Heathers, the Eighties teen movie in which Winona Ryder plays a popular but conflicted high school student who gets caught up in a murderous rampage, celebrated its 30th birthday on 31 March. Despite being critically acclaimed upon its release in 1989, Heathers did poorly at the box office – but it went on to become a cult favourite for its dark, bloody and sardonic take on adolescent life, and has since been adapted into both a musical and TV show.

Ryder’s performance as Veronica Sawyer in Heathers is today considered one of the actor’s defining roles (it was also only the fourth film in which she had a leading part). But when she was first offered the part of Veronica, her then-agent allegedly begged her not to accept it.

In an interview with Variety to mark the film’s 30th anniversary, producer Denise Di Novi recalled how Ryder – who was just 15 when Heathers was cast – faced serious pressure not to take the part.

“Everybody thought we were crazy to make the movie,” Di Novi said. She added that Ryder’s agent was convinced that she shouldn’t make the film because it was so dark – to the extent that she actually got down on her knees and begged Ryder not to accept the role.

Why Winona Ryder’s agent begged her not to take the lead role in Heathers