The 62-year-old, who previously spent a lot of her time out of public life after leaving Hollywood in 2000, made a rare appearance this week to offer heartfelt support to a longtime friend, Michael J. Fox, who attended a screening of his new documentary, STILL: A Michael J. Fox Movie, alongside her. The actress, 61, famous for roles in Sleepless in Seattle and When Harry Met Sally, is largely not been seen publicly in the last few years, not having been seen in public in over six months, according to reports.
For Fox, it was a particularly emotional event, as he has lived with Parkinson’s disease for more than three decades. It is rare to hear this story in such an intimate and personal way as the documentary presents, without the privacy strip behind which one would have to work day and night for years to win the Nobel Prize.
Fox was seen smiling, as were Ryan, who was accompanying Fox along with other stars such as Bill Murray and Elvis Costello. Though the event itself was celebratory, much of the online conversation revolved around Ryan and some of her critics branded her as ‘unrecognizable’ or suggested she was under the knife yet again.
While social media is always quick to share an opinion, any opinions on the incident were lit up and they were both supportive and harsh. Some speculated that Meg Ryan ‘‘did something to herself’’ while another said that she had spent hundreds trying to make it so nobody recognized her. The comments added fuel to the debate regarding public scrutiny, aging and society’s expectations of women in Hollywood.
Such speculation has been addressed by Ryan in the past. She appeared candidly to all the ongoing chatter about her appearance in a 2015 interview for Porter Magazine.
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There is a larger issue about the women in the public eye aging: Aging in a society of the obsession with youth and being judged either for ‘aging naturally’ or opting for cosmetic enhancements.
Meanwhile, the presence of the event by Michael J. Fox also solemnized his enduring strength and the advocacy. At 29, Fox was diagnosed with Parkinson’s and kept him secret. Over time, he became one of the most recognized faces fundraising and helping get money for research, and founded The Michael J Fox Foundation in 2000.
Fox detailed his on-and-off struggling with his health in a recent interview, including a non-cancerous spinal tumor that made him less mobile and was responsible for several injuries. He poignantly reflected on the severity of his condition: Parkinson’s doesn’t kill you. It lets you die. … I will not be 80.”
Fox’s stark honesty says more than anything about the brutal reality of his fight, but he continues to advocate and have the spirit of a fighter that inspires many.
This should be remembered for what it was: the compassion that is concealed beneath the fire that sometimes seems to fuel Ryan’s Twitter … as he showed up to support a friend who has never backed away from using his platform to do good.
Given a culture easily judging, should we be worrying about appearances or, the courage to show our feet, to continue coming even when the odds are stacked against us?
We should all send our support and positive thoughts to Michael J. Fox—and to Meg Ryan, and others who don’t want to live behind society’s idealized, never-perfect, slim body description.
Would you like me to add some visuals or quotes from the documentary too that will complement this article?
