Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan Recreate ‘When Harry Met Sally’ Fake Orgasm Scene for Hellmann’s Super Bowl Ad With Sydney Sweeney

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One characteristic of Sally Albright that frequently irks Harry Burns in the 1989 film “When Harry Met Sally” is her fussy eating habits. He complains that it takes her an hour and a half to make a sandwich. However, in the sequel, she manages to do it in just thirty seconds.

In a new development, the iconic characters, previously portrayed by Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan, are set to revisit New York’s Katz’ Delicatessen for a repeat of one of their most memorable scenes from the film – where Sally feigns an orgasm during dinner. Interestingly, they will also be appearing in a commercial for Hellmann’s mayonnaise during the Super Bowl.

With the movie celebrating its 35th anniversary and getting added to the National Film Registry, it seems like an ideal opportunity for us to reunite and reminisce, remarked Crystal in a recent interview, using the phrase “perfect storm” to describe the timing.

Unilever-owned Hellmann’s is expressing its eagerness for their fifth Super Bowl commercial. In recent times, this well-known condiment has been emphasizing the matter of food waste, encouraging Big Game spectators to utilize more of the common supermarket items they purchase with the help of Hellmann’s mayonnaise. Last year’s Super Bowl advertisement featured Kate McKinnon, Pete Davidson, and a “Mayo Cat.

In terms of brainstorming a fresh approach for their upcoming Super Bowl advertisement, executives at Unilever’s condiments division, led by Jessica Grigoriou, senior vice president of marketing, aimed to revitalize the message and demonstrate how mayonnaise can enhance culinary experiences. Grigoriou explains that their goal is to consistently raise the bar and keep viewers on their toes with something unexpected each year. The ad employs humor and nostalgia, themes that have traditionally resonated well during Super Bowl broadcasts. The 30-second advertisement is scheduled to air in the second quarter of Fox’s coverage of the event, which takes place on February 9.

Refreshing old content isn’t always straightforward. Typically, advertisers during the Super Bowl have brought back famous film and television characters, but not in their iconic scenes. In 2022, General Motors revived the cast of the 1997 hit “Austin Powers” for a new storyline where Dr. Evil, played by Mike Myers, attempts to seize control of the automotive company as part of his latest global domination scheme. That same year, characters from HBO’s “The Sopranos” were resurrected for a Chevrolet advertisement. In 2019, Anheuser-Busch InBev’s Stella Artois aired a Super Bowl spot featuring Jeff Bridges as “The Dude” from “The Big Lebowski” in close proximity to Sarah Jessica Parker playing Carrie Bradshaw from “Sex and the City.

Previously, other entities have attempted similar projects in different settings. In 2019, Comcast produced a follow-up, in essence, of the classic 1982 film “E.T.” featuring the alien and actor Henry Thomas. This was done as a lengthy advertisement during NBC’s telecast of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. To ensure authenticity, Comcast collaborated with director Steven Spielberg on the concept.

In my own words, I found myself just as comfortable as I was all those years ago, rejoining Ryan at our familiar spot. “I hadn’t returned to this place since,” Ryan admitted, “yet it remained unchanged, as if the years had stood still.” The connection we still maintain, Crystal pointed out, will make audiences feel like they’ve been joining us for decades every weekend.

Ryan opines that the advertisement might have been more demanding than the movie, given her past experience with creating ads for Burger King and deodorant in a bygone era. In essence, she finds movies generally simpler, requiring less meticulous attention to detail compared to commercials. As she puts it, “Commercials demand a lot of content to be effectively communicated within a short span of time, say 30 seconds, 45 seconds, or a minute. They’re a different kind of beast.

Hellman’s is taking no risks; fans can actually order the turkey and pastrami sandwiches shown in their latest Super Bowl advertisement, as stated by Grigoriou. These orders will come with specific instructions to prepare the meal according to Sally’s preferences (which include using Hellmann’s mayonnaise). Plus, customers have the option to schedule the delivery for the Friday prior to the Super Bowl.

Despite referencing an older movie, the advertisement holds a fresh twist with Sydney Sweeney unexpectedly appearing in a cameo. She delivers the well-known quote, “I’ll have what she’s having.

The reenactment of this particular scene illustrates how drastically consumer culture has evolved over the years compared to when the movie initially premiered. In 1989, portraying an orgasm in public was considered a breach of decorum. As Crystal puts it, “the term ‘orgasm’ wasn’t commonly used in films unless they were directed by Ron Jeremy.” Today, there are instances far more explicit than that on television. Harry, oh how times have changed!

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2025-01-29 17:47