Winona Ryder opens up about her experiences with Miramax and Harvey Weinstein
A turbulent era in Hollywood
In a recent interview, Winona Ryder shared her tumultuous experiences with Miramax and its co-founder, Harvey Weinstein, during the late 1990s and early 2000s. Ryder, a celebrated actress known for her roles in iconic films and TV series, revealed that she felt blacklisted by the company for various reasons, one of which stemmed from a meeting with Weinstein that allegedly angered him.
An unsettling encounter
Ryder recounted a specific incident where she was supposed to meet Weinstein at the Miramax office. “The one time I was supposed to have a meeting with [Harvey Weinstein], I went to the Miramax office and I extended my hand and he shook my hand and I sat on the couch and we had a conversation and I left,” she said. However, this seemingly innocuous interaction led to a heated reaction from her agent. “I got like screamed at [by an agent]. ‘What the fuck did you do?’ I was like, ‘What?’ Apparently, I offended him because I extended my hand?… I guess.”
A history with Miramax
By that time, Ryder had already worked on a Miramax film, The House of the Spirits, released in 1993. She recalled Weinstein’s aggressive behavior during the production, particularly his insistence on her starring in a film adaptation of the stage play Little Voice. “I was like, ‘Oh my God, I just saw that in London,’” Ryder said. “I was like, ‘You have to cast that girl [from the play], Jane Horrocks. She’s fucking amazing.’ And he got very weird and he left.”
A strained relationship
Ryder admitted that Weinstein did not like her, a sentiment that seemed to affect her career trajectory. While she did not experience sexual misconduct from Weinstein, she did face sexual harassment from others in the industry during her twenties and thirties. “It wasn’t an assault. But it was incredibly inappropriate,” Ryder said. “It was wild. I really understand [what the victims of Weinstein and others went through]. I was lucky because I was known, so it didn’t happen as much as maybe it would if I had been a struggling actor.”
Reflecting on past experiences
Ryder shared that she had confided in her Beetlejuice co-star, Jenna Ortega, about some of these experiences. “And as I was saying it, I was like, ‘Jesus Christ, that’s really fucked up.’” She recalled how she often had to navigate inappropriate behavior with a sense of humor. “If someone was being inappropriate or drunkenly hitting on me it was like, ‘Ha ha!’” she remembered. “You kind of do that. ‘Ha ha!’ Inappropriate? I dealt with that. But touching me? It felt very invasive.”
A broader perspective
Ryder’s revelations shed light on the pervasive issues of harassment and misconduct in Hollywood, highlighting the challenges faced by actors, especially women, in the industry. Her candid reflections offer a glimpse into the complexities of navigating a career in an environment where power dynamics often lead to inappropriate behavior.
For those interested in exploring more about Ryder’s career and her experiences, her full interview is available on Esquire’s website. Her story is a testament to the resilience required to thrive in an industry fraught with challenges, and it underscores the importance of ongoing conversations about creating a safer and more respectful workplace for all.
Additional resources
For cinema and TV series enthusiasts, here are some notable works featuring Winona Ryder:
- Stranger Things: A thrilling series that has captivated audiences worldwide.
- Edward Scissorhands: A classic film that showcases Ryder’s versatility as an actress.
- Girl, Interrupted: A powerful drama that earned Ryder critical acclaim.
For music lovers, here are some albums and songs that capture the essence of the era Ryder discusses:
- Jagged Little Pill by Alanis Morissette: An album that defined the 90s with its raw emotion and powerful lyrics.
- Nevermind by Nirvana: A groundbreaking album that revolutionized the music scene.
These resources provide a deeper understanding of the cultural landscape during the time of Ryder’s experiences, offering a richer context for her story.