Winona Ryder is set to triumphantly return to the big screen in Tim Burton’s highly anticipated sequel Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, slated for release on September 6. Ryder will reprise her iconic role as Lydia Deetz, the character that helped catapult her to stardom in the 1988 original, where she starred alongside Michael Keaton and Catherine O’Hara.
Ryder’s return to the limelight comes after years of relative absence from Hollywood, a hiatus that followed her infamous shoplifting arrest in December 2001. The actress was accused of stealing $5,500 worth of clothing from a Saks Fifth Avenue store in Beverly Hills, leading to her conviction on charges of grand theft and shoplifting. As a result, she was sentenced to community service, received a three-year probation, and faced significant fines.
In a recent interview with Esquire, the now 52-year-old Ryder offered new insights into how she coped with the fallout from her arrest. Reflecting on that period, she shared, “I checked out. I believe I checked out.” Ryder’s withdrawal from Hollywood extended for nearly a decade, during which she relocated from Los Angeles to San Francisco and essentially stepped away from the public eye.
Despite her retreat, Ryder’s career in the 1990s was marked by many successes. She starred in critically acclaimed films such as The Age of Innocence, Little Women, Girl, Interrupted, and Bram Stoker’s Dracula. However, the incident in 2001 drastically shifted her career trajectory, and it wasn’t until the late 2000s that she began to reemerge in the film industry, taking on more minor roles in movies like Darren Aronofsky’s Black Swan and J.J. Abrams’s Star Trek.
Ryder’s full-fledged comeback, often called the “Winonaissance,” didn’t take off until she starred as Joyce Byers in the hit Netflix series Stranger Things, a role that has since solidified her place in Hollywood again.
As Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice prepares to hit theatres, fans of Ryder are eagerly awaiting her return to the quirky, supernatural world that first made her a household name. Her journey back to the big screen is not just a return to a beloved role but a testament to her resilience and enduring talent.
| Event | Details |
|---|---|
| Film Title | Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice |
| Release Date | September 6 |
| Winona Ryder’s Role | Lydia Deetz |
| Previous Hiatus | Post-2001 shoplifting arrest |
| Legal Consequences | Community service, probation, fines |
| Return to Acting | Late 2000s with Black Swan, Star Trek |
| Major Comeback | Stranger Things as Joyce Byers |
Winona Ryder’s return in Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice is a significant moment, marking not only a revival of a beloved character but also the continued evolution of an actress who has navigated the highs and lows of Hollywood with remarkable grace.