Winona Ryder Admits to ‘Throwing Herself’ at Oscar-Winning Actor 32 Years Her Senior originally appeared on Parade.
’90s icon Winona Ryder just made one of the most candid admissions of her career. In a new interview, the Stranger Things star revealed she was “absolutely in love” with an Oscar-winning actor, 32 years her senior. She admits to “throwing herself” at him, eliciting a surprising response.
In the mid-’90s, Ryder was working alongside Al Pacino in a workshop for Richard III, later turned into the 1996 documentary Looking For Richard. She soon realized her feelings went way beyond a friendly connection.
Parade Daily🎬 SIGN UP for Parade’s Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox 🎬
She told Elle she was “absolutely in love” with Pacino. Ryder claimed they were friendly and often visited coffee houses around New York City to try different beverages.
However, Ryder couldn’t contain her growing feelings, blurting them out toThe Godfather star. She explained, “I’m 22, or whatever. Finally, he’s dropping me off wherever I’m staying, and I’m like, ‘I love you, you know. I really am completely in love with you.’’
“He was like, ‘aw, honey, noooo.’ Then, like 10 years later, I meet his girlfriend, who’s younger than me,” she quipped.
While Ryder admitted to “throwing” herself at the actor, a romantic relationship didn’t develop. Today, they remain friendly. “I still play poker with him sometimes. It’s the best.”
Winona Ryder is currently dating Scott Mackinlay Hahn, a fashion designer and the co-founder of the green and socially-conscious line Loomstate. They have been in a relationship since 2011.
The actress’s career continues to trend upward as the final season of Stranger Things debuts. Per Netflix, Season 5 will drop in three parts.
The full synopsis for Stranger Things 5reads, “The fall of 1987. Hawkins is scarred by the opening of the Rifts, and our heroes are united by a single goal: find and kill Vecna. But he has vanished — his whereabouts and plans unknown.”
“Complicating their mission, the government has placed the town under military quarantine and intensified its hunt for Eleven, forcing her back into hiding. As the anniversary of Will’s disappearance approaches, so does a heavy, familiar dread.”
It concludes, “The final battle is looming — and with it, a darkness more powerful and more deadly than anything they’ve faced before. To end this nightmare, they’ll need everyone — the full party — standing together, one last time.”
Stranger Things Volume 1 airs Nov. 26, 2025, followed by Volume 2 on Dec. 25, 2025. The finale, which concludes the series, airs on Dec. 31.
Winona Ryder Admits to ‘Throwing Herself’ at Oscar-Winning Actor 32 Years Her Senior first appeared on Parade on Jul 24, 2025
This story was originally reported by Parade on Jul 24, 2025, where it first appeared.
