After an absence of nearly six months from the public eye, Meg Ryan reemerged to show her solidarity with longtime friend Michael J. Fox ahead of the debut of a documentary chronicling his courageous fight against Parkinson’s disease.
The 61-year-old actress, who has deliberately stepped away from the spotlight in recent years, was spotted attending a screening of STILL: A Michael J. Fox Movie, according to the Daily Mirror.
Captured together and seemingly joyful, the pair’s reunion nonetheless sparked a wave of commentary—this time fixated on Ryan’s markedly altered appearance, with many describing her as almost “unrecognizable.”
The Sleepless in Seattle icon, who first graced the screen in 1981’s Rich and Famous, displayed an exceptionally smooth and youthful complexion, which once again stirred whispers about possible cosmetic interventions, despite her previous denials.
Online reactions ranged from concerned to harshly critical, reigniting the contentious discourse surrounding Hollywood’s penchant for plastic surgery—a debate Ryan herself has addressed before.
“This is Meg Ryan,” remarked one Twitter user. “Hopefully, women will learn from this. Plastic surgery turns you into Frankenstein.”
Another observer was blunt: “Meg Ryan spent thousands to make herself unrecognizable and hideous.”
A third weighed in: “What did she do to herself? These Hollywood elites always overdo the plastic surgery. Someone needs to get a refund.”
And the sentiment continued: “Wtf has Meg Ryan done to her face?!”
In years past, Meg Ryan has maintained a dismissive stance toward the barrage of critiques about her appearance.
During a candid 2015 conversation with Porter Magazine, she confronted the swirling rumors of plastic surgery with candid resolve.
“I frankly don’t invest much energy in it,” she remarked. “There’s so much venom in the world nowadays. Passing judgment is effortless. Just imagine the emptiness of being a hater—it’s truly senseless.”
At the recent screening held at Alice Tully Hall within New York’s Lincoln Center, Ryan appeared buoyant and composed, smiling gracefully alongside luminaries such as Billy Murray and Elvis Costello, as they gathered to honor Michael J. Fox on his landmark evening.
Michael J. Fox, who recently confessed his doubts about reaching the age of 80, is unveiling a poignant documentary that chronicles his life across the thirty years since his Parkinson’s diagnosis.
The Back to the Future luminary was first confronted with the disease at just 29 years old. Though he initially sought to conceal his condition, Fox has since emerged as a powerful advocate, championing awareness and research in the battle against Parkinson’s.
In a deeply moving recent interview, he opened up about confronting his own mortality, admitting that the struggle with the disease is “becoming increasingly arduous.”
“I won’t sugarcoat it. It’s getting hard, it’s getting harder. It’s getting tougher,” the retired actor shared candidly. “Every single day, it’s tougher. But, well, that’s just how it is. I mean, honestly, who do I even see about that?”
He revealed that he recently underwent spinal surgery after doctors discovered a tumor on his spine. Though the growth was benign, it impaired his mobility and led to a fall that caused multiple injuries.
“I’ve broken this arm, and this arm, my elbow, my face, and my hand,” Fox recounted.
“You don’t die from Parkinson’s. You die with Parkinson’s. I’ve been reflecting deeply on its mortality… I’m not going to reach 80. I’m not going to be 80.”
What are your thoughts on Meg Ryan’s appearance? Should people feel entitled to scrutinize and pass judgment on her face? We invite you to share your views in the comments below.
In the meantime, join us in sending heartfelt love and prayers to Michael J. Fox.
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