Winona Ryder recently voiced frustration that the younger crowd doesn't seem to care much about movies anymore, and thinks social media is the culprit.
On a promotional tour for the new Beetlejuice sequel, she spoke about how things are different in the industry now. She has noticed how her younger co-stars often don't show much interest in film history, which to her, is such a big part of what makes acting special.
She said in an August 2024 interview with Esquire magazine:
"The first thing they ask is, 'How long is it?'"
Although she loves acting, she increasingly feels out of touch with the new breed of actors. She feels that they do not appreciate how great the history of cinema is.
Ryder can tell she may sound "out of touch," but she's passionate about why the knowledge of film history matters. She wants younger folks to "study the history of film and photography" and how rich the art can be. Her thoughts point toward how social media is changing our attention spans, and shifting values in the industry.
The impact of social media on film culture as Winona Ryder notes
Social media changed everything in how young people watch and get themselves engaged with content. Winona Ryder believes that this change is one of the major reasons they are less interested in traditional movies.
Speaking to The Independent, she said:
"I just think that social media has changed everything."
She said she does like it, because it is fast and effortless regarding accessing content. But, it has built a culture of people wanting everything fast and short rather than more involved.
Where the likes of TikTok and Instagram are pushing short videos, it can feel like such a chore to some, having to sit through a movie longer than that. She said so in light of Millie Bobby Brown's statement, his co-star in Stranger Things, that she is not into watching movies.
And, that seems to be the way it is with a lot of their young audiences. For Ryder, this is a little sad, since she feels these younger actors are depriving themselves of all the great things they can learn from the "rich history of film."
Winona Ryder's hope for the future of cinema
With that being said, Ryder remains optimistic about the younger generation realizing just how great the classics are. Even though she has been frustrated with some of her co-stars, she has given kudos to younger actors, such as Beetlejuice Beetlejuice's Jenna Ortega, for knowing film history. Ryder recalls being very impressed when Ortega brought up the 1964 film I Am Cuba.
Winona Ryder mentioned how it was to team up with someone who loved movies just as much as she did:
"I almost cried."
Ryder has also been a huge film enthusiast, and she talks about the fervor in film history through her interviews. In her interview with The Criterion Closet, she shared her love for indie films like Gordon Parks' The Learning Tree and Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai by Jim Jarmusch.
Winona Ryder wants the future generation to be on the lookout for some of these film gems. Moreover, she hopes that through this, more actors and filmmakers will enter into these classics, which will help create a new appreciation for filmmaking.
Ryder's concerns underline the Catch-22 situation that traditional cinema finds itself in today with social media taking over, yet she is still all for knowing and appreciating film in importance. In this, a debate starts on where the industry is headed and how education plays a part in keeping legacy alive.
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice hit theaters on September 6, 2024, and Winona Ryder is back as Lydia Deetz, one of her most memorable roles.
