As Meg Ryan reunites with her trusty best friend—the romantic comedy—the famed When Harry Met Sally star should also think about starting a school for up and coming rom-com leading ladies to prepare them for ultimate superstardom. First enrolled should be Maya Erskine, who starred opposite Ryan’s son Jack Quaid in Plus One. Obviously, Lana Condor of To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before fame earns a seat at the table. And lastly, I’d like to pitch Haley Lu Richardson, who just proved her quirky, adorable rom-com chops in Netflix’s Love At First Sight.
Richardson has all the qualifications to be a major rom-com leading lady. She is stellar at playing flustered, but never in a way that feels stressful. Her demeanor is always ruffled with a side of scrappy charm—I’ll have what she’s having, as they say. Richardson’s smile could make a thousand guys fall in love with her at once; her laugh could win a million lovers’ hearts. The actress is adorable, witty, buoyant…how many adjectives do I need to drop before the point is clear?
The most important part, though: Richardson has rom-com hair. Frizzy and curly, but kempt and gorgeous—à la Ryan and Julia Roberts.