Winona Ryder has admitted she was "ashamed" of her success early on in her career.

The actress started appearing in films during her teenage years, and soon became recognisable through hits such as Beetlejuice and Heathers.

However, the 34-year-old star has revealed that it took her some time to get used to the trappings of her occupation and what people thought of her.

She told Contactmusic: "For a long time I was ashamed of being an actress. I felt like it was a shallow occupation."

"And people would be watching my every move. They'd be judging me: 'Look at her shoes. I bet they cost $400.' In fact, I grew up with no money - we lived without electricity, running water or heating except for a stove," Ryder added.