In the 2009 rom-com, Sandra played Margaret, a high-powered publishing executive whose top job and glamorous life in New York is threatened when she learns that her visa has not been renewed.
Facing the prospect of being deported back to Canada, she blackmails her personal assistant Andrew, played by Ryan, into marrying her so that she can secure a green card and remain in the United States.
This being a rom-com, though, it’s only a matter of time before this pretend relationship, which Margaret and Andrew must convincingly fake in order to win over immigration services, sparks new feelings between the pair.
In one memorable moment, Sandra’s character slips when she gets out of the shower, only to fall into the arms of Andrew, who is getting changed after going for a run.
To mark her 59th birthday this week, Ryan shared the scene on his Instagram account, along with a tongue-in-cheek message for his friend and co-star.
“Happy Birthday to the inimitable and stunning Sandra Bullock,” he wrote. “For your birthday this year, I got us both intimacy coordinators. And an HR department. And clothing?”
Despite Ryan’s joke about intimacy coordinators, Sandra previously revealed that she felt a sense of “camaraderie and safety” while filming the nude scene.
Speaking on the About Last Night podcast back in 2021, the Miss Congeniality star told host Adam Ray that she only agreed to appear naked “if I can be humiliated and funny”.
“You will not see me trying to attempt being sexy naked – in real life or on screen,” she explained. “There’s just no point in it. It was for that reason, with a friend that you trusted comedically, and safety-wise I knew I was in the presence of safety.”
Recalling the experience of filming, the Oscar winner explained that they had “a closed set” for privacy, meaning “no one’s allowed to be on there, just hair and make-up coming in to fluff and hide”.
She also hailed her co-star, who she joked she had known “since we were prepubescent”, for being “absolutely unflappable” and “just so cool” during the potentially awkward moment.
