Winona Ryder has starred opposite many of Hollywood’s leading men — Keanu Reeves, Adam Sandler and Christian Bale to name a few — all of whom have played the actress’s love interest.
However, one A-list actor previously refused to entertain the idea of an on-screen romance with Ryder, all because of her age.
Acting since she was a teenager, Ryder was asked if she could remember auditioning for movies she had been rumored to be involved in over the years, including Tom Cruise’s blockbuster “Jerry McGuire,” the 1999 classic “Fight Club” and the Coen brothers-directed film “The Hudsucker Proxy.”
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Winona Ryder says she auditioned for the 1994 film “The Hudsucker Proxy.” (Amy Sussman/Getty Images)
Ryder was able to recollect the latter, a 1990s screwball comedy, which ultimately starred Tim Robbins and Jennifer Jason Leigh.
“I auditioned a few times,” the actress remembered on the “Happy Sad Confused” podcast with Josh Horowitz.
“I wanted to work with [the Coen brothers] so badly. I worshiped the Coen brothers, obviously, as does everyone.”
While recounting her audition for “The Hudsucker Proxy,” Winona Ryder took a detour to remember another audition she had during the same timeframe. (Hoda Davaine/Dave Benett/WireImage/Getty Images)
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“I remember because I was also auditioning for ‘Fearless’ with Jeff Bridges, and I remember that audition. It was really around the same time, I think. Jeff Bridges, who I love, like, wouldn’t kiss me because I was, like, too young,” she said through laughter.
The film was released in 1994, which means at the time of auditions, Ryder was likely around 21 years old, putting Bridges at around 43.
“At the end of the scene, he was supposed to kiss me,” said Ryder.
Bridges gave her a kiss on the forehead instead.
According to the star, Bridges told her, “‘You’re like my daughter’s age.’”
“And I was like, ‘Nooo, I love you!’” she recalled fondly.
Winona Ryder says that Jeff Bridges refused to kiss her because she was “too young.” (Vera Anderson/WireImage/John Nacion/FilmMagic/Getty Images)
“Jeff Bridges, who I love, like, wouldn’t kiss me because I was, like, too young.”
Ryder was ultimately not cast in the movie. She then redirected herself back to the Coen brothers audition, finishing that story.
“My final callback was while I was doing ‘[The] Age of Innocence,’ so I had to leave the set in a corset,” she remembered.
Ryder described how she was running late and still in costume. She felt “so discombobulated” that she “completely blew” the audition.
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Winona Ryder not only did not get the role in “Fearless” with Jeff Bridges, but also did not star in “The Hudsucker Proxy,” which she auditioned for several times. (Daniele Venturelli/WireImage/Getty Images)
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Ryder’s upcoming film, “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” is set to be released in theaters on Friday. Her final season of Netflix’s “Stranger Things” is slated to stream next year.