Billy Crystal
Tom Hanks turned down the opportunity to play Harry, but has made three romantic comedies with Meg Ryan. Albert Brooks and Michael Keaton were also considered before Billy Crystal eventually won the part which would transform his image and turn him into bona fide star. One side effect of this casting decision is the film’s most infamous line which was not in the original screenplay. According to screenwriter Nora Ephron, it was Billy Crystal who suggested how the “orgasm” scene in the diner be capped by the older woman’s reply to the waitress.
Meg Ryan
Director Rob Reiner’s first choice for Sally was actually Susan Dey. Primarily remembered for her breakthrough role on The Partridge Family, Dey was the time enjoying a comeback with a major role on the TV series L.A. Law which had successfully changed her squeaky clean image in her role as a sexy attorney. After Dey ultimately turned the part down, it was offered to Oscar-winner Elizabeth McGovern and 80’s teen icon Molly Ringwald before Meg Ryan’s hard lobbying finally paid off. It was the success of When Harry Met Sally that set the stage for Meg Ryan becoming the queen of the romantic comedy in the 1990’s.
Carrie Fisher
Carrie Fisher was at the time still struggling to carve out a career niche for herself following the conclusion of the original Star Wars trilogy five years earlier. The snarky quality of her character has been noted by many close to her as being far closer to the spirit of Fisher than Princess Leia could be.
Bruno Kirby
Like Carrie Fisher and director Rob Reiner, Bruno Kirby started acting early by virtue of being born into a show business family. One tragic bit of trivia associated with the film is that the husband and wife couple in the film would in real life both die at relatively young ages. Kirby was just 57 when he passed away while Carrie Fisher died at the age of 60 just one day before her legendary mother Debbie Reynolds followed.
Steven Ford
Before Harry and Sally actually make it to the romantic part of rom-com, they both have relationships with other people. For Sally that other person happens to be Harry’s own neighbor, Joe. Joe is played by Steven Ford. Despite going on to have a successful if limited career as an actor, Ford was at the time and likely still is best known not for his resume, but for being the son of the President Gerald Ford.
