Tousle-haired beauty Meg Ryan arrived at the New York premiere of her new film Kate & Leopold this week dressed in an elegant black coat and wearing her trademark smile. In the time-travel romance, the 40-year-old actress stars as a career gal swept off her feet by a charming 19th century duke. And like her character, Meg seems to think modern man could learn a thing or two from his ancestors.
“If chivalry isn’t dead, it’s gasping,” she said outside the Beekman Theater screening. “It has the flu.” However, the City Of Angels star sees a change in Manhattan’s eligible bachelors in recent months.
“New York is now suddenly loving, caring and kindly,” she says. “Men suddenly will just take off their cashmere coat and lay it down in a puddle for you. God, New York is so great now!”
America’s sweetheart, showing off slightly longer locks, has high praise for co-star Hugh Jackman, a man she says needs no tips in the gentlemanly acts. “He can dance, play the piano and ride a horse. And you hate him because he does all those things really, really well,” says Meg of the Aussie hunk. “He’s funny and smart, has the greatest wife and child and has great innocence in his face and such a spark in his eyes. They should clone him.” (For more on the antipodean heart-throb, check out HELLO!’s profile on Hugh.)
Meg rocketed to the top of Hollywood’s A-list with comic roles in When Harry Met Sally and Sleepless In Seattle. And, the You’ve Got Mail cutie admits she’s a sucker for a good date flick herself.
“I’m a compulsive romantic comedy actress,” she says. “There must be a support group out there for those of us who love doing these movies.”
For her next role, however, the blue-eyed blonde sheds her girl-next-door image, taking on the role of Jackie Kallan, the only woman to professionally manage a boxing champ. “She’s a fantastic character,” adds Meg, currently in pre-production for Against The Ropes.
Kate & Leopold opens on Christmas Day in the US before hitting the UK in March.
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
