Sleepless in Seattle HANKS FOR THE MEMORIES!

It was love at first sight for audiences who couldn't get enough of Tom and Meg

He was a heartbroken widower whose young son called a radio talk show hoping to find love for his dad. She was a listener on the other side of the North American continent who was engaged to be married but felt there was something missing in her relationship. It’s been 30 years since Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan charmed audiences in Sleepless in Seattle. We went searching for forgotten facts about the much-loved rom-com.

Barely together

The plot of the movie means Meg’s character Annie and Tom’s character Sam are 4400km apart. In the hour-and-a-half running time, the romantic leads spend a grand total of two minutes sharing the same screen – a rarity for a rom-com.

Nora's cameo

Nora Ephron was one of very few female writer/directors working in Hollywood 30 years ago. The late filmmaker has a voice cameo in the movie as a talk-back caller calling herself "Disappointed in Denver".

Hot demand

When word spread on the Hollywood grapevine that Nora - who'd won accolades for her 1989 When Harry Met Sally script was involved with Sleepless in Seattle, many of Tinseltown's top actresses put their hands up. Julia -Roberts, Kim Basinger, Michelle Pfeiffer, Sharon Stone, Jodie Foster, Demi Moore and Madonna all expressed interest, but Nora only wanted Meg. Meg's husband at the time, Dennis Quaid, was suggested for the role of Sam, but Nora felt he wasn't funny enough.