ShoWest sets Ryder rites

By LEONARD KLADY

Two-time Oscar nominee and Golden Globe honoree Winona Ryder will receive the actress of the year award at ShoWest on March 6. The 25-year-old performer currently is onscreen in "The Crucible," with her next film, "Alien: Resurrection" scheduled to open in the fall.

A native of Petaluma, Ryder attended the prestigious American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco where she was spotted by a talent agent in a class production. That led to her first screen role in the 1986 coming-of-age tale "Lucas."

The following year, she co-starred in "Square Dance" and was part of the "Beetlejuice" ensemble. She cemented her critical rep in 1989 with starring parts in the black comedy "Heathers" and as Jerry Lee Lewis' teenage bride in "Great Balls of Fire."

Other screen credits have included "Reality Bites," "Mermaids," "Edward Scissorhands" and "How to Make an American Quilt." With the 1992 "Bram Stoker's Dracula," Ryder graduated to adult roles and her subsequent turn in "The Age of Innocence" earned her a spot on the Oscar ballot and a Globe statuette in the supporting actress category. She was an Academy best actress nominee in 1994 for her work in "Little Women."