Meg Ryan Seems Serious About a Hollywood Comeback With First Oscar Party Appearance Since 2005

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Meg Ryan was the rom-com queen in the 1990s and she was absolutely everywhere in Hollywood — on billboards, red carpets, and on talk shows. And then suddenly, she disappeared from the landscape, popping up in 2015 for her directorial debut with the film, Ithaca, and again in 2023 with a fresh rom-com, starring David Duchovny in What Happens Later. This time, though, it looks like her comeback is here to stay.

On Sunday, the 62-year-old actress popped up at the Vanity Fair Oscars party looking every inch a movie star. Her nude column gown with a sparkling floral print showed off her fit physique. She added a dash of diamonds with a chunky bracelet and had several dazzling rings on her fingers. Her makeup looked fresh and dewy, and her signature bob was styled in soft waves, framing her face. She looked confident on the red carpet and ready to tackle any script that came her way.

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Meg Ryan at the 2024 Vanity Fair Oscar Party held at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on March 10, 2024 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Christopher Polk/Variety via Getty Images)
Meg Ryan at the 2024 Vanity Fair Oscar Party held at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on March 10, 2024 in Beverly Hills, California.

Oscars night was the perfect moment to remind Hollywood that she’s back and ready to work. Her oldest child, Jack Quaid, 31, from her former marriage to Dennis Quaid, was celebrating with his Oppenheimer co-stars, and daughter Daisy, 20, is enjoying her time at Smith College in Massachusetts. There’s no better place to network than on Hollywood’s biggest night, and Vanity Fair is where all of the industry players party.

Ryan seems to be taking a new approach to this second stage of her career, but she reminded People last year that she thinks of acting as “a job and not a lifestyle.” She added, “And that is a great way of navigating it for me. 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.” The entertainment industry can be an all-consuming business, so taking some time for self-care and raising her two children became her top priority. It’s probably why the When Harry Met Sally star’s return feels so exciting and refreshing.

She doesn’t necessarily view What Happens Later as her “comeback” anyway, it’s more of a next chapter for her. “It took me this long to have something to say,” she told The New York Times in 2023. “My interest in this movie isn’t about Hollywood’s perception of me. I’m not interested in controlling that. I don’t think I can….” Ryan is just open to work, and Hollywood is welcoming her with open arms.

Before you go, click here to see actresses over 50 who are more successful now than ever.

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