In the 1990s, Meg Ryan was the undisputed queen of romantic comedies. Known for her girl-next-door charm and effortless chemistry with co-stars like Billy Crystal and , she lit up screens in beloved classics such as When Harry Met Sally, Sleepless in Seattle, and French Kiss.
Her reign as America’s Sweetheart seemed unstoppable—until one film and its off-screen drama derailed her career.
In 2000, Ryan stepped out of her rom-com comfort zone to star in the action thriller Proof of Life opposite Russell Crowe.
The film’s plot revolved around a hostage crisis, but it was the real-life affair between Ryan and Crowe during filming that grabbed headlines. When news broke of Ryan’s split from her then-husband Dennis Quaid, the tabloids pounced. Director Taylor Hackford claimed the scandal had an “indelible and very destructive effect” on the film’s release.
Crowe dismissed the director’s comment, firing back, “He’s a fucking idiot. No seriously – what a k**b.”
Meg reunited with her When Harry Met Sally co-star Billy Crystal (Image: Hellmans)
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Despite Hackford’s accusations, it was Ryan who bore the brunt of the fallout. Proof of Life bombed at the box office, and the media frenzy shattered her wholesome image. Though she briefly reclaimed her rom-com crown with Kate & Leopold in 2001, her reign as ’s go-to leading lady was over. Efforts to reinvent herself with darker roles, like her performance in Jane Campion’s In the Cut, invited even more criticism.
When Ryan appeared nude in the film, the backlash was swift and brutal. Her infamous 2003 interview with Michael Parkinson, where the host interrogated her career choices, further solidified her struggles.
Ryan turned her back on the celebrity A-list, focusing instead on independent films and directing. While she received critical acclaim for some of her smaller projects, she remained largely out of the mainstream. However, in 2023, Ryan made a much-anticipated return to her rom-com roots with a film she both directed and starred in.
The ad sees the pair reprise their roles from the iconic movie, When Harry Met Sally (Image: Hellmans)
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Now, Ryan is back in the spotlight once again, reuniting with her When Harry Met Sally co-star Billy Crystal for a hilarious Sunday commercial for Hellmann’s Mayonnaise.
The ad sees the pair reprise their roles from the iconic 1989 Nora Ephron rom-com. Filmed at Katz’s Deli in New York City, it revisits the famous scene where Ryan’s character loudly fakes an orgasm while eating a sandwich.
“I’ll have what she’s having,” quips the older woman at the next table, just as she did in the original.
Billy Crystal dons his famous aran sweater from the film, joking, “I can’t believe they let us back in this place.”
Ryan takes centre stage, squeezing mayo onto her sandwich before delivering her over-the-top performance. Sydney Sweeney, seated nearby, delivers the punchline: “I’ll have what she’s having.”