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The late 1990s and early 2000s were brimming with Hollywood scandals. From Brangelina to Hugh Grant’s mugshot, the world was thoroughly entertained on account of celebrities and their eventful lives. However, nothing could prepare the fans for the situation that America’s Sweetheart Meg Ryan found herself in, courtesy of tabloid headlines and paparazzi snapshots.
Meg Ryan – the indomitable romcom star of the 1990s had turned into a social pariah and a Hollywood outcast almost overnight after her extramarital affair with Russell Crowe. Soon after, Mark Ruffalo would enter the picture in an attempt to reform her image and reputation in the court of public opinion, only to find himself falling prey to the superior magnetism of theGladiatorlegend.
Mark Ruffalo and Meg Ryan Crossed Paths in 2003
As a fellow Hollywood partisan who knew the ins and outs of the industry and accepted it despite all its flaws and shortcomings,Mark Ruffalois a surprisingly well-oriented person in terms of his work-life balance. Known for his activism and devoting himself to socio-political causes, Ruffalo is one of the rare few Hollywood stars who have garnered the love and adoration of fans without even having to ask for it.
However, at the turn of the millennia, Ruffalo was still wet behind the ears and easily impressed by the flashing and dazzling lights of the Hollywood Boulevard. And at the time, the flashiest of spotlights were all focused onMeg RyanandRussell Crowe‘s notorious affair that culminated in the end of Ryan’s decade-long marriage to Dennis Quaid.
“I met Dennis Quaid the other day”: Joe Rogan Made Things Super Awkward for Russell Crowe After His Fiery Affair With Meg Ryan
In 2003, two years after the Ryan-Crowe scandal, the rom-com actress crossed paths with the Marvel star as leads in an erotic thriller film titledIn the Cut.The movie immediately caused an uproar in Ryan’s life for two reasons: the fans were not prepared to see Meg Ryan in a sexual role which was a big step away from her endearing rom-com identity.
But most importantly, Ruffalo’s insecurities contributed to a major hurdle while filming the Jane Campion psychological thriller that was a little too similar toBasic Instinct.
Mark Ruffalo’s Insecurities Flare Up on a Movie Set
In 2003, Oscar-winning writer and director Jane Campion picked up an erotic thriller novel penned by Susanna Moore to adapt for the big screen. Meg Ryan and Mark Ruffalo were cast in the leading roles as a teacher and a homicide detective respectively.
As was expected of the script, the film soon descends from a relatively mundane picture to a disruptive hunt for a killer while the teacher and the detective become embroiled in a heated affair of their own. However, not every on-screen erotic thriller couple can be as classically iconic as Michael Douglas and Sharon Stone inBasic Instinct.
“How could you be naked?”: The One Movie With a Marvel Star That Ended Meg Ryan’s Career After Torrid Russell Crowe Affair
Mark Ruffalo, for one, was stumped while filming certain scenes with Meg Ryan, worrying about how he must look in comparison to theGladiatoricon in front of his co-star. Recalling those scenes, theAvengersstar admitted:“I was really scared. And she was with Russell Crowe. All I could think of was, ‘What am I going to be like compared to Russell Crowe?’”[viaEntertainment Weekly]
In the end, Campion’s adaptation fell flat.In the Cutfailed to mark Meg Ryan’s comeback in the industry and failed to impress certain moviegoers, raking in a paltry 34% onRotten Tomatoes, although the critics hailed it as nothing short of “ambitious,” “important,” and “surreal.” The film earned only $23.7 million at the box office worldwide against a $12 million budget.
In the Cutis available to rent/buy on Prime Video.
Diya Majumdar
Senior Writer
Articles Published :2408
Diya Majumdar is a Senior Content Writer at FandomWire with over 2000 published articles on the website. Since 2022, she has been working as an entertainment journalist with a special focus on films and pop culture.Among the countless genres and themes of Hollywood, the ones that particularly favor Diya’s tastes include Game of Thrones, DC, and well-aged thrillers and classics.
