Meg Ryan Finally Explains Why It Took Her Eight Years to Go Back to Acting

If you’re a big fan of Meg Ryan, or her hit romantic comedy movies Sleepless in Seattle or You’ve Got Mail, then you know that Ryan is the true Queen of the genre. Unfortunately for her fans, however, Ryan took an unexpected break from acting eight years ago (her last movie being 2015’s Ithaca) and is only now making her way back to the big screen.

In a recent interview with People, Ryan explained her decision to step back, and why she decided to return after so many years away. “I took a giant break because I felt like there’s just so many other parts of my experience as a human being I wanted to develop,” Ryan told the outlet.

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Among the things she wanted to experience was being a more present mom for her kids, 31-year-old Jack Quaid, who she shares with fellow actor Dennis Quaid, and Daisy, 18, whom she adopted in 2006.

“It’s nice to think of it as a job and not a lifestyle,” Ryan says of her career philosophy. “And that is a great way of navigating it for me.” In other words, she doesn’t feel the pressure to take one job after another and instead takes every opportunity by itself instead. Is it an interesting opportunity? Is it worth giving up family time for?

Speaking of unmissable opportunities, Ryan is starring this year alongside David Duchovny is What Happens Later, out in theaters on Nov. 3. In addition to starring, Ryan also cowrote and directed the movie.

“It came to me during lockdown,” she told People. “The essence of it is these two people who are stuck together. I just love that idea that we’re held in a space, even if it feels conflicted, maybe for reasons that heal them.” 

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Talking to Carol Burnett for Interview Magazine, Ryan explained how seamlessly filming the movie went. “A lot of it was done in two shots. I’m proud of that,” she said. “I set up everything beforehand so that once we were there, it was just David and I trying to tell the truth.” We can’t wait to watch!

Before you go, click here to see the most romantic movie kisses you’ll wish would happen to you IRL.