Winona’s Mystery

Winona Ryder stars in the Netflix sci-fi mystery series Stranger Things, which is set in 1983 and revolves around the disappearance of her character’s son. It starts streaming July 15. Ryder, née Horowitz, is Jewish on her father’s side, with Romanian and Russian ancestry. She identifies as Jewish. She’s currently in talks to star in Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice 2, with Michael Keaton reprising the title role.

Difficult People, the hilarious Hulu comedy about two snarky, fame-obsessed Jewish New Yorkers—played by considerably more successful Jewish New Yorkers Julie Klausner and Billy Eichner—returns for its second season July 12 and continues to incorporate interfaith themes. Klausner’s live-in boyfriend Arthur (James Urbaniak) is not Jewish, and she has more of a kindred spirit in her fellow pop culture addict and gay BFF, played by Eichner of Billy on the Street fame. Eichner’s dating life is a big part of the show, with love interests of all different faiths in the mix. Guest stars include Dancing With the Stars winner Nyle DiMarco, Tina Fey, Nathan Lane, Joel McHale, Sandra Bernhard, Amy Sedaris and the show’s executive producer Amy Poehler.

In the comedy Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates, opening July 8, Zac Efron and Adam DeVine play brothers who advertise for two girls to accompany them to their sister’s Hawaii nuptials and get more than they bargained for in Aubrey Plaza and Anna Kendrick, playing wild-child types. Efron has Jewish roots on his father’s side; his family was not religious but he has described himself as Jewish. Up next for him is Masterpiece (about the making of the infamously bad movie The Room) in which he co-stars with brothers James and Dave Franco, Seth Rogen, Alison Brie, Sharon Stone and Bryan Cranston. Efron also stars in the big screen reboot of Baywatch opposite Dwayne Johnson, due in May 2017.