She lost her chance to star opposite Marlon Brando because of one role. The controversial comedy was not well-received by critics.
In the late 1980s, the dark comedy "Deadly Attraction" hit theaters. Winona Ryder starred as a high school girl who begins a relationship with a teenage sociopath. In a new interview, the Hollywood actress revealed that she lost her dream job two years later because of her participation in the film. "The producers felt the film was mocking teenage suicide. They were deeply offended and withdrew the offer," the Golden Globe winner revealed.
Speaking to Elle magazine, Winona Ryder revealed that years ago she had the chance to star alongside Marlon Brando and Matthew Broderick in the crime comedy "The Rookie." However, the actress lost the role at the last minute – all because of her performance in "Deadly Attraction." The 1988 black comedy tells the story of a group of high school friends who fall apart.
One of the girls, Veronica (played by Ryder), develops a relationship with a new student, the teenage sociopath Jason, who encourages her to carry out a macabre plan to murder her hated classmates and make them look like suicides. In addition to Ryder, the cast includes Shannen Doherty and Christian Slater.
Winona Ryder and Christian Slater wThe star emphasized that although she has great fondness for the production, it was completely unappealing to the creators of "The Newcomer." After viewing the controversial film, they immediately fired the actress.
The controversy surrounding "Deadly Attraction""The producers felt the film was mocking teen suicide. They were deeply offended and withdrew the offer. I was incredibly sad that I wouldn't be able to work with Marlon Brando, but I wasn't going to apologize for my earlier choices and for participating in 'Deadly Attraction.' It's one of my favorite projects. When it's on TV, I always watch it. I practically know it by heart," revealed Ryder, 53.
Directed by Michael Lehmann , the film sparked considerable controversy upon its premiere. A few years ago, the filmmaker explained in an interview with The Denver Post that outraged viewers clearly didn't understand his vision.
"The more horrific human behavior is, the greater the potential for presenting it in a comedic way. When our film was released, there were politically correct reactions like, 'How dare you make fun of teen suicide!' We didn't do that; we simply created a comedy about how adults perceive young people and how they behave towards each other," Lehmann explained.
In an interview with Interview magazine, Ryder once revealed that the producers' first choice was Jennifer Connelly . However, the actress was determined to get the part.
"I told them I didn't care if the film ever saw the light of day. I said they didn't even have to pay me. I was absolutely obsessed with that script," the star recalled.
Although the film outraged a significant portion of the audience, it was praised by American critics. It won the Independent Spirit Award and was nominated for the Grand Prize at the Sundance Film Festival. It is now considered a classic of 1980s youth cinema.
