More than 34 years after her iconic fake orgasm scene in When Harry Met Sally, Meg Ryan shed some new light on it at the Kennedy Center Honors.
The 62-year-old actress was on hand to help honor her 75-year-old co-star at the ceremony on Sunday evening, which airs on CBS December 27.
One of the most iconic moments of the 1989 film was when Crystal’s Harry and Ryan’s Sally were dining at Katz’s Delicatesen in Manhattan.
When Harry claims he knows when a woman is faking an orgasm, to prove him wrong Sally fakes a loud orgasm right at the table, with director Rob Reiner’s mother Estelle famously saying, ‘I’ll have what she’s having,’ after the performance.
During the ceremony on Sunday, Ryan revealed, ‘The scene came really natural to me and I really have Billy to thank for that. I’ve never been around anyone who made faking an organism easier.’
Meg shares: More than 34 years after her iconic fake orgasm scene in When Harry Met Sally, Meg Ryan shed some new light on it at the Kennedy Center Honors
Honoring Billy: The 62-year-old actress was on hand to help honor her 75-year-old co-star at the ceremony on Sunday evening, which airs on CBS December 27
Fake: When Harry claims he knows when a woman is faking an orgasm, to prove him wrong Sally fakes a loud orgasm right at the table, with director Rob Reiner’s mother Estelle famously saying, ‘I’ll have what she’s having,’ after the performance
Ryan added, ‘Acting with Billy was effortless. The characters just came alive. And just meeting him. I don’t know. How could you not love Billy Crystal?’
She continued, ‘Of course Harry is a very broad character noxious, insensitive and terrified of commitment.’
‘But if you take out all of Harry’s flaws when you have underneath is pure Billy. And what he brings to all of his characters is heart,’ she added.
‘Harry is his heart because Billy listens to his and as his wife Janice has known for the for over 50 years – falling in love with Billy is a pretty easy thing to do,’ Ryan said.
When Harry Met Sally director Rob Reiner was also on hand, revealing Crystal himself wrote his mother’s famous line.
‘Billy wrote what I believe is making the funniest line in all of movie history. I’ll have what she’s having. Said by my mother,’ Reiner said.
Whoopi Goldberg was also on hand for the ceremony, bringing Crystal to tears when mentioning the late great Robin Williams.
Other honorees at the ceremony were opera and theater soprano Renée Fleming; British singer-songwriter and member of the Bee Gees, Barry Gibb; rapper, singer, and actress Queen Latifah; and singer Dionne Warwick.
Effortless: Ryan added, ‘Acting with Billy was effortless. The characters just came alive. And just meeting him. I don’t know. How could you not love Billy Crystal?’
Honorees: Other honorees at the ceremony were opera and theater soprano Renée Fleming; British singer-songwriter and member of the Bee Gees, Barry Gibb; rapper, singer, and actress Queen Latifah; and singer Dionne Warwick
Lifetime: The Kennedy Center Honors – held at John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Georgetown – is an annual award given for lifetime achievements in the arts
The Kennedy Center Honors – held at John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Georgetown – is an annual award given for lifetime achievements in the arts.
Crystal is best known for films like When Harry Met Sally…, City Slickers and Analyze This.
He’s also a ninetime host of the Academy Awards and has won six Emmy Awards.
Crystal was the 2007 recipient of the Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.