Editing Meg Ryan (section)

=== 2000–2006: Continued roles ===
Ryan's first film of the 2000s was ''[[Hanging Up]]'', a [[Diane Keaton]]-directed family comedy-drama about a trio of sisters who bond over the approaching death of their curmudgeonly father. Also starring Keaton, [[Lisa Kudrow]] and [[Walter Matthau]], the film adaptation of [[Delia Ephron]]'s 1995 novel received poor reviews from critics.

The same year, Ryan was cast in the action thriller ''[[Proof of Life]]'' with [[Russell Crowe]], directed by [[Taylor Hackford]]. In the film, she portrayed the distraught wife of a kidnapped engineer, played by [[David Morse (actor)|David Morse]], while relying on a resourceful troubleshooter who makes a profession of dealing with international bandits. While the film became a lukewarm critical and commercial success, grossing $63&nbsp;million worldwide, it garnered much reportage in the [[tabloid journalism|tabloid]] press in association with Ryan and Crowe's affair.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Proof-of-Life|title=''Proof of Life'' (2000) |publisher=The Numbers |access-date=April 6, 2022}}</ref> Stephen Holden, film critic for ''[[The New York Times]],'' did not think the film worked well and opined that the actors did not connect.<ref>{{Cite web |first=Stephen |last=Holden |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2000/12/08/movies/film-review-where-cynicism-rules-integrity-can-be-heroic.html |title=Where Cynicism Rules, Integrity Can Be Heroic |work=The New York Times |date=December 8, 2000 |access-date=April 6, 2022}}</ref>

[[File:Meg Ryan.jpg|thumb|right|upright|Ryan in September 2006]]
A year later, she once again returned to her romantic comedy roots with ''[[Kate & Leopold]]'' (2001), alongside [[Hugh Jackman]]. A film about a British Duke who [[time travel|travels through time]] from New York in 1876 to the present and falls in love with a successful market researcher in the modern New York, the [[James Mangold]]-directed film received a mixed-to-positive response,<ref name="Kate & Leopold 2001" /> with Lael Loewenstein of ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'' summing it as "a mostly charming and diverting tale".<ref name="klv">{{Cite web |first=Lael |last=Loewenstein |url=https://variety.com/2001/film/awards/kate-leopold-1200552225/ |title=Kate & Leopold |work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |date=December 16, 2001 |access-date=April 6, 2022}}</ref> At a total gross of $70&nbsp;million, it would be Ryan's highest-grossing film of the decade.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Kate-and-Leopold|title=''Kate & Leopold'' (2001) |publisher=The Numbers |access-date=April 6, 2022}}</ref>

In 2003, Ryan broke away from her usual roles, starring alongside [[Mark Ruffalo]] and [[Jennifer Jason Leigh]] in [[Jane Campion]]'s [[erotic thriller]] film ''[[In the Cut (film)|In the Cut]]''. Co-producer [[Nicole Kidman]] had originally been cast in the lead, but the actress eventually dropped out after five years of development, leaving the role to Ryan, who appeared nude in a lengthy and rather graphic love scene for the first time in her career. Although her image-conflicting depiction earned Ryan and the film much media attention, the film failed with critics and grossed only $23&nbsp;million in theaters.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/In-the-Cut-(2003) |title=''In the Cut'' (2003) |publisher=The Numbers|access-date=April 6, 2022}}</ref> While promoting ''In the Cut'' on [[Michael Parkinson]]'s talk show ''[[Parkinson (TV series)|Parkinson]]'', the actress was offended by the host's questions regarding filming nude scenes,<ref name=":7">{{Cite news |date=January 30, 2009 |title=Meg Ryan hits out at Parkinson |url=https://www.rte.ie/entertainment/2006/0404/406610-ryanm/ |access-date=April 8, 2024 |work=[[RTÉ.ie]]}}</ref> appearing disinterested, delivering one-word responses, and suggesting that Parkinson end their interview when asked what she would do in his position.<ref name=":6">{{Cite news |last=Vinter |first=Robyn |date=August 17, 2023 |title=Michael Parkinson's most memorable TV moments – from Emu to Meg Ryan |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2023/aug/17/michael-parkinson-most-memorable-tv-moments-from-emu-to-meg-ryan |access-date=April 8, 2024 |work=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref> The interaction is considered to be one of the most infamous in talk show history.<ref name=":17">{{Cite news |date=January 22, 2006 |title=Jones slap tops TV chat show poll |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4637648.stm |access-date=April 8, 2024 |work=[[BBC News]]}}</ref><ref name=":18" /> Three years after the interview aired, Ryan explained that she felt Parkinson was berating her for performing nudity and had attempted to disagree with his views respectfully.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Bond |first=Nick |date=August 18, 2023 |title=Michael Parkinson's infamous Meg Ryan interview resurfaces |url=https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/tv/flashback/michael-parkinsons-infamous-meg-ryan-interview-resurfaces/news-story/100daf86f9a8750c323ad112a34dbaf3 |access-date=April 8, 2024 |work=[[News.com.au]]}}</ref><ref name=":8">{{Cite news |last=McGinty |first=Stephen |date=April 5, 2006 |title=Parky was a 'nut', says Meg Ryan |url=http://business.scotsman.com/topics.cfm?tid=598&id=521652006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070420102053/http://business.scotsman.com/topics.cfm?tid=598&id=521652006 |archive-date=April 20, 2007 |access-date=April 8, 2024 |work=[[The Scotsman]]}}</ref> Parkinson eventually apologized for losing his temper in 2021, but maintained that Ryan's behavior "played a part in it too".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Nugent |first=Annabel |date=August 17, 2023 |title=Michael Parkinson's apology to Meg Ryan over infamous 2003 interview |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/michael-parkinson-meg-ryan-interview-apology-b2394665.html |access-date=April 8, 2024 |work=[[The Independent]]}}</ref> 

She continued the strategy of acting against type with a leading role in [[Charles S. Dutton]]'s directorial debut ''[[Against the Ropes]]'' (2004), a fictionalized [[sport film|sport drama]] about American boxing manager [[Jackie Kallen]], the first woman to become a success in the sport. The film grossed less than $6&nbsp;million in the U.S. and was panned by critics, in part because of its resemblance to other boxing films, such as the ''[[Rocky]]'' series.