Is Beloved Actress Winona Ryder Actually a Vegetarian?

Winona Ryder has a legendary screen presence. The actress, who was born Winona Laura Horowitz, is known for iconic movie roles that include Beetlejuice, Mermaids, Reality Bites, Edward Scissorhands, Heathers, and so many more. However, a whole new generation of fans is starting to follow the actress's career after her Netflix series Stranger Things became an instant classic across multiple age groups.

That has led to a renewed interest in the star.

That was especially true after she appeared on the popular YouTube series Hot Ones, where guests sit down to talk about everything from their current projects to their love lives (and sometimes both when they overlap) while eating a collection of chicken wings (and questions) that continue to get hotter and more spicey as the show goes on.

After the 54-year-old appeared on the show, some people started to wonder is Winona Ryder a vegetarian. Here's everything we know about the star's diet.

The question seemed to be everywhere after Ryder's November 2025 appearance, when she came on the show to promote the fifth and final season of Stranger Things.

But, instead of noshing on the show's traditional chicken wings, Ryder answered questions and chatted up the host while eating some spicy fried tofu instead. The meatless swap had some wondering if Ryder was a practicing vegetarian, or if she just preferred tofu to the taste of chicken.

While it doesn't sound like Ryder has confirmed publicly if she's a vegetarian or vegan, she has long been a supporter of animals and nature. For example, in the late 90s, Ryder joined an environmental activist for six days while she camped out (and shared a vegan diet with fellow activists) to save a 180-foot-tall tree that was about to be chopped down by the Pacific Lumber Company, according to Interview magazine.

However, the notoriously private star hasn't really confirmed her diet.

Ryder's Beetlejuice II co-star Jenna Ortega is a very public vegan (she also appeared on Hot Ones and ate a meat-free option during both visits to the set). Sadie Sink, Ryder's Stranger Things co-star, is also a vegan who was rumored to have been convinced to adopt the diet after starring alongside famous animal activist Woody Harrelson.

But just because the star is surrounded by those who maintain a strict meat-free diet, it doesn't mean she does as well.

In fact, Ryder once said she tries to avoid eating anything that was once alive whenever she can. It's more likely that Ryder is a part-time vegetarian, and that she probably enjoys eating a plant-based diet as much as possible (especially when dining with her famous friends who keep a stricter diet), but that she likely allows herself to eat meat whenever the mood strikes.

We must say that we have to admire a woman who does her best to stand up for animals while also remaining true to herself!