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Share This \| Related Behind the Scenes With Meg Ryan on "The Women"
By Marilyn Beck and Stacy Jenel Smith Aug 28, 2008

Meg Ryan responds to reports that she and Annette Bening stepped in to help first time film director Diane English during production of their Sept. 12 release "The Women." "Every now and then, both Annette and I would sort of interpret movie jargon for Diane," Ryan diplomatically notes in the next issue of Entertainment Weekly. And English, the creative talent best known for the long-running TV hit "Murphy Brown," denies any on-set crises, but admits being grateful for her two leading ladies' "very strong presences."

Behind the Scenes With Meg Ryan on "The Women" (Image: Wenn)

English's very strong presence is inarguably responsible for getting the film made -- since she never gave up on it through a decade of development hell after the project came apart back when Ryan and Julia Roberts both wanted the same role. Now the cast boasts Eva Mendes, Candice Bergen, Debra Messing, Jada Pinkett Smith and Bette Midler.

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"Annette lent a great credibility to the project," English points out in EW. The actress had never been a fan of the catty, sexist undertones of the original play, written by Clare Boothe Luce.

"But I liked that the retelling of the story was different," Bening said. "It's really about female friendship." More important, "I just thought it was funny."

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