If you were watching Stranger Things Season 5 and suddenly felt like you had slipped into a time machine back to 1988, you aren't the only one. The internet basically imploded. For a few days there, everyone was convinced that the Duffer Brothers had spent half their budget on de-aging technology or some high-end AI filter to bring back a 15-year-old version of Joyce Byers.
But it wasn't a computer. It was a real person.
Finding a Winona Ryder look alike who can actually mimic that specific, wide-eyed "strange and unusual" energy is like finding a needle in a haystack. Many have tried the dark bob and the pale foundation, but few actually nail the vibe. However, recent casting choices and social media discoveries have brought forward a few names that are genuinely uncanny.
The Girl Everyone Thought Was AI
The biggest shocker came during the flashback scenes in Stranger Things Season 5. We saw a young Joyce Maldonado (the future Mrs. Byers) walking the halls of Hawkins High in 1965. The resemblance was so intense that fans immediately started debating if it was a CGI trick.
The actress is actually a model and performer known as Birdy.
She's the definition of a "dead ringer." After the episodes aired, she even had to post behind-the-scenes photos on Instagram with the caption "not AI Winona" because the skepticism was that high. It wasn't just the dark hair or the petite frame; it was the bone structure and the way she held her expressions. It's rare to see a production opt for a practical lookalike over digital de-aging these days, but Birdy proved that sometimes biology does it better than a GPU.
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Why Do We Keep Seeing Her Face Everywhere?
Honestly, Winona has one of those "archetype" faces. It’s the gamine look—big eyes, delicate features, and a sort of eternal youthfulness. Because she defined the "alt-girl" aesthetic for several decades, our brains are trained to look for her successors.
The White Lotus Connection
During the recent seasons of The White Lotus, fans on Reddit and X (formerly Twitter) couldn't stop comparing Charlotte Le Bon to a young Winona. Specifically, people cited her role as Chloe as having that "Heathers" era sass.
- Charlotte Le Bon: She has that French-Canadian edge that mimics Winona’s 90s indie era.
- Aimee Lou Wood: While mostly known for Sex Education, some fans argue her expressive eyes and "doe-like" quality put her in the same category.
- Jurin from XG: Interestingly, the K-pop world has its own candidate. Fans of the group XG have pointed out that Jurin, especially with her short hair and sharp jawline, looks remarkably like Winona circa Girl, Interrupted.
It’s kinda wild how one face can be reflected across so many different ethnicities and industries.
The Natalie Portman and Keira Knightley Paradox
We can't talk about a Winona Ryder look alike without mentioning the "Original Triplets." For years, people have joked that Winona Ryder, Natalie Portman, and Keira Knightley are just different evolutions of the same person.
If you look at Winona in Age of Innocence and compare her to Natalie Portman in Anywhere But Here, it’s a bit spooky.
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This isn't just a fan theory; it's a "phenotype" thing. They all share that specific 19th-century-heroine-but-make-it-modern look. Dark hair, fair skin, and eyes that look like they've seen a ghost. It’s why they all get cast in period pieces.
TikTok and the Rise of the "Lydia Deetz" Doppelgänger
TikTok is where the search for a Winona Ryder look alike goes from "hey, they look similar" to "this person is literally a clone."
Because of the massive success of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice in 2024, the "Lydia Deetz" aesthetic became a massive trend. Creators like Paige Desorbo have been frequently cited as doppelgängers, though some argue she leans more toward an Audrey Hepburn vibe.
Then there are the niche creators who specialize in "method dressing." They don't just look like her; they study the way she twitches her nose or moves her hands. It’s a whole subculture of people trying to bottle that specific 1990s lightning.
Does Jenna Ortega Actually Look Like Her?
This is the big debate. When Jenna Ortega was cast as Astrid Deetz, Lydia’s daughter, the world expected a mini-Winona.
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Do they look alike? Sorta.
They share the "Goth Queen" crown, and they both have that dark, brooding stare. But Ortega brings a different, more modern sharpness to the screen. Winona's look was always a bit more fragile and "ethereal," whereas Ortega feels more grounded and "rebellious." They look like mother and daughter, sure, but they aren't clones. And honestly? That's probably for the best. It allows the legacy to continue without it feeling like a reboot of a reboot.
How to Tell if Someone Is a True Lookalike
If you’re trying to spot a Winona-double in the wild, look for these three things:
- The "Stare": Winona has very large, dark pupils that take up a lot of the iris. It gives her a constant look of being either terrified or very deep in thought.
- The Jawline: It’s a very specific, delicate V-shape.
- The "Pixie" Energy: Regardless of her actual height, Winona always looks like she could fit into a tiny space. It’s a "compact" energy that’s hard to fake.
The Actionable Insight
If you’re a filmmaker or a photographer looking to capture this specific aesthetic, don't just hunt for a "Winona Ryder look alike" by hair color. Look for the eyes.
Casting Birdy in Stranger Things worked because she understood the vulnerability of the character, not just the haircut. If you're a fan wanting to mimic the look, focus on the "lived-in" makeup style of the early 90s—smudged eyeliner and a matte lip—rather than the "clean girl" aesthetic of today.
The "Winona Look" isn't about perfection. It’s about being "strange and unusual," and that’s something that can’t be manufactured by a computer—at least, not yet.
To see more of the real-life comparisons, you can check out Birdy's official Instagram or look at the side-by-side shots of the Stranger Things cast members like Noah Schnapp, who many fans believe was cast specifically because he shares Winona's facial structure.