Which character is played by Winona Ryder in "Stranger Things"?

Winona Ryder plays Joyce Byers in Stranger Things.

Joyce is the mother of Jonathan and Will Byers and one of the series’ central adults. When Will disappears in the first season, Joyce refuses to accept the ordinary explanation that he is dead or simply missing. Her determination leads her to investigate the strange signals and supernatural events surrounding Hawkins, Indiana.

The character is defined by fierce protectiveness, emotional intensity, and a willingness to challenge institutions that dismiss her concerns. Her story connects the Byers family to Hawkins Lab, the Upside Down, the Demogorgon, and later threats including the Mind Flayer and Vecna.

Ryder’s casting helped give Stranger Things its strong 1980s atmosphere: she was already associated with acclaimed films such as Beetlejuice, Heathers, Edward Scissorhands, and Little Women. Joyce is sometimes confused with Eleven, another major female character played by Millie Bobby Brown, but the two have different roles. Joyce is Will’s mother and later becomes an important guardian figure to Eleven.