For four years, beginning when Winona was about seven, the Horowitzes lived on a commune with no electricity or running water near the northern California town of Elk. While on the commune, Ryder's mother screened classic movies in a barn, giving the fascinated Winona a first look at acting- and by age eight she knew that's what she wanted to do.

She moved with her parents to Petaluma (near San Francisco) when she was ten and enrolled in acting classes at the American Conservatory Theater. When telephoned to ask how she'd like to have her name appear on the credits of her first film Lucas (1986), she suggested Ryder as her father's Mitch Ryder album was playing the background. She followed Lucas, with another low profile film Square Dance, then scored her big breakthrough in Beetlejuice, followed by cult favorites Heathers and Edward Scissorhands.

It was via Edward Scissorhands that Ryder, at 17, met her first real boyfriend, costar Johnny Depp. It was a stormy relationship, lived in the public eye. They broke up three years later.

Her second boyfriend was David Pirner, lead signer of the band Soul Asylum, with whom she was happily entwined for several years. They supposedly broke up.
Winona was lately seen together with Matt Damon.

Winona was nominated for an Oscar two times - for best supporting actress in The Age Of Innocence and best actress in Little Women.
She won a Golden Globe for her performance in The Age Of Innocence.

Winona's taken roles her agents begged her not to (the murderous Veronica in Heathers) and refuses to do nude scenes.