Winona Ryder, the beloved actress who plays Joyce Byers in Stranger Things, is a force to be reckoned with. Her character is a mom who would move mountains to protect her kids. In real life, though, Winona doesn’t have children of her own. Still, she’s poured her heart and soul into playing a mom on screen and has even formed some pretty incredible bonds with her co-stars.

Does Winona Ryder Have Children in Real Life?

Let’s get one thing straight: Winona Ryder does not have any children. But here's the kicker—she’s played a mom so many times that it feels like second nature to her. On Stranger Things, she’s had the chance to work with the talented Noah Schnapp and Charlie Heaton, and let me tell you, it’s brought out her maternal side in ways she never expected.

Winona once said in an interview, “Honestly, I felt like Noah and Charlie were my kids. It was such a powerful feeling—it happened so fast, almost like when my niece and nephew were born.” Can you imagine that? Feeling such a deep connection to someone so quickly, like they’re already part of your family. That’s the kind of emotion she taps into when she plays a mom.

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She went on to explain, “It was like for the first time in my life, I understood how you would jump in front of a bus for this little baby that you don’t even know yet.” That’s some serious maternal instinct right there. And Charlie? He wasn’t just an actor on set; he was a partner in crime. “He’s a tremendous actor,” she said. “I also really bonded with Millie Bobby Brown, who plays Eleven. It was great.”

Noah Schnapp echoed those sentiments, saying, “She’s amazing, she’s like my second mother.” In an interview with The Guardian back in October 2017, he shared a story about how much Winona means to him. “There was an emotionally challenging scene in season two, and she has all the experience, so I thought, why not text her? I was like, can you send me a little advice? She was like, send you advice? I’ll come to the set! Meet me in my trailer!”

And that’s exactly what she did. Noah continued, “She came an hour early to talk me through it. It ended up great.” That’s the kind of support and mentorship that makes Winona stand out—not just as an actress, but as a person.

Winona Ryder talks about kids — Kevin Winter/Getty Images for Deadline Hollywood

Is Winona Ryder Married?

Winona Ryder is not married, nor has she ever been. But don’t let that fool you—this lady has had her fair share of high-profile romances over the years. Back in the early days of her career, she was linked to some big names in Hollywood, including Rob Lowe, Christian Slater, and Johnny Depp. Yeah, Johnny Depp. They were engaged at one point, but things didn’t work out, and they never made it down the aisle.

Winona opened up about the breakup in a 2009 interview with Elle, saying, “I had just had my first real breakup, the first heartbreak. Everybody else just thought I had everything in the world, but inside I was completely lost.” That’s some raw honesty right there.

Who Is Winona Ryder Dating Now?

Fast forward to today, and Winona is in a happy relationship with fashion designer Scott Mackinlay Hahn. They’ve been together since 2011, and he’s been by her side for many red carpet events. While they’re clearly in love, Winona isn’t too keen on the idea of marriage. She once said, “Marriage? I don’t know. I’d rather never have been married than been divorced a few times. Not that there’s anything wrong with divorce, but I don’t think I could do it if that was a possibility.”