This Winona Ryder movie cost her a role alongside Marlon Brando and could have ended her career

Winona Ryder, one of the defining actresses of the 1990s, rose to fame at just 16 when she played the goth, misunderstood teenager Lydia Deetz in Tim Burton’s comedy Beetlejuice. However, that same year, her career could have come to an abrupt end because of her role in the satirical dark comedy Heathers.

Although the film has since become a cult classic, it was heavily criticized within the industry when it was first released. The controversy surrounding its violence took a toll on Ryder’s career, costing the Reality Bites actress the chance to work alongside Marlon Brando and Matthew Broderick in The Freshman.

Heathers, Ryder’s boldest film

Directed by Michael Lehmann, Heathers is a dark comedy that subverts the teen movie genre through exaggerated characters, biting satire, and violence. It follows Veronica Sawyer, a 17-year-old high school student who joins the school’s most popular clique, the Heathers, only to begin realizing the true cost of popularity. The story takes a dark turn that, at the time, was considered far too risky for mainstream audiences.

In her latest feature for Elle UK, Ryder reflected on losing her role in the 1990 film The Freshman after the release of the now-iconic movie. Despite winning the Edgar Award for Best Screenplay and earning its director an Independent Spirit Award, Heathers was a box office disappointment.

“They thought it was making fun of teen suicide. They were deeply offended and, yeah, they revoked the offer,” explained the two-time Oscar-nominated actress.

Ryder reunited with Burton two years later for Edward Scissorhands, the film that cemented her status as one of Hollywood’s most in-demand young stars and led to major roles in films such as Dracula and The Age of Innocence.

• Heathers is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video.

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