
09/25/2025
Meg Ryan didn’t want to be Hollywood’s queen of romance—yet one scene made her unforgettable forever.
In 1989, she was a rising star with a handful of film roles, but nothing that defined her. Then came When Harry Met Sally. Director Rob Reiner asked her to play Sally Albright, a woman debating whether men and women could truly be “just friends.” Ryan saw potential—but she also saw a problem. The script’s most famous moment, the diner scene, was originally understated. Ryan suggested something bold, even outrageous: Sally would fake an or**sm in the middle of Katz’s Delicatessen.
What happened next became one of the most iconic scenes in movie history. The performance was fearless, hilarious, and strangely liberating. The line that followed—delivered by a stone-faced extra (“I’ll have what she’s having”)—cemented it in pop culture forever.
That one scene launched Meg Ryan into the stratosphere. Throughout the 1990s, she became the face of romantic comedy, starring in Sleepless in Seattle, You’ve Got Mail, and French Kiss. Her mix of charm, wit, and vulnerability turned her into America’s sweetheart. She didn’t just act in rom-coms—she defined them for a generation.
But fame came with a shadow. By the early 2000s, Ryan grew weary of being typecast. Her personal life—especially her high-profile divorce from Dennis Quaid—overshadowed her work. Critics who once adored her turned skeptical. She stepped away from the spotlight, frustrated with Hollywood’s narrow view of women once they reached a certain age.
And yet, the magic of her best roles never faded. Meg Ryan showed the world that romance could be funny, awkward, intelligent, and real. She proved that sometimes one brave choice—one risk taken in the middle of a New York deli—can change not just a career, but an entire genre.