It may have been 25 years since Meg Ryan's simulated orgasm echoed through cinemas across the globe in When Harry Met Sally, but the sound of her banging the table in faux ecstasy is still ringing in our collective ear (or that could be because we watched the movie for the billionth time just last week).
Ryan's legendary sex scene in a New York deli opposite an open-mouthed Billy Crystal is the most memorable moment of the actress's career (apart from that awkward scene on the Michael Parkinson show, but that doesn't strictly count), but now, ahead of its anniversary tomorrow, the film's director Rob Reiner has revealed that Ryan needed a little help getting to the point of imagined climax.
Explaining that Ryan was a tad nervous getting her faux freak on in front of the cast and cameras (well, who wouldn't be?) Reiner said 'the first few times we did it, she did it kind of weak. It was a little tepid.'
'I said: "Look, let me show you what I want" after a few takes that weren’t so good.'
'I sat down opposite Billy [Crystal] and I’m sitting there and I’m pounding the table and, yes, yes, yes, I’m doing the whole thing.'
Now, we can't work out whether Reiner is getting his knowledge from being a don in the sack, and seeing many a real female orgasm first hand, or if he just knows the tricks women use to fake them all too well.
Either way, the director did admit that 'Meg then did way better.' Funny that.
Picture: Rex Features
This article originally appeared on The Debrief.