Winona Laura Horowitz's Birthday
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When Winona Horowitz was cast in
her first film, Lucas (1986), she changed her surname to Ryder
after her father's favorite musician, Mitch Ryder. After seeing her
performance in Lucas, Tim Burton decided to cast Winona in his
film Beetle Juice (1988). That role helped her land the role of a
teenaged killer, Veronica Sawyer, in the satirical film,
Heathers (1989) which made her a breakout star. Winona 's agent
initially begged her to turn the role down, saying the film would "ruin her
career". Winona 's performance was critically acclaimed with The Washington
Post stating Winona is "Hollywood's most impressive ingénue [sic] ... Ryder
... makes us love her teen-age murderess, a bright, funny girl with a little
Bonnie Parker in her. She is the most likable, best-drawn young adult
protagonist since the sexual innocent of Gregory's Girl."
Winona had a string of other critically
acclaimed roles in Edward Scissorhands (1990) alongside her
then-boyfriend Johnny Depp; Mermaids (1990) in which she
costarred with Cher; Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992;
The Age of Innocence (1993) which won her a Golden Globe
Award for Best Supporting Actress and an Academy Award nomination in
the same category; The Crucible (1993); and Girl
Interrupted (1999).
Her
role in Girl Interrupted was prophetic for her career. On
December 12, 2001, Winona was arrested on shoplifting charges in
Beverly Hills, California and stood accused of stealing $5,500 worth
of designer clothes and accessories at a Saks Fifth Avenue. Winona was convicted of grand theft and vandalism, but
was acquitted on the third felony charge, burglary. In December
2002, she was sentenced to three years' probation and 480 hours of
community service. Winona remained on probation until December 2005.during
which time she took a hiatus from film. She resumed her career in 1996.
To celebrate Winona's birthday, what could be more appropriate than
whipping up a batch of Sticky Fingers and watching her at her
tastiest best in Bram Stoker's Dracula? |
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