Winona Ryder might be best known to younger audiences of today for her part in 'Stranger Things,' but for her older fans, it's strange to see her playing a mother. She was always the cool-but-awkward teenager in the films of the late 1980s and early 1990s, with a girl-next-door vibe to her. She played similar roles in a lot of films, but the one that spoke the most to teenagers of the era was probably 'Heathers.' It's something of a cult film, but if you've seen it, you'll have vivid memories of Ryder playing 'Veronica.'
As a gifted character actress, Ryder always disappears inside the parts she plays, so in our minds, she and Veronica are one of the same. That makes it hard to imagine anyone else in the role, but if you can, try to picture Jennifer Connelly there instead. Not only was she the first choice for the part, but writer Daniel Walters had her specifically in mind when he wrote it.
Chefs made their way into celebrity land a while ago. But how many celebrities that weren’t trained as professional cooks are actually whizzes in the kitchen? Here are several that come to mind.
Actress Julia Roberts is confident about her cooking skills. “I’m quite a good cook,” she told E! News. “I’m like a closet home ec teacher…I can really cook anything.” Roberts has said she often cooks fish for herself and her kids. And speaking of her three children, “They think that I’m a good cook,” Roberts told People. “They actually told me that I should open a restaurant.” She also relishes cooking for the holidays, particularly shredded Brussel sprouts. Roberts hasn’t published a cookbook, but we did find recipes attributed to her for peach crisp and banana hemp muffins. Or you can make the same summer salad the actress supposedly eats.
Chrissy Teigen started off as a supermodel. Then her love of cooking filtered into her professional life too. At this point, she’s created recipes for a limited Blue Apron release and also just launched her own home and cooking line at Target named “Cravings,” after the two cookbooks she’s released. Teigen describes cooking as “a time of peace” for herself. So maybe peace out to her tuna melt sandwich or the fried chicken wings that are a favorite of her husband, John Legend.
Lady Gaga, whose real name is Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, comes from a cooking Italian family. Her father started his own restaurant in New York and also published a cookbook. And apparently, Lady Gaga has inherited the family’s cooking genes. Her Instagram account occasionally features photos of her culinary activities. Sure, sometimes it’s topless cooking. But other times it’s more poignant like in the post she shared about her bringing food to the family of her dear friend who passed away. Want to try a Gaga/Germanotta family favorite? Check out her recipe for whole wheat pasta with a sweet fennel sauce.