5 Winona Ryder movies and TV shows that deserve a spot on your watchlist

Winona Ryder has long been one of Hollywood’s most compelling and versatile performers with a career that spans cult classics and blockbuster hits. Rising to fame in the late 1980s and 1990s, Ryder quickly became a defining face, known for her ability to bring depth and vulnerability to every role she takes on.

In recent years, Ryder's celebrated return to mainstream popularity has introduced her work to a new generation, while also reminding longtime fans of the range that made her such a standout in the first place.

Here are five Winona Ryder movies and TV shows that deserve a spot on your watchlist, each reflecting why she remains one of the most enduring stars in the industry.

Here are 5 Winona Ryder TV shows and movies that are a must-watch

Stranger Things

The Duffer Brothers' sci-fi saga, which debuted on Netflix back in 2016, is finally concluding with its fifth and final season after rising to Global acclaim. It's interesting how Stranger Things was marketed as a small-town mystery starring Winona Ryder ten years ago. While the show's younger cast has enjoyed breakout success in recent years, Winona Ryder's Joyce remains one of the most important characters.

Joyce Byers' heartwarming relationship with her son Will, The Boy Who Vanished, forms the heart of the series and Ryder perfectly channels the character in every scene.

The Plot Against America

This 2020 HBO miniseries is based on Philip Roth's eponymous novel, which is set in an alternate American history. The Plot Against America imagines an alternate American history through the eyes of the Levin family, a working-class Jewish family in Newark, as they watch the aviator-hero and xenophobic populist Charles Lindbergh's journey to become the President and make America a fascist country.

Winona Ryder played the role of Evelyn Finkel, Elizabeth Levin's (Zoe Kazan) unmarried and independent-thinking sister, who begins an affair with a married man. This 2020 six-part miniseries is the perfect TV show to watch Ryder deliver one of her most perfect dramatic roles on the small screen.

Little Women

Before Winona Ryder pulled off Mom duties for her son in the Upside Down, she debuted as Jo March, the rebellious March sister in Gillian Armstrong's Little Women (1994), an adaptation of Louisa May Alcott's classic eponymous novel. While Little Women need no introduction to seasoned enthusiasts, Ryder nailed the portrayal of Alcott's protagonist, stuck between her ambition and the social prejudices of her time.

The movie became a breakout hit, further cementing Ryder as a romantic heroine and earning her an Oscar nomination for Best Actress.

The Simpsons

Many fans might not know this but Winona Ryder appeared as a guest star in the second episode of The Simpsons Season 6 titled 'Lisa's Rival'. Ryder voiced the character of Allison Taylor, a new student at Springfield Elementary School in the hit animated sitcom. While Ryder appeared in only one episode of The Simpsons, her character is memorable.

Allison was the new girl at school who immediately made Lisa insecure, with her superior academic and creative talents. While Lisa spent the episode trying to sabotage Allison at school, they eventually became good friends.

Beetlejuice

Winona Ryder first rose to fame with Tim Burton's popular gothic horror comedy, Beetlejuice, starring Michael Keaton, Alec Baldwin, Catherine O'Hara, Ryder, Geena Davis and Jeffrey Jones in the main roles. Beetlejuice follows Adam and Barbara, a recently deceased couple who hire a sleazy "bio-exorcist" to drive the new inhabitants away from their house.

Ryder played Lydia Deetz, the teenage goth daughter of Charles, who brought Adam and Barbara's home, a role she also reprised in the 2024 sequel, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. The movie remains a cornerstone of goth comedy and certainly deserves a spot on your watchlist.