Winona Ryder recalls her high school friends’ reaction after starring in Beetlejuice

Winona Ryder has recently revealed she was being called “a witch” at high school after she starred in original Beetlejuice movie in 1988.

In a new interview with Esquire UK, Ryder said, “I remember thinking that it was going to, like, change my status, and it made it worse.”

The actress, who played the role of Lydia Deetz in the movie, recalled, “They were like, ‘You’re a witch! You’re a freak!’ It amplified it. I was like, ‘But I’m in a movie!’”

Ryder mentioned she was 16 when the movie was released and at the time, the actress disclosed she “was very much like Lydia in real life”.

“They didn’t have to do much with me,” remarked the 59-year-old.

Ryder told the outlet, “My brother found a picture of me taken like a month before that audition. I’d dyed my hair blue-black, I had these crazy short bangs, and I dressed in black.”

Elsewhere in the interview, the actress opened up about working with same co-stars Michael Keaton, Catherine O’Hara and director Tim Burton in the upcoming sequel, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.

“Michael [Keaton] was so gentle with me. And Catherine [O’Hara, who plays her mother]. They always included me,” she continued.

Ryder noted, “They were so kind and so thoughtful. It was unique because as a kid actor you don’t always get that. It’s about the adults.”

“It truly was the first time I ever felt like I collaborated on a movie. And I really had a connection with Tim. I remember going on to other movies and it was not like that. People weren’t so kind. It was much rougher,” she added.

Meanwhile, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice will release in theatres on September 6.