Winona Ryder turns 50! A look back at the life of the teen idol turned Hollywood star

Teen idol turned Hollywood star Winona Ryder is 50! Take a look through the life and career of the beloved actress who has made her name starring in quirky cult films including 'Beetljuice', 'Heathers' and more. Happy birthday, Winona!

Winona Ryder was actually born in Winona, Minnesota. Her real name is Winona Laura Horowitz, with her middle name being given as a tribute to late musician Laura Huxley, who her parents were close friends with. The more you know!

Like many actors, when she turned professional Winona Horowitz decided on a name change. Winona, then 12, was making her debut in the 1986 film 'Lucas' when she was asked by the director what name she would like to be credited with. She kept her first name, but replaced Horowitz with Ryder in honour of rock singer Mitch Ryder.

Winona starred in Tim Burton's 'Beetlejuice' in 1988, just a couple of short years after making her debut. In the 1988 comedy, a deceased couple - played by Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis - return as ghosts to haunt their former home. Winona played gothic teen Lydia Deetz, who is the only member of the family now living in the house to be able to see the dead couple.

Another dark comedy followed as Winona took on a lead role in 'Heathers', which many fans refer to as 'the original Mean Girls'. She played nerdy high schooler Veronica who, becomes embroiled in the murder of one of the titular Heathers. The independent film became a cult classic, and 16-year-old Winona was called "Hollywood's most impressive ingénue" by critics.

Fresh out of the high school comedy 'Heathers' and having received acclaim for ‘Beetlejuice’, Winona landed the female lead in Tim Burton’s 'Edward Scissorhands'. She starred alongside real-life boyfriend Johnny Depp as a teenage girl who falls in love with a man who has scissors for hands.

Winona and Johnny Depp's relationship was idolised by teen fans around the world, after their first met at the premiere of 'Great Balls of Fire!' Depp famously got the words “Winona Forever” tattooed on his bicep but the celebrity couple split in 1993, citing pressures of fame. Depp said: "It’s very hard to have a personal life in this town. My relationship with Winona, it was my mistake to be as open as we were. "But I thought if we were honest it would destroy that curiosity monster. Instead, it fed it, gave people license to feel they were part of it.”

In 1993 - the same year as her infamous breakup from Johnny Depp - Winona was starring in a remake of 'Little Women', based on the classic novel by Louisa May Alcott. That same year, 12-year-old Polly Klaas was kidnapped, and the actress was vocal in campaigning for her safe return, even offering a $20,000 reward. Tragically, Polly did not come back alive but upon learning that 'Little Women' had been the child's favourite book, she dedicated the film to her.

At the end of what had been a whirlwind of a decade for Winona, she starred in the thriller 'Girl, Interrupted', a psychological drama based on a true story. It marked a transition to mature roles for Winona as she played an 18-year-old a suicide attempt, who spent 18 months at a psychiatric hospital between 1967 and 1968. The film received mixed reviews but Winona's performance was praised, with one critic noting that "her gift is to let us know exactly what she's thinking, without seeming to."

The 1990s had been such a glorious time for Winona career wise but as the turn of the millennium arrived, Winona faced a career slump and - apart from a guest appearance on 'Friends' as Rachel's sorority sister - did not act for 4 years. During this time, she was arrested for shoplifting. The trial rumbled on ultil Deecmber 2002, when she was eventually found guilty of grand theft. She was sentenced to three years of probation, 480 hours of community service, $3,700 in fines, and $6,355 as compensation to the store she stole from. In later years, Winona explained that she was "clinically depressed" at the time.

However, Winona has bounced back, and in 2006, she went back to her 'Heathers' roots my taking a chance in independent films before starring in major hits such as 'Black Swan'. She was also nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Actress in Television Series Drama for her role in 'Stanger Things' , which went on to become a huge hit on Netflix. The Hollywood life of the gifted star has well and truly come full circle - from teen idol to Hollywood icon!