Meg Ryan has finally revealed what she thought about her very awkward and now infamous interview with Michael Parkinson.
Sir Michael clashed with the Hollywood star, 63, in 2003 when she spoke about her poorly reviewed film In The Cut in a TV moment that is still talked about to this day.
An icy Meg answered his questions with one-word answers, eventually telling him to “get it over with” after he asked about the nudity in the film.
Although Sir Michael has always claimed the actress was ‘rude and difficult’, he has previously admitted he did not respond appropriately.
Now in a new interview with The timesMeg has spoken out and explained: ‘I felt so bad about it. In the United States, talk shows have an ad break every four minutes, so I kept waiting for the break because I was going to get up and leave.
‘But the breakthrough never came because it was on the BBC.’
Meg Ryan has finally revealed what she thought about her very awkward and now infamous interview with Michael Parkinson
Sir Michael clashed with the Hollywood star, 63, in 2003 when she spoke about her poorly reviewed film In The Cut in a TV moment that is still talked about to this day
She also opened up about how fashion experts Trinny Woodall and Susannah Constantine made her feel uncomfortable during the show for judging her appearance.
Meg said, “And there were also, I don’t know, outfit critics on the show, and he asked them, ‘What do you think of what she’s wearing now?’ …’
She talked about how she never spoke to Parkinson again after the show, saying, “Wow, I didn’t know who that guy was to begin with, and I don’t have to think about him anymore.”
In 2021, Parkinson – who died last year at the age of 88 – apologized to Meg for their car crash and admitted to being ‘angry and pompous’.
The talk show legend also admitted at the time that he would now be taken off air in today’s “ultra-sensitive world.”
Although Sir Michael has always claimed the actress was ‘rude and difficult’, he has admitted he did not respond appropriately.
“I wish I hadn’t lost my patience with Meg Ryan. I wish I was more polite about it,” he told Radio Times.
‘I was obviously angry with her and it’s not my job to be angry with the guests.
‘I came across as quite pompous and that could have been better.’
An icy Meg answered his questions with one-word answers, eventually telling him to “get it over with” after he asked about the nudity in the film
Although Sir Michael (left) has always claimed the actress was ‘rude and difficult’, he has previously admitted he did not respond appropriately
When asked what he would say to her now, he replied: ‘I’m sorry. But you also played a role in it. Neither of us were in top form.’
Sir Michael presented his BBC chat show for almost twenty years, in two spells until 2004.
But he said: ‘In this ultra-sensitive world, I doubt I could do an interview these days without being turned away. There are so many pitfalls and booby traps.’
In 2006, Miss Ryan said: ‘I felt like he was scolding me for being naked in the film.
“He said something like, ‘You need to get back to doing what you were doing.’ I thought, ‘Are you like a disapproving father? Go back, buddy.” I was so offended.’
During the icy exchange, Parkinson asked whether her fear of journalists gives her insight into what they want. Ryan replied defensively, “Now that I’m wary of them?”
Parkinson replied: ‘Yes, you are wary of journalists, you are wary of me, you are wary of the interview. You don’t like being interviewed.
He later asked, “If you were me, what would you do now?” and Ryan told him to “just get it over with.”
Parkinson branded ‘beautiful Meg’ an ‘unfortunate woman’ at the time, as she hit back and called him a ‘madman’.
He later claimed this in an interview with Australia’s Stellar Magazine that she was rude to the guests on his show.
The talk show veteran has blamed Ryan’s irritated facial expressions and aloof behavior for her film’s poor performance.
In 2020, the iconic journalist stated, “There was a very good reason; she was in a movie that wasn’t doing very well and was at the end of a long tour and couldn’t wait to get home.”
Now, Meg has spoken out in a new interview with The Times, explaining: ‘I felt so bad about it. In the United States, talk shows have a commercial break every four minutes, so I kept waiting for the break because I got up and left.”
In 2021, Parkinson – who died last year aged 88 – apologized to Meg for their car crash and admitted he was ‘angry and pompous’.
But speaking to Marie Claire, the star of When Harry Met Sally blamed Parkinson for the icy interview.
She stated that she felt Parkinson criticized her for being naked in the film, saying she was “so offended by him.”
In 2006, Ryan said, “I don’t even know the guy. That guy was like a disapproving father! It’s crazy. I don’t know what he means to you, but he’s crazy.
“He said something like, ‘You need to get back to what you were doing.’ I thought, ‘Are you like a disapproving father? Back off, friend.” I was so offended.’