The Empire State building is for lovers! Sleepless in Seattle has captivated audiences — and hopeless romantics everywhere — for nearly three decades.
The Nora Ephron-directed film, which premiered in 1993, has stood the test of time thanks to its heartwarming story of a widowed father Sam Baldwin (Tom Hanks) and his son, Jonah (Ross Malinger), trying to get back on their feet after moving to Seattle where they live on a houseboat.
After losing his mother, Jonah realizes that his father is still very unhappy, so he calls into a radio talk show late at night to seek advice and get his dad a date. Listeners from all over fall in love with both Jonah and Sam, who eventually bares his soul on the show, including a reporter named Annie Reed (Meg Ryan).
Despite being engaged, Annie quickly realizes that Sam is the man for her. Annie’s lightbulb moment comes while she’s at dinner with her fiancé (Bill Pullman) in New York City on New Year’s Eve. She ultimately leaves him and heads to the Empire State Building where Jonah and Sam are waiting.
The scene, which was inspired by An Affair to Remember, has since become a moment that fans have tried to recreate in their own lives. Mindy Kaling, for example, paid homage to the rom-com during the 2014 finale of her hit comedy The Mindy Project with the lead characters finding each other at the top of the iconic building.
“I grew up in the time of the great romantic comedy movies of the ’90s and I wasn’t a snob about any of them either,” Kaling told Audible in December 2019 of her love of rom-coms, especially those by Ephron. “It could be, While You Were Sleeping, starring Sandra Bullock and Bill Pullman, or Sleepless in Seattle. I really just love the genre and I’ve always felt that it is an undervalued genre.”
The Late Night actress added: “I feel like people talk about romantic comedies they love, and they say that they’re their guilty pleasures. But I truly don’t believe in guilty pleasures, I only believe in pleasures. And I oftentimes think people undervalue them because women like romantic comedies so much and it seemed somehow not as intellectual or something, but I just love them.”
Scroll down to see what the cast of Sleepless in Seattle has been up to since 1993:
The Oscar winner played widower Sam Baldwin. Hanks then starred in Forest Gump, Apollo 13, You’ve Got Mail, Cast Away, Bridge of Spies, Sully, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood and News of the World. He began voicing Woody in the Toy Story franchise in 1995. Hanks narrated The Pacific mini-series and has more than 50 producer credits, including Big Love, The Sixties, The Movies and movies Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again and In the Garden of Beasts. In August 2020, the writer and director was announced as Geppetto for Disney’s live-action version of Pinocchio, which is set to hit theaters in 2022. The Uncommon Type author was married to Samantha Lewes from 1978 to 1987. He shares two children, son Colin Hanks and daughter Elizabeth Hanks, with his ex, who died in March 2002. The Big star has been married to Rita Wilson since 1988 and they share two sons: Chet Hanks and Truman Hanks. Tri-Star/Kobal/Shutterstock; Image Press Agency/NurPhoto/Shutterstock
Ryan portrayed reporter Annie Reed, who falls for Sam after hearing him and his son on the radio. She went on to star in When a Man Loves a Woman, You’ve Got Mail, Kate & Leopold, In the Land of Women and Ithaca, which she directed. The actress also voiced Anastasia in the animated film. Ryan began producing films in 1995 and has since worked on The Wedding Planner, Desert Saints and Picture Paris. The When Harry Met Sally star was married to Dennis Quaid from 1991 to 2001. They share son Jack. Ryan is also the mother of daughter Daisy, whom she adopted in January 2006. The actress was in an on-off relationship with John Mellencamp from 2010 to 2019. They got engaged in 2018, but Us Weekly exclusively confirmed that they split the following year. In September 2020 they were rumored to be back in touch. Snap/Shutterstock; Broadimage/Shutterstock
The child star began acting three years before he portrayed Sam’s sweet son, Jonah Baldwin. Malinger went on to star on Good Advice, Nick Freno: Licensed Teacher, The Simple Life, Party of Five and Recess, where he voiced Theodore J. “T.J.” Detweiler. He also appeared on one episode of Without a Trace in 2006 before stepping back from acting. Malinger reportedly worked as a manager of an Automotive Legends until the store shut down in 2009. He has since kept a low profile. Moviestore/Shutterstock
Pullman portrayed Annie’s boring fiancé, Walter, whom she eventually breaks up with. The actor went on to star in Wyatt Earp, Casper, Independence Day, Bringing Up Bobby, The Equalizer, Battle of the Sexes and Dark Waters. His TV credits include working on Revelations, Torchwood, 1600 Penn and The Sinner. Pullman made his directorial debut in 2000 with The Virginian, which he also produced. The New York native made his theater debut in 2002’s The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia? and has since appeared in several productions, including 2019’s All My Sons. The former Montana State University professor married Tamara Hurwitz in 1987. The couple share three children: daughter Maesa and sons Jack and Lewis. YouTube; Chelsea Lauren/Shutterstock
The comedian played Annie’s BFF Becky. O’Donnell went on to star in Now and Then, Harriet the Spy and Tarzan. Her TV roles include The Fosters, SMILF, I Know This Much Is True and The L Word: Generation Q. She is set to appear on the A League of Their Own show, after playing Doris Murphy in the 1992 film by the same name. O’Donnell wrote and starred on The Rosie O’Donnell Show for seven years and later produced The Big Gay Sketch Show and The Specials. The New York native was a cohost on The View from 2006 to 2007 and from 2014 to 2015. O’Donnell, who has penned two memoirs, adopted her son Parker in 1995. She and then-girlfriend Kelli Carpenter later adopted daughter Chelsea and son Blake before welcoming daughter Vivienne via artificial insemination. The pair, who wed in February 2004, had their marriage annulled a few months later, but Carpenter didn’t move out of their family home until 2007. The actress married Michelle Rounds in June 2012. The duo adopted daughter Dakota the following year, but split November 2014. Tri-Star/Kobal/Shutterstock; Gregory Pace/Shutterstock
Wilson portrayed Sam’s sister, Suzy. She went on to star in Jingle All the Way, Now and Then, Runaway Bride, Dawn Patrol, Gloria Bell, A Simple Wedding and Boy Genius. She also appeared on The Good Wife, Full Circle and Girls. The California native’s producer credits include the My Big Fat Greek Wedding films and the Mamma Mia! movies, as well as A Man Called Ove. Wilson played Roxie Hart in 2006’s Broadway run of Chicago. She released her debut solo album, AM/FM, in 2012 and has since dropped three more records. The musician, who was declared breast cancer-free in 2015, has been married to Hanks since 1988. The duo share two children: Truman and Chet. Wilson is also the stepmother to Colin and Elizabeth, whom her husband shares with his late ex-wife, Samantha. YouTube; Dan Steinberg/Invision/AP/Shutterstock
Garber played Suzy’s husband, Greg. He went on to have major success on TV with roles on Alias, Justice, Eli Stone, Deception, Web Therapy, The Flash, The Orville, Power, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow and Family Law, which premiered in 2021. His film credits include The First Wives Club, Titanic, Legally Blonde, Argo and Happiest Season. The Canada native has also had a long career in theater, starring in Broadway’s Damn Yankees, Arcadia, Present Laughter and Hello, Dolly! The Emmy-nominated actor married artist Rainer Andreesen in 2015 after dating for five years. YouTube; Gregory Pace/Shutterstock
Reiner portrayed Sam’s friend and dating adviser Jay. He went on to star in The Story of Us, The Wolf of Wall Street, Shock and Awe and TV’s New Girl. Reiner has more than 50 writing credits to his name, including the 2001 and 2013 Emmy Awards and 2017’s Kennedy Center Honors. The New York native is also a well-known director and producer having worked on When Harry Met Sally…, Misery, The Bucket List, Flipped, And So It Goes and Being Charlie. The Emmy-winning actor was married to Penny Marshall from 1971 to 1981. He adopted her daughter from a previous marriage, Tracy Reiner, when they wed. Rob married Michele Singer in 1989, with whom he shares Jake, Nick and Romy. Tri-Star/Kobal/Shutterstock; Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP/Shutterstock
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