When Winona Ryder sat down for the latest episode of Hot Ones on November 20, 2025, she didn’t just face heat—she faced tofu. The Winona Ryder, 53, known for her roles in Beetlejuice, Little Women, and now Stranger Things, swapped the traditional chicken wings for spicy fried tofu cubes in a bold, unexpected twist that left fans buzzing. The 22-minute, 51-second episode, filmed at First We Feast’s Brooklyn studio, was part of their 10-year anniversary season and featured the notoriously brutal The Last Dab, Thermageddon as the final sauce. And yet, despite her visible struggle, Ryder didn’t flinch—she just grabbed more ice cream.
Why Tofu? A Vegan Tribute and a Personal Choice
Ryder didn’t just pick tofu because it was trendy. She chose it after watching her Stranger Things co-star Jenna Ortega tackle the challenge with meat-free wings back in 2023. "I watched Jenna’s," Ryder said at the 18-minute mark. "She is a Navy SEAL. I love her so much." The comment wasn’t just praise—it was a quiet nod to the growing influence of plant-based diets in Hollywood. Ortega, a longtime vegan, had inspired not only Ryder but also co-star Sadie Sink, who adopted veganism after being influenced by Woody Harrelson during the filming of Stranger Things Season 3, according to PlantBasedNews.org. Ryder’s tofu choice turned the challenge into a statement: veganism isn’t a limitation—it’s a different kind of strength."Doing tofu with hot sauce is brave," one YouTube viewer wrote. "It’s literally a sponge that absorbs everything." And that’s the point. Unlike chicken wings, which have texture and fat to buffer spice, tofu soaks up every drop of sauce—making the heat more intense, more relentless. By choosing it, Ryder didn’t just play along—she upped the stakes.
The Challenge: From Humor to Horror
Hosted by Chris Schonberger, co-founder of First We Feast, the episode unfolded like a slow-motion disaster movie with comedic beats. At the 7-minute, 42-second mark, Schonberger warned: "This next one is a chimmy chur habanero if you’re ready." Ryder, eyes widening, replied: "It looks a little gray, doesn’t it?" The moment went viral instantly.By the 12-minute mark, Schonberger offered a poetic metaphor: "You’re riding the river, Winona. The storm clears, the sun comes out—for a second—then the next storm hits." Ryder didn’t laugh. She nodded, swallowed, and took another bite. Her face reddened. Her eyes watered. But she kept going. At the 20-minute, 22-second mark, Schonberger confirmed: "I’m buying it. I’m totally buying it." She’d done it—not by enduring the heat, but by adapting to it. Ice cream became her lifeline. Not a gimmick. A survival tactic.
Behind the Scenes: Burton, Scorsese, and the Movie-Theater Jump
The real magic wasn’t just in the spice—it was in the stories. Between bites, Ryder reminisced about working with Tim Burton on Beetlejuice and Edward Scissorhands, calling their collaborations "a wild, wonderful accident." She recalled Martin Scorsese telling her during The Age of Innocence, "Don’t blink. If you blink, you lose the moment." And then, the anecdote that had the crew laughing through tears: "The time I tried to jump into a movie-theater screen." She was 16. The film was Heathers. She thought if she ran hard enough, she could step into the world on screen. "I didn’t make it," she said. "But I didn’t stop trying."Those moments weren’t filler—they were the soul of the episode. In a world where celebrity interviews feel scripted and hollow, Ryder’s honesty, humor, and vulnerability made this more than a food challenge. It became a portrait of an artist who’s spent four decades refusing to play it safe.
Stranger Things Finale and the Cultural Ripple
The timing was no accident. Stranger Things Season 5 premiered in the U.S. on November 26, 2025, and in the U.K. the next day. The episode served as a soft launch—gentle, quirky, deeply personal. Fans who’d followed the show since 2016 now saw Ryder not just as Joyce Byers, but as a real person: funny, fearless, and fiercely loyal to her friends and her choices. Her appearance also highlighted how Hot Ones has evolved from a viral gimmick into a cultural touchstone. Guests now use it to reveal truths, not just promote projects.And then there’s the sauce. The Last Dab, Thermageddon—a blend of ghost peppers, Carolina reapers, and undisclosed capsaicin extracts—wasn’t just the final heat. It was the capstone of a decade of chili-fueled interviews. First We Feast launched in 2012. The show debuted in 2015. Now, in 2025, it’s become a rite of passage for actors, musicians, and athletes who want to be seen as human.
What’s Next for Winona Ryder?
Ryder’s filmography spans genres and generations—from Heathers to Alien Resurrection to Stranger Things. She’s never chased trends. She’s chased authenticity. After Stranger Things wraps, she’s rumored to be developing a period drama based on her own collection of first-edition books, a passion she touched on during the episode. Whether she returns to Hot Ones in a decade is anyone’s guess. But if she does? Don’t expect wings. Maybe quinoa dumplings. Or pickled mushrooms.Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Winona Ryder choose tofu instead of chicken wings on Hot Ones?
Ryder chose spicy fried tofu as a tribute to her Stranger Things co-star Jenna Ortega, who previously completed the challenge with vegan wings. Tofu absorbs heat more intensely than meat, making the challenge harder—Ryder’s choice was both a nod to plant-based eating and a deliberate escalation of difficulty.
How did Winona Ryder manage the extreme heat during the challenge?
She alternated each spicy tofu cube with spoonfuls of ice cream, a tactic she described as her only way to survive. The cooling contrast allowed her to reset her palate and continue through the final, nearly unbearable sauces—particularly The Last Dab, Thermageddon, the hottest in Hot Ones history.
What’s the connection between Winona Ryder, Sadie Sink, and Woody Harrelson?
Actor Woody Harrelson inspired Sadie Sink to adopt a vegan lifestyle during the filming of Stranger Things Season 3, as reported by PlantBasedNews.org. Ryder later cited Sink’s commitment as part of her own motivation to choose tofu, linking her decision to a broader, ongoing shift in the cast’s personal values.
What makes this Hot Ones episode different from others?
Unlike most episodes focused on celebrity promotion, Ryder’s appearance blended humor, vulnerability, and cultural commentary. The tofu twist, her reflections on Tim Burton and Martin Scorsese, and the emotional tribute to Ortega elevated it from a food challenge to a meaningful portrait of an artist navigating fame, aging, and ethics.
When did the fifth season of Stranger Things premiere?
The fifth and final season of Stranger Things premiered in the United States on November 26, 2025, and in the United Kingdom on November 27, 2025. Ryder’s Hot Ones appearance on November 20 served as a promotional lead-in, generating buzz ahead of the finale.
What is The Last Dab, Thermageddon?
It’s the final and hottest sauce in Hot Ones’ 10-year anniversary lineup, developed by First We Feast. A blend of ghost peppers, Carolina reapers, and undisclosed capsaicin extracts, it’s designed to be the most intense sauce ever used on the show—a fitting end to a decade of chili-fueled interviews.
