Actress Meg Ryan has opened up about her characterisation as “America’s sweetheart” – and in doing so, has highlighted the double standards many women in Hollywood have to face.

Speaking to fellow actress Gwyneth Paltrow at a Goop Health event in Los Angeles, Ryan described the “borders” many women face – leaving them pigeonholed in roles they may not always feel comfortable in.

“You’re either intelligent or sexual or maternal,” she said. “I really feel like we’re at a time where those borders are coming down, and it’s coming with a lot of cultural upheaval in a way.

“In a certain respect, everyone in the culture is very comfortable with you in one archetype”.

For Ryan, that archetype was “America’s sweetheart” – which she says “doesn’t imply that you’re smart or sexual or complicated or anything”.

“It’s a label,” she said plainly. “And what can a label do but guess at you?”.

Meg Ryan underlines the big problem with that “America’s sweetheart” label