From the Beginning
Ryder was born on October 29, 1971, in Minnesota. Word has it that she was born in a farmhouse rather than a hospital. If you’re wondering why her parents decided to call her Winona, it’s because she was named in honor of the city where she entered the world.
Heathers, Christian Slater, Winona Ryder, Photo By Moviestore Collection/Shutterstock
She also has the middle name Laura, which is a tribute to her parents’ friend, Laura Huxley, who was the wife of Aldous Huxley, who wrote the sci-fi classic Brave New World. You could say that Ryder was destined to gravitate towards dark stories. Both of her parents were published, authors, and editors. Ryder’s mother worked in video production and her father was a bookseller.