With an extensive filmography and a couple of awards to her name, it’s safe to say thatWinona Ryderis no stranger to iconic roles. From playing quirky in 1988’sBeetlejuicewithTim Burtonto the more classicLittle Womendirected byGillian Armstrong,she’s brought some wholesome characters to life in her day. But when it comes to the director who brought out the best in her, one name comes to mind —Martin Scorsese. The director is famous for his gritty take on narrative, case point,Goodfellas. However, in 1993 he stepped away from the norm and gave us the period drama,The Age of Innocence. As fate — or a series of great choices — would have it, this ended up being one of Ryder’s standout films. In a nutshell,she surprised audiences with her portrayal of May Welland, showing off a more demure yet complex side to her onscreen persona.
Besides the fact thatthe role bagged her a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress, the entire experience of working with Scorsese was life-changing. It would seem that their mutually beneficial collaboration wasn’t just about making “movie magic”, but it took Ryder to the next level and proved that Scorsese’s genius isn’t limited tohis famous crime dramas.
Winona Ryder in ‘The Age of Innocence’ and What It Did for Her Career
If one thing is glaring, it’s that Winona Ryder’s career took a sharp turn aftershe played May Welland inThe Age of Innocence. She was formerly known for more quirky, rebellious onscreen personas like Veronica inHeathersand Lydia inBeetlejuice. With her interpretation of May,she showed audiences that she could be layered and subtle all in one. On the surface, her character was a devoted wife, but beneath all that sweetness was a strategic and calculative mind that added twist after twist to the storyline. At the end of the day, it was her ability to embrace the duality of this character that made her stand out.
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Her role inThe Age of Innocencewas more than just another role for Ryder, it marked a transitional point in her career. Soon after, she was able to embrace more complex roles, and we’re talking as soon as the very next year. In the 1994 adaptation ofLittle Women, she brought a nuanced vibe to Jo, the spirited tomboy who’s more into her writing than everyone thought she should be. Way down the line, her portrayal as the bitter, washed-up ballerina, Beth, inBlack Swanis indicative of her growth as an artist, becauseboth characters showcased a level of emotional depth and complexity she had never shown before. So, while being the queen of quirkycult classicswasn’t a bad title to embody throughout her career, Ryder took things up a notch. It’s safe to say that working with Scorsese onThe Age of Innocencehad a little something to do with that.
Why Winona Ryder Believes Martin Scorsese Is the Greatest Director
Jumping right in, Ryder deeply admires Scorsese, and it’s for good reason too.The Age of Innocencewas a whole other beast for the actress andworking with the legendary director was like stepping into a filmmaking masterclass. She didn’t just get to showoff her acting chops alongside big wigs likeDaniel Day-LewisandMichelle Pfeiffer, she also got to hone her skills under the watchful eye of one of the greats. Her appreciation was vocalized in a movingspeech at the Director’s Award for Lifetime Achievementfromthe American Film Institute(AFI). She had a mouthful of praise for him, calling him “the best director in the world.” She even quipped about how Scorsese has a penchant for forgetting to mention himself when praising other filmmakers, joking “If you weren’t Martin Scorsese, you’d really love Martin Scorsese.”
While she’s definitely a fan, her admiration is equally linked to the career-changing lessons she learned on set. Among the many things Ryder valued from the experience of working with him was his ability to bring out the best in every character and scene. She’s convinced he’s the best director out there, saying in her speech, “You gave me the most incredible experience of my life, and I will cherish it forever.” For her, the awards and accolades that came with working onThe Age of Innocencewere great, butthe lessons she learned and the spirit of filmmaking that Scorsese embodies were even more worth the experience
The Age of Innocence
A tale of nineteenth-century New York high society in which a young lawyer falls in love with a woman separated from her husband, while he is engaged to the woman’s cousin.
The Age of Innocenceis currently available to rent or buy on Apple TV+ in the U.S.
Watch it here
