Winona Ryder shocked fans when she was arrested in 2001 for shoplifting at a Saks Fifth Avenue in Beverly Hills. Fifteen years later, the actress is opening up about the incident ― and the effect it had on her career and health ― in the new issue of Porter magazine.
“Psychologically, I must have been at a place where I just wanted to stop. I won’t get into what happened, but it wasn’t what people think,” Ryder said.
The actress added, “And it wasn’t like the crime of the century! But it allowed me time that I really needed, where I went back to San Francisco and got back into things that ... I just had other interests, frankly.”
Ryder, who stole over $5,500 worth of merchandise, was later found guilty of grand theft and vandalism in November 2002. When she returned to acting a few years later, she told Porter that it was difficult to shed the ‘90s image she’d curated from prior movie roles.
“It’s that line in ‘First Wives Club’ ― ‘There are three ages for women: babe, district attorney and Driving Miss Daisy!’ I just never got to play that district attorney!” the actress said.
Ryder currently stars in the eerie Netflix hit “Stranger Things.” She said she spent most of her time on set sobbing ― for her role, of course.
“I spent two months basically crying every day, I was delirious!” the actress said. “Because I’ve never been able to do that method thing, you know? I actually have to really cry.”
Maybe Jared Leto ― the king of method acting ― has some tips to offer.
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