The 2024 Met Gala hosted plenty of first-timers, but there were also a couple of familiar faces who returned after a long absence — including Meg Ryan.
Ryan, 62, attended the Monday, May 6, event at New York City’s Metropolitan Museum of Art in a shimmering black gown by Michael Kors. The sleeveless gown featured a sheer bodice with floral embellishments (keeping in line with the event’s “Garden of Time” dress code) that fell into a voluminous skirt decorated with sequined black flowers.
The You’ve Got Mail actress kept her glam simple, wearing her hair in her signature blonde lob and sporting dusky pink lip color. At one point, she posed for photos with Kors, 64, who wore an all-black suit and aviator sunglasses.
Ryan’s appearance marked her first return to the Met Gala in more than 20 years, as she last attended in 2001. That year, the exhibition’s theme was “Jacqueline Kennedy: The White House Years,” and Ryan opted for a minimalist, knee-length dress that featured a white top and pleated black skirt.
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Last year, Ryan returned to the rom-com world with the film What Happens Later, which she also directed. The movie followed two exes (played by Ryan and David Duchovny) who get stuck in an airport during a snowstorm and spend the night reminiscing about their past.
“These characters are in their 50s. It’s a different story than when you’re in your 20s,” the actress told Glamour of the film in November 2023. “I wanted to make something beautiful and offer a new way of thinking about what love is.”
In the same interview, Ryan called out Hollywood for rarely featuring women over 50 in lead roles — especially romantic lead roles.
“Our culture is so obsessed with youth,” she said. “As an old person now, I love my age. I love where I’m at. Aging is not that terrifying. We’re all doing it. I wish someone had told me earlier, ‘Just relax. It is what it is. Don’t pay attention to the obstacles.’”
