Meg Ryan's youthful glow ahead of romcom return after decades out of limelight

31 August 2023 , 13:33

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Meg Ryan's youthful glow ahead of romcom return after decades out of limelight

Meg Ryan looks like she's barely aged a day since she starred in When Harry Met Sally in 1989 as the mum-of-two makes a return to the spotlight following a few years away from the movie scene.

The actress, 61, takes on a lead role in her new film What Happens Later, he first romantic comedy in over 20 years. The You've Got Mail actress stars alongside X Files veteran David Duchovny in the feature about two ex-lovers who bump into each for the first time in years.

Premiering in cinemas on October 13, What Happens Later's synopsis reads: "Willa and Bill are ex-lovers that will see each other for the first time in years when they both find themselves snowed in, in-transit, at an airport overnight." In addition to starring in the rom-com, Meg also directs the film and is credited as a writer alongside Steven Dietz and Kirk Lynn.

In a poster to promote her upcoming movie, the Top Gun actress can be seen wearing a black coat, white dress and black chunky military boots, with her white blonde hair worn down in soft waves and subtle make-up making the star look far younger than her 61 years.

Meg Ryan looks chic and stylish in the promotional poster for her new movie

David Duchovny plays the star's love interest in the new romantic comedy

Meg's face has been subject to plenty of rumours over the years, with many suspecting the Golden Globe nominated actress has plumped her lips with filler in the past and others theorising she's also had other work done. However, Meg has never confirmed or denied going under the knife and brushes off speculation around her youthful glow.

Meg Ryan makes rare public appearance as she steps out to support Michael J Fox

Discussing the commentary about her changing looks with Porter Magazine in 2015, Meg told the publication how she doesn't "pay a lot of attention" to what other people say about her appearance. She declared: "There’s a lot of hatred in the world today, it’s so easy to judge."

"Imagine being a hater, how stupid! My women friends are not sitting around talking about … well, sometimes there are conversations like that... but the people I value talk about kids growing up, what kind of world they are going into, what we are eating, what we are breathing."

Meg shares son Jack Quaid, 31, with her ex-husband Dennis Quaid, with the former couple divorcing in July 2002 after tying the knot on Valentine's Day 1991. Jack has followed in his mother and father's footsteps and embarked on an acting career, with a breakout role as vigilante Hughie Campbell in the satirical superhero series The Boys and starring in films like Scream VI and Oppenheimer. Meg became a mother for the second time in January 2006, when she adopted a 14-month-old girl from China whom she named Daisy True.

Meg has never directly addressed the surgery rumours (bleeckerstfilms/Twitter)

The mum-of-two has kept a low profile over recent years, with The Women actress focusing on directing, producing and starring in TV shows and independent movies. Meg's last high-profile gig came about in 2013 when she appeared alongside Friends actress Lisa Kudrow for five episodes in the comedy series Web Therapy.

In 2015, Meg appeared in ABC Family film Fan Girl, an independent comedy about a 15-year-old girl, played by Kiernan Shipka, with a passion for filmmaking who sets out to make a movie about her favorite band, All Time Low. The same year, Meg made her directing debut with Ithaca, a drama film based on the 1943 novel The Human Comedy by William Saroyan.

"[Directing] has always been in the back of my mind. [William Saroyan’s novel] wasn’t required reading in my high school classes, so I found it when my son was young. I felt moved by the idea that it’s a simple story about complicated things," she said of her directorial debut to the Hollywood Reporter in 2015.

She went on to credit Nora Ephron, who directed Meg in 1993’s Sleepless in Seattle and 1998’s You’ve Got Mail, as one of her inspirations, adding: "She was so smart and fun, but her intellect gave her authority. There was never any screaming around or anything ridiculous like that; it was always intelligent, and I appreciated that example. And as an actor, I like when directors keep things quiet; I don’t like to be directed over a loud speaker or a bullhorn, so I made sure not to do that."

Zoe Delaney