Winona Ryder feels "incredibly lucky" in life.

The 40-year-old actress recently reminisced about her ascent to stardom.

She credits her family with helping her stay grounded while she pursued an acting career in her teenage years.

"I have been incredibly lucky and have had many, many great opportunities along the way," she told the Hollywood Reporter.

"My parents tried to help me avoid getting caught up in the world of movies."

Winona made her film debut at the young age of 15 in 1986's Lucas.

She shot to fame two years later when she starred in Tim Burton's Beetlejuice, but her parents shielded her from the glitz and glamour of Hollywood.

"Even after I started getting a lot of work, the family never moved to Los Angeles," she revealed.

"When I was in school I could only act in the summers. I still did my laundry in a laundromat until I was in my late 20s in part because I didn't want to lose perspective on what was happening around me."

Winona was most recently spotted walking the red carpet at last night's Venice Film Festival.

She was there promoting her latest film, The Iceman.