In 2003, Meg Ryan starred in her most erotic role. The nudity destroyed her career

Meg Ryan’s 2003 role in Jane Campion’s psychological thriller *In the Cut* marked a sharp departure from the romantic comedies that had made her a major Hollywood star. Its explicit sexual content and nudity drew criticism and, amplified by intrusive press coverage, contributed to a public backlash that the article says damaged her acting career.

Ryan said she had felt burned out and isolated, and rejected the idea that romantic comedies defined her filmography: she had made 30 films, seven of them romcoms. The article argues that the reaction to *In the Cut* exposed how narrowly audiences and the industry had framed her image, while stepping away from Hollywood gave her more freedom to choose future roles. She has since returned in experimental projects, including *What Happens Later*.