When Harry Met Sally has it all: a brilliant Nora Ephron script that hits all the funny and thoughtful notes, engaging Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal performances, and, of course, that one scene that everyone still talks about. Now the stars have reunited for a Hellman’s commercial that will air during the 2025 Super Bowl, and it’s everything you wanted. And there’s a perfect cameo, too!
As the actors sit at a cozy table in Katz’s Deli, Crystal says, “I can’t believe they let us back in this place.” Ryan shrugs it off and says, “Nobody remembers that.” Then, after she realizes her sandwich is making her feel absolutely nothing, she squeezes some mayo on the bread, and, yes, you know what happens next. Crystal smiles and says “Lunch and a show, huh?” (he’s still so charming) and then… Sydney Sweeney says, “I’ll have what she’s having.”
Sweeney was the perfect choice to say the most iconic line in the late ’80s rom-com for so many reasons. For one thing, everyone is always glad to see Sweeney, whether she’s telling the truth about body shaming or playing one of her beloved characters, from Euphoria to Anybody But You. For another, 27-year-old Sweeney was born in 1997, several years after When Harry Met Sally was released. So, her cameo is a nice way to bridge the gap between fans of the classic romantic comedy film and those who might not get the “I’ll have what she’s having” reference. Now, thanks to this hilarious commercial, everyone knows this very important part of pop culture history. And, fun fact, director Rob Reiner’s mom Estelle Reiner is the one who said the line in the film.
Both Crystal and Ryan called Sweeney “adorable” (awww) in an interview with People about the ad. Crystal explained, “That’s a big deal. It’s an iconic line and it’s a big honor to get to do that. And a heavy burden.” Crystal also called it “a really fun idea,” especially since When Harry Met Sally just turned 35.
I love this Hellman’s Super Bowl commercial because I worship at the ground of Nora Ephron and love any reference to her, but because it’s a hopeful reminder that the best storytelling endures, even several decades later. And while the scene is funny, it’s also about a serious topic that is still necessary to talk about today.
As Erin Carlson, who wrote, I’ll Have What She’s Having: How Nora Ephron’s Three Iconic Films Saved the Romantic Comedy, said via email to The Washington Post, Ryan’s deli performance was “a transcendent, transgressive response to Harry’s hyperverbal macho arrogance.” Sally proves to Harry that many women only pretend to be satisfied by their partner, which is news to him. And as The Washington Post noted, there were various screenings of the movie where women got the humor of the scene right away and men weren’t sure how to respond. There are some dated parts of the movie, including the debate about whether men and women can actually be friends, and in 2025, it’s past time to forget gender norms and stereotypes. Let’s just say this scene and film in general are about intimacy in all relationships. This scene is as relevant today as it was in 1989, and the Super Bowl ad proves that.
So, besides watching the 2025 Super Bowl to see Ryan and Crystal’s When Harry Met Sally ad in all its glory, is it time to rewatch When Harry Met Sally for the 100th time? A rhetorical question, right?
Published: Jan 30, 2025 01:21 pm