Many fans are only now realizing that Winona Ryder, the iconic star known for her role in Beetlejuice, has been enchanting audiences under a stage name instead of her birth name. Hailing from Winona County, Minnesota, Winona Ryder was originally christened Winona Laura Horowitz. Her trek to stardom began in earnest back in 1985 with an audition tape for the film Desert Bloom.
Although she didn't snag that particular part, director David Seltzer recognized her potential and cast her in his high school drama Lucas, alongside the likes of Corey Haim, Charlie Sheen , and Kerri Green. Green Day pulled off-stage mid-song due to 'potential safety issue' as cops swarm Linkin Park fans in tears over band's new lead singer as she ushers in 'new era' It was her standout performance in Lucas that captured the attention of Tim Burton, leading him to choose her for the role of a brooding goth teenager in Beetlejuice, which featured big names such as Geena Davis, Alec Baldwin , and Michael Keaton. However, the story goes that it was on the Lucas set that Winona whimsically carved out a new identity for herself that would skyrocket her fame.
Deciding against her given surname of Horowitz, she adopted the moniker Winona Ryder; this choice left many perplexed, sparking inquiries like one baffled Quora user who posted: "Why doesn't Winona Ryder use her real last name? " According to People magazine, Winona took up her stage surname when thinking about how she wanted to be billed in her early sc.
