Ever since the first time you saw the Tim Burton movie Beetlejuice, have you been prone to saying the poltergeist’s name three times? Winona Ryder sure has, having playing Lydia Deetz back in 1988 and reprising the role in the highly-anticipated sequel Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. Actually, I should be saying that Ryder has said the ghost’s name outside of the horror-comedy film series, as she recalled the wild story of the TSA holding her up to say “Beetlejuice” three times.
It’s no surprise that when people see Winona Ryder, they think of Beetlejuice, one of her best movies. She played Lydia flawlessly with all of her dark, yet funny memorable quotes from the Tim Burton classic as well as fashioning her goth attire. Her Beetlejuice presence is so memorable that the Stranger Things actress told the story to eTalk CTV of the TSA holding her up so she’d say the name of Michael Keaton’s character name three times:
I have missed flights because the TSA people wouldn’t let me through unless I said [Beetlejuice] three times! […] But I would do it and then be like ‘Do it again!’ It became a thing and I was like, ‘Please, I’m late!’
That’s ridiculous to make someone late for their flight so they can hear them say “Beetlejuice” three times. I wouldn’t want to be that airline right now. I’d be curious if the TSA people were hoping that the “Ghost with the Most” character would pop up at the sound of his name. I would leave that for a potential Halloween Horror Nights haunted house rather than the airport.
Fans of the Tim Burton comedy-horror film seem to have been saying Beetlejuice’s name for the past 35 years. After so many questions about whether or not a Beetlejuice sequel would happen, our dream came true, with several members the original cast returning for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, like Michael Keaton and Catherine O’Hara. There will also be fresh new faces in the Land of the Dead, like Jenna Ortega, Justin Theroux, Willem Dafoe and more. Considering Beetlejuice has become such a pop cultural phenomenon with its gift ideas, Halloween costumes and the huge public reaction to the character, I have a feeling the goth culture director has created box office gold with this sequel.
Winona Ryder has also been saying “Beetlejuice” plenty of times to people long after the 1988 flick. Apparently she had secret meetings with Tim Burton for years about the possibility of a sequel. Even for Stranger Things, she had a Beetlejuice-related condition when signing on for the Netflix series that the Duffer Brothers needed to let her film the Tim Burton sequel when the moment came. Her faithfulness proves that she wasn’t going to let anyone else step into her iconic role as Lydia except for her. You can watch the Edward Scissorhands actress’ full interview here:
Lydia from Beetlejuice has become so memorable that TSA agents stopped Winona Ryder so she could say “Beetlejuice” three times. I have a feeling we’re all going to be saying the ghoulish character’s name more often seeing the 2024 movie release in theaters on September 6th.