25 Nora Ephron Quotes From The Queen Of Romantic Comedy

By Clifton Sankofa | Published October 25, 2023

Discover how movies like When Harry Met Sally and Sleepless in Seattle became the standard of romantic comedies with our Nora Ephron quotes.

Nora Ephron ascended the ranks to become one of America’s most influential writers.

Learn why her work still impacts popular culture and art with our Nora Ephron quotes.

Who was Nora Ephron?

Nora Ephron was an American filmmaker, journalist, and author.

Her career spanned several decades; she successfully wrote theater, movies, books, and articles.

Her works have been nominated for:

Tony Awards
Academy Awards
Golden Globe Awards

Nora Ephron’s run as a filmmaker was legendary

Nora Ephron dominated the genre of romantic comedy in the 1990s and 2000s.

I am old enough to remember the impact of When Harry Met Sally.

I remember quizically staring at all the adults who were in stitches during the restaurant scene.

But I was too young to understand what was so funny.

My cousins and aunts loved remaking the famous scene that ended with “I’ll have what she’s having.”

I was there when the nation could not get enough of Sleepless in Seattle.

I remember the fervor when You’ve Got Mail premiered.

The synergy between Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks had people glued to their seats.

I also remember being excited as a young person to see a young Dave Chappelle’s cameo in You’ve Got Mail.

We know nepotism exists in Hollywood and that it is common for artists to incorporate their family members in opportunities when possible.

Many people end up wondering if Zac Efron and Nora Ephron are related; however, their last names are spelled differently, and they are unrelated.

How did Nora Ephron die?

It is never easy to see artists who impacted popular culture pass away.

Nora Ephron lived a full life.

Her legacy is cemented as one of the most influential writers and filmmakers.

In 2013, she died from complications of leukemia at the age of 71.

To learn more, check out our Nora Ephron quotes below.

Short Nora Ephron quotes about food and going crazy

We start our Nora Ephron quote journey with these short and sweet quotes about food, the mind, and feeling insane.

1. “In my sex fantasy, nobody ever loves me for my mind.” — Nora Ephron

2. “It is the sane people who are willing to admit that they are crazy.” — Nora Ephron

3. “I don’t think any day is worth living without thinking about what you’re going to eat next at all times.” — Nora Ephron

4. “I want everyone to be basket cases.” — Nora Ephron

5. “Insane people are always sure that they are fine.” — Nora Ephron

The top Nora Ephron quotes about family life, marriage, and pregnancy

Below, Ephron opens up about what it takes to run a family.

6. “If pregnancy were a book, they would cut the last two chapters.” — Nora Ephron

7. “Having a baby is like throwing a hand grenade into a marriage.” — Nora Ephron

8. “Never marry a man you wouldn’t want to be divorced from.” — Nora Ephron

9. “Men dominate the conversations in Washington.” — Nora Ephron

10. “When your children are teenagers, it’s important to have a dog around the house so that someone is happy to see you.” — Nora Ephron

The best quotes from Nora Ephron about the power of reading

Nora Ephron was passionate about literacy; here are some of her best quotes about reading.

11. “Reading is the unbelievably healthy way my attention deficit disorder medicates itself.” — Nora Ephron

12. “Reading is everything.” — Nora Ephron

13. “Reading makes me feel like I’ve accomplished something, learned something, become a better person.” — Nora Ephron

14. “Reading makes me smarter.” — Nora Ephron

15. “Reading gives me something to talk about later on.” — Nora Ephron

Famous Nora Ephron quotes about why she loves New York

In this selection, Ephron shares her very specific reasons for loving New York City.

16. “When you slip on a banana peel, people laugh at you.” — Nora Ephron

17. “I am continually fascinated at the difficulty intelligent people have in distinguishing what is controversial from what is merely offensive.” — Nora Ephron

18. “But when you tell people you slipped on a banana peel, it’s your laugh.” — Nora Ephron

19. “As far as I am concerned, the conversations are far less interesting than those in New York.” — Nora Ephron

20. “I look out the window, and I see the lights and the skyline and the people in the street rushing around looking for action, love, and the world’s greatest chocolate chip cookie.” — Nora Ephron

Quotes from Nora Ephron about her creation process

We close with these interesting Nora Ephron quotes about her work style when writing.

21. “I don’t care who you are. When you sit down to write the first page of your screenplay, in your head, you’re also writing your Oscar acceptance speech.” — Nora Ephron

22. “I work when there is something due or when I am really excited about a piece.” — Nora Ephron

23. “I go through periods where I work a great deal at all hours of the day whenever I am around a typewriter, and then I go through spells where I don’t do anything.” — Nora Ephron

24. “I just sort of have lunch all day.” — Nora Ephron

25. “I never have been able to stick to a schedule.” — Nora Ephron