By Deirdre Durkan-simonds and Sameer Suri For Dailymail.com
15:17 25 Oct 2023, updated 15:59 25 Oct 2023
Meg Ryan reveals the reason behind her hiatus from Hollywood after her iconic roles in “When Harry Met Sally” and “Sleepless in Seattle.”
Having established herself as a leading lady and household name, the 61-year-old actress explains why she took a break before starring in her first romantic comedy, “What Happens Later,” in almost 15 years.
‘I needed time away to explore other aspects of my life as a human being,’ said the mother-of-two in an interview with People.
She added, “Treating acting as a job rather than a lifestyle has helped me navigate through it.”
In 2015, Meg made her directorial debut with the drama “Ithaca,” based on the novel “The Human Comedy” by William Saroyan.
In her latest project, “What Happens Later,” she takes on the roles of director, writer, and lead actress alongside David Duchovny.
‘The idea came to me during lockdown,’ she excitedly shared. ‘It’s about two people who are stuck together. I love the concept of being held in a space, even if it’s conflicted, and finding healing.’
In a recent interview with Carol Burnett for Interview magazine, Meg opened up about the process of making her new film.
‘Acting in the film was the easiest part,’ she said. ‘I want to direct again because I’m sure there are things I missed while sitting in the director’s chair.’
She also mentioned, ‘It had been a long time since my last role, but it was fun working with David.’
She added, ‘We shot many scenes in just two takes. I’m proud of that. I planned everything in advance so that when we were on set, it was just David and me telling the truth.’
Meg explained that creating the film was a deliberate process, accomplished with a budget of $3 million.
