Meg Ryan

Interview By: Rebecca Ford
RebeccaFord@TheCinemaSource.com

At a popular caf' in Beverly Hills, the waiter reaches over my shoulder to point at the photo of Meg Ryan on my table.

'She comes in here a lot,' he says, but after a pause adds, 'Well, she used to, but not anymore. I don't know where she went.'

That seems to be the general consensus about Meg Ryan, one of the top earning women actresses in Hollywood, whose celestial curls, startling blue eyes and sweetheart smile were once gracing the nearest movie screen hit after hit. From When Harry Met Sally, to Sleepless in Seattle, to You've Got Mail, there seemed to be no stopping Meg Ryan.

But then, Meg disappeared, taking time off for travel and children.

Now, she's back with a vengeance, starring in The Women, a remake of George Cukor's 1939 film of the same name. The film stars an impressive collection of talented women actresses, including Annette Bening, Eva Mendes, Debra Messing, and Jada Pinkett Smith.

Directed by Diane English, the remake explores the complicated, and often messy, relationships between female friends'or frenemies.

To Meg, the new film confronts unique problems facing modern women, but with the same underlying issues as 60 years ago.

'That one was so bitchy,' says Meg of the 1939 version. 'It's part of the fun of watching that movie. It's so catty.'

This time around, Meg feels the film is less harsh, but more in-tune with issues unique to today's women.

'What's new for us now is that we have so many choices. Thank God,' explains Meg. 'But now what do we do' Do we want to have it all' How do we navigate all of it''

While Meg says she doesn't relate to her character Mary's fashion sense or design talent, she does find some similarities to her.

'I like that Mary is just asleep in the first half of the movie'just unconscious and a mess,' explains Meg. 'I've done my time like that, and I've had some really rude awakenings.'

In the film, Meg's character is betrayed by both her boyfriend and best friend. The story discusses some of the most powerful topics in a woman's life including friendship, betrayal and forgiveness.

'Ultimately forgiveness is about you, the forgiver. It's what you can let go of. It's about the freedom in your life that that gives you,' explains Meg. 'I don't think it's different to forgive a man or a woman.'

Not everything is the same for men and women, however, says Meg. 'Women have a different kind of language with one another, for sure.'

'Women really do need one another,' says Meg. 'As much as women are your worst enemy, they are your best friend and you really need them too.'

So why does Meg need her real-life female friends'

'I find myself looking for a lot of guidance from my friends. We have choices here about parenting, and about working. We have all these choices. What do we do' I feel that women need each other as peers, as guides these days.'

Meg's own choices led her to taking time off to spend with her teen son, Jack, and her adopted daughter Daisy. Meg adopted Daisy, who is three years old, from China last year. Talking about her kids is one subject that lights up Meg's face every time. So what was one of the most uniquely womanly experiences'giving birth'like for Meg'

'I remember Jack being born. There were so many people there. I don't know who they are to this day,' says Meg with a laugh. 'It was a C-section and the doctor said, 'Oh my god, look at the size of this kid.' I remember the first thing that Jack heard was this room full of fifteen people just laughing. It was amazing.'

Was it amazing enough to want more kids' 'I've got my hands full now,' laughs Meg. And with her acting career back in the picture, it looks like Meg may finally have it all.