Ryder, Winona
From Make Me Heal
Winona Ryder starred as Jo in this author Louisa May Alcott's Little Women (1994). Ryder moved with her parents to Petaluma (near San Francisco) when she was 10 and enrolled in acting classes at the American Conservatory Theater. At 13 Winona had a video audition to the film Desert Bloom (1986), but didn't get the part. Director David Seltzer, however, spotted her and cast her in Lucas (1986). When telephoned to ask how she'd like to have her name appear on the credits, Winona suggested Ryder as her father's Mitch Ryder album was playing in the background. Ryder was selected for the part of Mary Corleone in The Godfather: Part III (1990), but had to drop out of the role after catching the flu from the strain of doing the films Welcome Home, Roxy Carmichael (1990) and Mermaids (1990) back to back. Ryder said she didn't want to let everyone down by doing a substandard performance. The actress later made The Age of Innocence (1993) which was directed by Martin Scorsese, who she believes to be "the best director in the world". In addition, Ryder has worked with Matt Damon in the Bourne Identity movie.
