Meg Ryan (64) Is Still Charming 37 Years After ‘When Harry Met Sally…’
Looking back from the point of her 1989 breakout in When Harry Met Sally…, Meg Ryan has enjoyed a career full of charm, versatility, and reinvention. That first leading role paired her with Billy Crystal and earned her a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress in a Comedy or Musical.
Her portrayal of Sally Albright, including the famous Katz’s Delicatessen scene where she theatrically demonstrates how easy it is to fake an orgasm, quickly became iconic and cemented her as Hollywood’s sweetheart.
Afterward, Ryan tried a variety of roles. She appeared in Oliver Stone’s The Doors and the romantic comedy Prelude to a Kiss, though the latter didn’t perform well at the box office. Her big return to romantic comedy came in 1993 with Sleepless in Seattle, reuniting with Tom Hanks after their work together in Joe Versus the Volcano.
The film was a massive hit, earning her a second Golden Globe nomination. She also turned down the role of Clarice Starling in The Silence of the Lambs, reportedly due to its violent content, showing early on that she prioritized projects carefully.
In 1994, Ryan took a risk with When a Man Loves a Woman, playing an alcoholic high-school counselor alongside Andy Garcia. Critics praised both her performance and the film itself, with Variety calling it “a first-class production, accentuated by fine performances and an unflinching script.”
The movie grossed $50 million in the U.S., and Ryan earned a Screen Actors Guild nomination. That same year, she returned to lighter fare with I.Q., a romantic comedy co-starring Tim Robbins and Walter Matthau.
Over the next few years, she solidified her reputation in romantic comedies with films like French Kiss and You’ve Got Mail, the latter marking another successful reunion with Hanks. Ryan also explored more dramatic or unconventional roles.
She starred as a helicopter pilot in Courage Under Fire (1996), voiced the lead in Anastasia (1997), and played against type in Addicted to Love (1997). Films like City of Angels (1998) and Hurlyburly (1998) showcased her range, earning critical praise and commercial success.
In the early 2000s, she experimented with different genres, from family dramas like Hanging Up to thrillers such as Proof of Life, co-starring Russell Crowe. The latter generated media attention for her off-screen relationship with Crowe, though critics like Stephen Holden of The New York Times felt the film lacked emotional connection.
Ryan continued to challenge herself with films that went against her established image. In 2003, she starred in Jane Campion’s erotic thriller In the Cut, appearing nude for the first time in a major film.
The project drew significant media attention, and while the movie itself didn’t perform well commercially, it marked a bold move in her career. She also led the boxing drama Against the Ropes (2004), portraying Jackie Kallen, a pioneering female manager, although the film struggled at the box office.
Following brief breaks, Ryan returned with independent and character-driven projects. In the Land of Women (2007) earned praise for her portrayal of a mother facing breast cancer, and she appeared in comedies like The Deal (2008) and Serious Moonlight (2009).
That period also included the ensemble remake The Women (2008), which critics largely panned, but the film still found a respectable audience. By the 2010s, Ryan had shifted toward directing and producing, making her feature debut with Ithaca (2015), based on the novel The Human Comedy by William Saroyan.
Recently, Meg Ryan has gracefully returned to both acting and public appearances. In 2023, she starred alongside David Duchovny in the romantic comedy What Happens Later, which she also directed.
In 2024, she attended the Sarajevo Film Festival to receive the Heart of Sarajevo award and held a masterclass with Oscar-winning director Danis Tanović. In 2025, Ryan was cast in Lena Dunham’s upcoming romantic comedy Good Sex.
At 62, she continues to look radiant and has aged with remarkable elegance, combining her classic charm with a new confidence and presence on screen. Meg Ryan’s journey from When Harry Met Sally… to her recent work illustrates a career that balances iconic performances, risk-taking choices, and a graceful reinvention in both film and television.
She remains a beloved figure in Hollywood, demonstrating that talent and poise endure through decades of change. Share your thoughts on Meg Ryan’s remarkable career and her recent comeback in the comments.
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