Nicole Rayburn: Winona, you are easily known as one of Tim Burton’s earliest muses. How does it feel to be working with your old friend again?

Winona Ryder: Well, it’s incredibly special. It’s just a very special film in general. I just saw it when we premiered it in Austin, and I was in tears, I was just so blown away. I expected it to be fantastic, but just it’s… He’s so special.

You know, it’s been 25 years that I’ve known him and that I’ve seen his short, and to be asked to be part of something so personal to him was such an amazing feeling, a great honor, and also just an amazing excuse to hang out with one of my favorite people in the whole world. And just to be a part of this—I don’t think I’ve ever felt so proud, really.

People just genuinely, really love this movie because it really has so much heart, and it’s completely original and unique, and it’s Tim all the way. It’s emotional too, you know?

NR: Of course. It also seems like the style really lends itself to that emotional quality. What do you think about Frankenweenie’s black and white palette?

WR: It’s really an homage to those movies that he grew up loving, the black and white—and that I grew up loving, really. Most of my favorite movies are in black and white. I think this is the second movie I’ve ever done that’s in black and white. And I’m not—it’s just my voice, but, yeah, I can’t really imagine it in color.

But I do think it’s an incredible experience. People who are used to color won’t be like, “Why… what’s going on?” It’s really, really perfect.

Go to Buzzine original article to read interviews with Tim Burton and Martin Landau.