Trigger warning: This article contains references to sexual assault.
Winona Ryder opened up about facing sexual assault in her late 20s and 30s, which affected her passion for filmmaking. The actress spoke honestly about it in a recent interview.
Speaking to Esquire (article published on August 29), the Stranger Things actress spoke about the incident that affected her drastically on both her personal and professional fronts. While refusing to name the people in the interview, she said that she had some challenging experiences with some people who sexually harassed her “openly”.
Ryder said, “It wasn’t an assault. But it was extremely inappropriate. It was savagery. I really understand (what victims of Harvey Weinstein and others have gone through).” She described herself as “lucky” that the incident didn’t happen to her many times because she was a well-known actress. She said, “I remember that feeling in your head: You’re having a conversation, you’re thinking about what will happen if you say something. You’re sorting it out while this person is extremely creepy.”
The Edward Scissorhands star said he didn’t realise how shocking the moments were until he told Jenna Ortega, who stars alongside him in the upcoming film Beetlejuice.
Ryder eventually started to put a stop to the antics that were not wanted. She said that if someone was not behaving appropriately or was drunk while teasing her, she would respond by saying “Ha ha!” and she would deal with it. The actress said that she used to feel ‘aggressive’ when someone touched her.
Being affected by this changed the Heathers star’s view of Hollywood. She mentioned that “looking back it really made her bitter towards making movies”. Ryder admitted that all the great actors always told her that when it’s not as “amazing” anymore, you should go there and Ryder took this to heart.
The actress has made a big name for herself over her decades-long career. Following her infamous shoplifting scandal in 2001, she returned to the screen several years later and appeared in several major films including Black Swan, A Scanner Darkly, and The Stranger Things.
Ryder’s next film, which is a highly anticipated film, Beetlejuice, is set to release on September 6, 2024.
General Disclaimer: If you need help or know someone who is going through domestic violence or assault or abuse, please reach out to your nearest mental health professional, NGO or just talk to someone. There are many helplines available for this
Also read: Why Winona Ryder felt Beetlejuice’s Lydia was ‘in her own world’? Find out at the movie premiere
