Tom Hanks' wife, Rita Wilson, revealed why her husband didn't star in the 1988 romantic comedy When Harry Met Sally. The movie stars Billy Crystal as Harry Burns and Meg Ryan as Sally Albright, two University of Chicago graduates who reconnect ten years later. When Harry Met Sally was directed by Rob Reiner, who previously directed Stand by Me and The Princess Bride before his work on the Crystal and Ryan-led rom-com.

Speaking with Table for Two With Bruce Bozzi (via Entertainment Weekly), Wilson revealed Hanks was offered the lead role in When Harry Met Sally but turned it down. She explained that Hanks had been going through a divorce at the time, and his feelings about it were part of why he didn't star in the movie. Check Wilson's full statement below:

"People probably don't know this, but Tom was offered When Harry Met Sally and he turned it down because he was going through a divorce and he was very happy to be not married. And so he could not understand that a person going through a divorce would have anything other than just like, 'I'm so happy.'"

Tom Hanks Romantic Comedy Roles Explained

Tom Hanks in Sleepless in Seattle talking on a landline phone.

Despite not taking a role in When Harry Met Sally due to his ongoing divorce, Hanks would Ryan in two other rom-coms later in his career. Hanks and Ryan first starred opposite each other in 1993's Sleepless in Seattle, which saw the pair play star-crossed lovers separated by hundreds of miles. They would reunite in 1998's You've Got Mail, which saw Hanks and Ryan in an online relationship, unaware they're business rivals in real life. Hanks has compared Sleepless in Seattle to You've Got Mail, analyzing both movies' connection to mass media.

While Hanks and Ryan have been partners in two films, they aren't the only romantic comedies Hanks has starred in. This includes the fantasy rom-com Splash, which sees Hanks fall in love with a mermaid played by Daryl Hannah. Splash is getting a remake with writer Sarah Rothschild, making it another major part of Hanks' rom-com career. Other romantic comedies featuring Hanks in the lead role include Larry Crowne, The Money Pit, and Punchline.

While Hanks' absence in When Harry Met Sally means he doesn't have another rom-com with Ryan under his belt, the seasoned actor had plenty of roles in similar films that make up for it. While Hanks is best ed for his drama movies, such as Cast Away, Forrest Gump, and Saving Private Ryan, his experience as a romantic lead for so many movies is still impressive. His lack of a role in When Harry Met Sally doesn't undermine the rest of the work the talented actor has done in rom-coms.

Source: Table for Two With Bruce Bozzi (via EW)