Winona Ryder opens up about updating Lydia Deetz in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice sequel

Winona Ryder, who first played Lydia Deetz in the 1988 original Beetlejuice, has spoken about updating the character for the upcoming sequel, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. Ryder revealed that she never pictured Lydia as an adult with children or in a relationship, but credits the casting of Jenna Ortega and Justin Theroux with helping her shape the grown-up version of her character.

"I think certainly, I never pictured Lydia either having children or in any type of relationship," Ryder told Slash Film. "I just always thought she was just probably in her own world as she got older. Just sort of in the attic and happy, but alone."

Ryder credited the casting of Ortega as Lydia's daughter Astrid and Theroux as her boyfriend Rory with helping her shape the grown-up version of her character, who is now a TV personality. "I think once we got there and once Jenna and I bonded and once Justin came on board..." Ryder began to explain. "I mean, I think everyone who's as old as I am now, we've all been in those things where you're just like, 'What was I thinking, in terms of the relationship I have?' But I don't know what young Lydia, I don't think she would ever have expected to be in front of a camera."

The Beetlejuice Beetlejuice sequel, directed by Tim Burton, also features original co-stars Michael Keaton and Catherine O'Hara, as well as Monica Bellucci, Willem Dafoe, Burn Gorman, Danny DeVito, Arthur Conti, and Filipe Cates. The film follows Lydia as she returns home with her daughter Astrid after the death of her father Charles, and discovers a portal to the afterlife, unleashing the titular ghoul.