Meg Ryan, after bidding from public life for years, stepped out this week to offer her firm support of longtime friend Michael J. Fox at a screening of his new documentary, STILL: A Michael J. Fox Movie. 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.
The comments ranged from supportive to harsh, coursing through social media, never ever without an opinion. While one user tweeted: “What did Meg Ryan do to herself?” the second asked “Meg Ryan spent hundreds to make herself unrecognizabl.” The comments reignited debate over public scrutiny, aging and how the movie industry puts women under pressure.
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.
“Nothing much to it, Frankly speaking I don’t pay?” The hatred in this world today is everywhere. Judging is easy. Imagine being a hater—how stupid.”
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 Michael J. Fox at the event proved that his strength and advocacy was still alive. 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 has recently spoken publicly about his ongoing health issues, including a noncancerous spinal tumor that caused him to be immobile and result in a few 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.
This is in a culture that’s so ready to judge, to ask, should we be presenting ourselves based on external appearances or on the bravery required to continue to show up when it’s so hard?
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?