Back in the 90s, Winona Ryder was a huge star — who had a very unpleasant run-in with another huge star, Mel Gibson, at least a decade before he became notorious for making racist, offensive remarks on record.
"I remember, like, fifteen years ago, I was at one of those big Hollywood parties. And [Gibson] was really drunk," Ryder, 39, tells the January GQ of the controversial actor, 54.
"I was with my friend, who's gay. [Gibson] made a really horrible gay joke. And somehow it came up that I was Jewish. He said something about 'oven dodgers,' but I didn't get it," Ryder admits of the slur, an ugly reference to the Holocaust.
"I'd never heard that before. It was just this weird, weird moment. I was like, 'He's anti-Semitic and he's homophobic.' No one believed me!"
Heathers star Ryder — whose fame was tarnished by a shoplifting scandal — is back in the spotlight thanks to her role in acclaimed Natalie Portman flick Black Swan.
Ryder admits she could relate to the dark thriller, about the cutthroat, backstabbing world of ballet. "Being replaced by the young thing — I know that definitely happens in Hollywood," the one-time It girl said.
"It's harder to find good roles, and suddenly there's new girls. I'm at that age I've been warned my whole life about."