Advertisement

Meg Ryan makes first public appearance in months to support Michael J. Fox

Meg Ryan waving and smiling while wearing black sequin dress at red carpet event
Meg Ryan, making what has become a rare public appearance, showed her support for pal Michael J. Fox this week for a screening of his new documentary, “Still.”
(Chris Pizzello / Invision / Associated Press)
Share via

Meg Ryan made a rare public appearance in New York this week to attend a screening with her longtime friend and fellow beloved actor, Michael J. Fox.

The “You’ve Got Mail” star was photographed Wednesday at the Lincoln Center in Manhattan, posing and smiling while sitting on a couch with Fox and his wife, Tracy Pollan, according to People and Us Weekly.

Ryan’s last known public appearance was six months ago in New York, where she was seen celebrating her 61st birthday. On Wednesday, Ryan was among several celebrities, including Joan Jett, Debra Messing, Denis Leary, Bill Murray, Mariska Hargitay, Katie Couric and Elvis Costello, who showed up to support Fox’s new documentary film, “Still.”

Advertisement

The Apple TV+ documentary traces Fox’s life following his diagnosis with Parkinson’s disease at age 29 — at the height of his acting career. The 61-year-old “Back to the Future” star hid his struggle with the degenerative brain disorder from the public for nearly a decade.

Ryan is best known for her leading roles in iconic romantic comedies of the 1980s and 1990s — “Sleepless in Seattle,” “When Harry Met Sally” and “City of Angels” — but has since taken a step back from the public eye. She most recently turned to directing and starring in her own films.

Acting alongside Tom Hanks and Jack Quaid, she made her directorial debut in the 2015 film, “Ithaca.” But the 1940s period piece was met with negative reviews and never saw a wide theatrical release.

Advertisement

Ryan recently directed her second film, “What Happens Later,” a rom-com she also co-wrote and stars in opposite David Duchovny (“The X Files” and “Californication”). Described as “evolved and nostalgic,” the Bleecker Street film is set to be released later this year.

Michael J. Fox, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in the 1990s, says he doesn’t think he’ll live to be 80 as his health continues decline.

“Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie” is directed by Davis Guggenheim, who won an Oscar for his 2006 climate change documentary “An Inconvenient Truth.” The new documentary will be released in select theaters and begin streaming May 12.

The “Family Ties” actor recently shared how he doesn’t think he’ll live to be 80 as his health continues to deteriorate.

Advertisement

“I mean, I’m not gonna lie,” Fox said during a “CBS News Sunday Morning” interview. “It’s getting hard ... it’s getting tougher. Every day it’s tougher. But that’s the way it is. I mean, you know, who do I see about that?”

In “No Time Like the Future,” Michael J. Fox opens up about the progression of his Parkinson’s disease, painful moments and his message of hope.

“Still” examines how Fox dealt with the disease while continuing to act.

Even after his diagnosis in 1991 and subsequent announcement in 1998, Fox continued to rack up his screen credits. He starred in six seasons of the political comedy “Spin City,” voiced the memorable rodent protagonist of “Stuart Little,” played the titular character in NBC’s short-lived “Michael J. Fox Show” and appeared in supporting roles in the hit shows “The Good Wife,” “Designated Survivor” and “Curb Your Enthusiasm.”

Advertisement