(Source: Far Out / Jersey Films)
Rising to fame in the 1990s, there is no doubt that Winona Ryder was one of the most prominent actresses of the decade, rubbing shoulders with the likes of Johnny Depp and Leonardo DiCaprio. With Tim Burton to thank for her early success, Ryder found herself in the industry spotlight following her role in the 1988s. Beetle juice where she starred with Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis.
Her career took off shortly after the film’s release, with Ryder continuing her success with the 1988 coming-of-age classic Heathers before collaborating with Burton again in the 1990s. Edward Scissorhands. In the early ’90s, Ryder flourished, working with some of the industry’s biggest names, including Francis Ford Coppola and Martin Scorsese. However, not everything was smooth sailing.
In 1994, the actor collaborated with Ethan Hawke, Janeane Garofalo and Ben Stiller in a comedy-drama film. Reality bites, which told the story of a director and her friends trying to figure out what to do with their lives after college. However, while the film itself was not a disaster, Ryder was at great odds with Hawke, disagreeing with how he chose to live his life at the time.
Criticizing Hawk for living in a dirty apartment when he could have taken better care of himself and his belongings, Ryder once said: rolling stone: “You just want to say, ‘Don’t live your life in a way that shows people that you are real and that you have depth.’ It offends me because I know what it’s like to be poor, and it’s not fun, and it’s not romantic, and it’s not cool.”
Not very happy with his point of view, Hawk responded rather sarcastically, stating: “The point is, I’m not a millionaire. Damn you are, and you think we all are. I don’t want to say that I’m not doing well financially. But to be honest, that’s her whole point. This is her projection.”
Eventually, like most petty feuds in Hollywood, the couple patched things up again, with Hawke later declaring at the film’s 25th anniversary screening that he owed his entire career to Ryder. As stated in People magazine, Hawk recalled: “I’m indebted. Winona believed in me. Winona found me this job. This job completely changed the trajectory of my career… I am so grateful to you, Winona.”
These days, the film is considered something of a cult classic and one of the forgotten gems of ’90s filmmaking. Watch the trailer for Reality bites below.
