10 of Winona Ryder's Best Roles: From Joyce Byers on 'Stranger Things' to Jo March in 'Little Women' and More

Winona Ryder plays the role of Abigail Williams in the 1996 film The Crucible. Directed by Nicholas Hytner and written by Arthur Miller, the film explores the Salem Witch Trials involving girls in a small community. Ryder's character, who had an affair with Daniel Day-Lewis' John Proctor, tries to get revenge on his wife by framing her.

The Crucible also stars Paul Scofield, Joan Allen, Bruce Davison, Rob Campbell and Jeffrey Jones, to name a few.

Starring as Beth Macintyre, also known as The Dying Swan, Ryder takes on the role and paves the way for Natalie Portman's Nina, a talented ballet dancer, in the film Black Swan. The 2010 flick also sees the rivalry between Nina and newcomer Lilly (Mila Kunis).

Following filming, Ryder reportedly wrote an apology letter to Portman as she had to portray the cruel nature of her character, saying, "I’m so sorry I had to say all those horrible things."

"It was very difficult because I love Natalie so much and I'm so thrilled with all the accolades, she's just so deserving and she works so hard for it," Ryder said after Portman won the Golden Globe award for Best Actress for her performance in their film.

Based on Louisa May Alcott's novel of the same name, the 1994 adaptation of Little Women follows the story of the March sisters as they grow up and live in Massachusetts during and after the American Civil War.

Ryder portrays Jo March, a young woman who wishes to become a successful author. Her costars include Gabriel Byrne, Trini Alvarado, Samantha Mathis, Kirsten Dunst, Claire Danes and Christian Bale.

Among her TV roles, Ryder's character on the hit Netflix series Stranger Things has received the most support and love from her fans.

In the show, she plays the role of Joyce Byers, a kind and caring mother who works at a general store in the fictional town of Hawkins. Everyone around her starts thinking she is insane when she becomes frantic following the disappearance of her son. Despite such perception, the matriarch continues to search for her child until she uncovers the mystery of the Upside Down.

Ryder appears in the Tim Burton-directed film Edward Scissorhands as Kim Boggs, a high school student who becomes the love interest of Johnny Depp's character. In the movie, Edward falls in love with Kim but faces challenges as he also tries to adapt to life in the real world.

The 1994 romantic comedy-drama film Reality Bites shares the story of a woman, Ryder's Lelaina Pierce, who films a documentary about herself and her friends after her college graduation. They face reality and start dealing with issues amid uncertainties as they begin a new phase as adults.

Ben Stiller, Ethan Hawke, Janeane Garofalo, Steve Zahn, Swoosie Kurtz and more stars appear in the movie.

In the Martin Scorsese-directed film The Age of Innocence, Ryder stars as May Welland, a beautiful woman engaged to a wealthy lawyer who eventually falls in love with her cousin. The flick, based on Edith Wharton's 1920 novel of the same name, is a snapshot of love, betrayal and heartbreak.

Ryder leads Girl, Interrupted as the protagonist Susanna Kaysen, who has a borderline personality disorder. She stays in a psychiatric hospital following her diagnosis, meeting other patients played by Angelina Jolie, Clea DuVall, Brittany Murphy and Elisabeth Moss.

In the 1988 film Heathers, four teenage girls — three of whom are named Heather — attend a high school in Ohio. Ryder's Veronica Sawyer hates the girls' cruel behavior, but her new boyfriend does the worst by killing students he does not like.

Christian Slater, Shannen Doherty, Lisanne Falk, Kim Walker, Penelope Milford, Glenn Shadix, Jeremy Applegate, Patrick Labyorteaux and Lance Fenton also star in the flick.