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Winona Ryder ate spicy fried tofu on the most recent episode of Hot Ones.
The award-winning actor has starred in more than 40 films to date, including Heathers, Reality Bites, Beetlejuice, and Alien Resurrection, as well as the long-awaited fifth and final season of the streaming show Stranger Things, the first few episodes of which air on Netflix in the US today and the UK tomorrow.
Read more: Babybel Launches Vegan ‘Hellfire’ Flavor Ahead Of Stranger Things Season Five
Hot Ones is an American YouTube talk show hosted by Sean Evans that asks guests to eat increasingly spicy chicken wings – or a plant-based substitute like seitan, tempeh, or cauliflower – while answering a range of questions from Evans.
In her appearance on the show, Ryder talked about her collection of first edition books, working with Tim Burton, and the end of Stranger Things. During the introduction, she said, “I am terrified. I can’t believe I’m here. I love the show, I love watching.”
Instead of chicken wings, seitan, or vegetables, Ryder opted for spiced and fried cubes of tofu. On YouTube, one commenter wrote underneath the video, “Doing tofu with hot sauce is brave, it’s literally a sponge that absorbs everything.”
While she did struggle with the spiciest sauces, Ryder still made it to the end of the challenge by alternating the hot tofu cubes with spoonfuls of ice cream.
Read more: 10 Innovative Ways To Use Tofu
‘Every little choice counts’
During her appearance on the show, Ryder referenced Jenna Ortega, who co-starred with her in 2024’s Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. Ortega has now guested on Hot Ones twice, once by herself and once alongside the cast of Tim Burton’s Wednesday.
Ortega, a longtime vegan, appeared to be eating meat-free wings in both appearances. She was unfazed by the spice and even added extra hot sauce herself. Ryder said, “I watched Jenna’s. She is a Navy SEAL. I love her so much.”
Another recent Hot Ones guest, Woody Harrelson, inspired Ryder’s Stranger Things co-star Sadie Sink to go vegan more than eight years ago with his own diet.
Sink previously told Glamour magazine that “everyone should consider” veganism. “It can be pretty intimidating at first,” she continued, “but just take it day by day. Every little choice counts!” Sink, who plays Max Mayfield in Stranger Things, previously led a campaign for fashion brand Stella McCartney featuring sustainable materials.
The first four episodes of Stranger Things season five are available in the US from November 26, 17.00 PT. In the UK, fans can watch the episodes from November 27. The following three episodes will drop on December 25, which is Christmas Day, and the final episode will come out on December 31, or New Year’s Eve.
Read more: Stranger Things’ Sadie Sink Says ‘Everyone Should Consider’ A Vegan Lifestyle
