Meg Ryan Is Back, Baby! Celebrate With Her 10 Best Movies
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The queen of the rom-com, Meg Ryan, has returned to the zeitgeist after an eight year hiatus from acting. Thank god! Ryan is the star, director, and co-writer of a new film coming out this fall called What Happens Later (more on that later).
Prior to her well-earned hiatus, Ryan made her on-screen debut in the 1981 film Rich and Famous, going on to work feverishly throughout the '90s and charming absolutely everyone in America. Throughout her career, she made many more movies than sit on this list, but we’re tackling the top ten.
What Happens Later
This new rom-com stars Meg Ryan alongside David Duchovny and follows two exes who are reunited in the happiest place on earth — the airport amid a snowstorm. The film marks Meg Ryan’s official return to the screen since directing and starring in 2015's Ithaca. What Happens Later was one of the multiple releases shifted out of respect for (and fear of) Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour. So, not only is Meg Ryan the queen of the rom-com scene, she has respect for the queen of the music scene. What Happens Later Hits theaters November 3.
When Harry Met Sally
When Harry Met Sally is the best romantic comedy ever made, and we are not taking questions. In this Nora Ephron classic, Ryan plays the Sally to Billy Crystal’s Harry, two people whose lives continue to intertwine over 12 years, beginning with a post-grad cross country road trip. The film was released in 1989, and has since become canon for young singles. There is too much pepper in my paprikash.
Sleepless in Seattle
In 1993, Meg Ryan starred in another Nora Ephron film alongside Tom Hanks, which followed a journalist and a widow who fall in love from across coasts via talk radio. Sleepless in Seattle was nominated for two Academy Awards in its year (Best Original Screenplay and Best Original Song), which is something you don’t see everyday in the rom-com world.
You've Got Mail
While we’re on the subject of Tom Hanks, he and Meg Ryan worked together again in yet another Nora Ephron film in 1998. You’ve Got Mail shares a few similarities with its predecessor, but ultimately stands alone. The pair play two secret online lovers who, unaware of each other’s real identities, also happen to be mortal business enemies. This is basically the perfect recipe for a good as gold late 90’s rom-com.
Anastasia
Meg Ryan’s likeness goes animated, and Russian! The star voiced Anastasia in the eponymous animated musical, which, believe it or not, was not produced by Disney. Could’ve fooled me. The movie, which has since been adapted into a stage musical, is based on the true story of the Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna of Russia. Brief Russian history lesson ahead. In 1918, Tsar Nicholas II’s entire royal family was killed by Bolsheviks, but rumors circled that his youngest daughter Anastasia had escaped death and remained in hiding somewhere in Russia. Dark source material for a children’s movie, we know. Anyways, the movie follows an 18-year-old orphan named Anya who, looking remarkably similar to the lost princess, is convinced by a couple of lovable conmen to impersonate the missing Grand Duchess and reappear at the royal court.
Courage Under Fire
This 1996 war drama sees Meg Ryan star alongside Denzel Washington as two U.S. Army officials, our girl a deceased chopper commander being considered for the first female Medal of Honor, and our guy the man in charge of investigating her worth. He himself is haunted by his own mistakes, having accidentally destroyed a U.S. tank, ultimately killing his best friend and pulling him right out of the line of duty and into a desk job.
City of Angels
This movie is nuts, but Meg Ryan is great as always. She plays a woman who falls in love with an angel, played by Nicolas Cage, who is determined to become a human for her. Together they explore what it means to be a human, which is no doubt more challenging than angel life.
Top Gun
Yes, our girl was in Top Gun. We all know everything there is to know about this series of movies, largely against our own free will. Meg Ryan plays Carole Bradshaw, the wife of Anthony Edwards’ “Goose.”
Kate & Leopold
Starring Meg Ryan and Hugh Jackman, this 2001 rom-com follows a physicist who creates a time traveling portal which allows him to revive his great-great-grandfather who, to his great surprise, falls in love with his ex-girlfriend.
When a Man Loves a Woman
Another '90s romantic drama from the woman who does it best, When a Man Loves a Woman stars Meg Ryan alongside Andy García. Ryan plays an alcoholic school counselor married to an airline pilot, played by García. The film follows her struggle to sobriety and entrance into rehab, his struggle to maintain life at home, and the ways their relationship changes when she returns home sober.
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