was put under pressure to slow down ageing signs

Bang Showbiz on Jul 23, 2025

Published in Women

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

Winona Ryder felt pressurised by female directors to slow down signs of ageing.

The 53-year-old star has lamented how she felt "enormous pressure" to try and retain a youthful appearance during her acting career even though views on the issue have become more relaxed in the modern climate.

Winona told ELLE UK magazine: "They'll say, 'Just relax your forehead. Relax.' I'm trying to be a great actor, and they're saying that over and over. It's nice that people are talking about how it's OK to age, but there's still enormous pressure.

"Every role I get is for a mother, you know? My career has definitely shifted."

The Heathers actress is relaxed when it comes to ageing but is puzzled by younger stars who are "getting weird s*** done" to themselves.

Winona said: "I don't mind it. But what's weird is when you're surrounded by young women getting weird s*** done.

"I started my career as the youngest, and I always wanted to be older.

"I always knew I looked young. But I also knew that when I started ageing, it was gonna happen fast."

Winona will return as Joyce Byers in the fifth and final season of the Netflix show Stranger Things later this year and does her best to pass on pearls of wisdom to the show's youthful cast.

The Reality Bites star explained: "I was like, 'This doesn't happen. This is weird - the phenomenon. The work is the gift. That is why you're doing it.' Which was what was instilled in me. And I think I was successful with some of them.

"I've been trying to sort of change this narrative with the kids, because they have it drilled into them that they're so lucky and, you know, that this show 'made' them.

"I'm like, 'No, Netflix is so lucky. You guys are the special ones. Like, you guys are magic.'"

Winona also doesn't believe that she would've made it in Hollywood without the support of Laura Dern - who she met on the first screen test for her movie debut Lucas.

She said: "I don't think I'd be here without her. I met her on my first screen test for Lucas - I didn't know what a screen test was.

"I remember walking in, and River Phoenix held the door open for me. I was like, 'Oh, that's so nice.' I recognised him from Stand By Me, and he had broken his leg.

"Laura was there to read for the older girl, and she talked me through it, 'cause I didn't know what the f*** was going on.

"She befriended me. I was literally 12 and - nobody knows this - she took me under her wing into my twenties. That relationship got me through."

Read the full interview with Winona Ryder at https://www.elle.com/uk/winona-ryder

The September issue of ELLE UK is on sale from 31 July.