Winona Ryder: Drowning, Designer Theft, and a Deadly Kidnapping

DISGRACELAND

Jake Brennan

True Crime, Music, Society & Culture

4.6 • 13.1K Ratings

🗓️ 29 April 2025

⏱️ 40 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Between beatnik parents, an LSD guru godfather, and an unconventional upbringing in Northern California, it’s not surprising that Winona Ryder became America’s endearing weirdo in the 1990s. Her noir starpower shined from an early age in movies like Beetlejuice, Heathers, and Edward Scissorhands, but her penchant for dark roles would lead her towards crime in real life. The only thing weirder than Winona’s $5,000 shoplifting spree and the kidnapping of a girl from her own hometown is how the two stories unexpectedly intertwine. This episode contains themes that may be disturbing to some listeners, including kidnapping and child abuse. For the full list of contributors, visit ⁠disgracelandpod.com⁠ Which actress best embodies Generation X for you? Why? Let Jake know at 617-906-6638, [email protected], or on socials @disgracelandpod. To listen to Disgraceland ad free and get access to a monthly exclusive episode, weekly bonus content and more, become a Disgraceland All Access member at ⁠disgracelandpod.com/membership⁠. Sign up for our newsletter and get the inside dirt on events, merch and other awesomeness - ⁠GET THE NEWSLETTER⁠ Follow Jake and DISGRACELAND: ⁠Instagram⁠ ⁠YouTube⁠ ⁠X⁠ (formerly Twitter) ⁠Facebook Fan Group⁠ ⁠TikTok To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Double Elvis.
0:05.0	Get ready for a game changer.
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0:21.6	every time. Transform your ideas into standout content with time-saving generative AI
0:27.2	features that are designed to be safe for commercial use. No headaches, just results. Curious to learn
0:33.2	more, head to Adobe.com forward slash express. This episode contains content that may be disturbing to some listeners.
0:41.0	Please check the show notes for more information.
0:44.2	Disgraceland is a production of Double Elvis. The stories about Winona Ryder are insane.
1:02.5	She nearly drowned when she was just 12 years old,
1:06.2	and she once stole more than $5,000 worth of designer clothes on a whim,
1:12.0	even though she was a super famous and successful actress at the time.
1:15.2	Earlier, she was raised by Beatniks off the grid in Northern California.
1:20.0	Her godfather was LSD pioneer Timothy Leary, aka the most dangerous man in America.
1:28.1	Winona's unique upbringing molded her into an A.k.a.a. the most dangerous man in America. When known as unique upbringing, molded her into an A-list actress and into America's
1:34.4	endearing weirdo. Her weirdness drew from the deep fears that she experienced when
1:40.4	assimilating from a sheltered early childhood to a more typical 1980s media overload
1:46.8	when her family moved to California.
1:49.7	And when one of those fears came true
1:51.3	in her new California hometown,
1:54.0	she found herself in an unlikely role,
	...

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