Meg Ryan bio, age, husband, children, net worth, recent photos 2025

Biography of Mer Ryan

Meg Ryan, the Hollywood actress best known for her luminous performances in films like "When Harry Met Sally", "Sleepless in Seattle", "French Kiss", and "City of Angels". The media dubbed her "America's sweetheart" - a label Ryan dismissed with characteristic wit.

While an Oscar win eluded her, she earned nominations for Golden Globes, Saturn Awards, and Satellite Awards. Still, her extraordinary acting talent, candid charm, and that perfect blend of fragility and strength remain as captivating today as ever.

Childhood and Youth

Born Margaret Mary Emily Anne in fall 1961 to Harry Hyra and Susan Hyra Jordan, she grew up with her two sisters, Dana and Annie, and brother Andrew - who later became a renowned musician with the band Billy Pilgrim - in a Catholic household.

Her father taught mathematics at a local school. Her mother, whose own acting dreams never materialized, worked as a casting agent. Looking back in later interviews, Ryan openly admitted her family life was far from perfect.

My parents divorced when I was 16. We all diverged at that point, each embarking on individual paths: my mother decided to leave my father and venture into the show business, my father resolved to preserve his lifestyle and keep in touch with us, his children. Meanwhile, we were all preparing for different lives. We were never really a family again after that - like something that held us together just died.

As a young woman trying to figure out her place in the world, she found solace in books on Indian philosophy, especially "Siddhartha," which she says changed everything. In 1979, she enrolled in the School of Journalism at the University of Connecticut, before transferring to the same program at New York University.

To pay for tuition, she asked her mother to help her find acting work, landing her first role in a commercial, then a TV series. For her acting work, she created the stage name Meg Ryan - an anagram of the word Germany. But she had no plans to dive headfirst into acting. In fact, she was drawn to journalism, a sentiment she often expressed. She was drawn to the opportunity to observe reality while forming her own worldview. She once recounted:

...For example, to write a story about the weather, I would venture to Washington Square Park and ask vagrants about their coping strategies when it rained. Their narratives were immensely interesting, and I enjoyed encountering different facets of reality.

But acting kept drawing Meg Ryan in deeper and deeper. When she landed the role of Debbie, daughter of Candice Bergen's character in the TV series "Rich and Famous," she faced a choice - stay in school to become a journalist, or dive into the world of acting. It wasn't until she successfully portrayed Betsy Montgomery in the soap opera "As the World Turns" that thoughts of a journalistic career were finally put to rest.

Film Career

Ryan hustled through auditions, landing small roles in films like "Amityville" (Lisa), "Armed and Dangerous" (Maggie), and "Innerspace" (Lydia). Eventually, producers started noticing her, and soon she was cast as Carole Bradshaw in Tony Scott's action film "Top Gun" (1986), featuring Tom Cruise in the lead role.

Her first leading role as the eccentric sociopath Beverly with pink-dyed hair in the drama "Promised Land" (1987) left an indelible mark on her. This role helped the actress understand the essence of acting - to assume a character, leave oneself behind, and transform into a completely different person.

The first lead role of Meg Ryan (Promised Land)

Her character Beverly was an alcoholic, and her husband Danny (Kiefer Sutherland) returns to their hometown after a long absence, hoping his wife would come to her senses and their life would get back on track. During filming, Meg discovered the true nature of the acting profession:

The profession of an actor is often misunderstood. Its essence is not to draw attention to oneself: «Look at me, see who I am, gaze upon me!» On the contrary, it's «Look at yourself, see who you are.

This approach to her craft helped her become one of the most celebrated actresses of the 90s, creating unforgettable characters: Sally Albright in the comedic drama "When Harry Met Sally", Annie Reed in the heartfelt melodrama "Sleepless in Seattle", and Catherine Boyd in the comedy "I.Q".

Alongside Jean Reno and Timothy Hutton, she starred in the adventurous comedy "French Kiss", and with Nicolas Cage, she portrayed a profound love in the film "City of Angels". After this film, rich with sensuality and platonic love, Ryan earned the title "America's Sweetheart".

As the new millennium arrived, Meg Ryan, who had just turned 40, found her career at its peak. She starred alongside Russell Crowe in the thriller "Proof of Life", playing Alice, the protagonist's wife. With Hugh Jackman, she delivered a stellar performance in the romantic science-fiction drama "Kate & Leopold".

With Mark Ruffalo, she starred in the mystical detective story "In The Cut", playing innocent school teacher Frannie Avery. The role was risky and controversial, as Nicole Kidman had previously turned it down due to explicit bed scenes featuring full nudity. But Ryan, tired of consistently portraying the sweet image of "America's Sweetheart", boldly shattered stereotypes.

Equally intriguing was her portrayal of sports manager Jackie Kallen in the biographical boxing drama "Against the Ropes", and later, she played the abandoned wife Louise in "Serious Moonlight".

Meg pulled off slick "art heist" capers from national museums alongside Antonio Banderas in the action-comedy "My Mom's New Boyfriend".

My Mom's New Boyfriend: Meg Ryan and Antonio Banderas

Then Ryan suddenly disappeared from Hollywood for several years, only returning in 2015 as Mrs. Macauley in the war drama "Ithaca" (which she also directed), about a teenager's life during World War II. On set, she reunited with Tom Hanks.

Her reasons for stepping away from Hollywood sparked endless speculation. Some thought her career suffered because of the scandal around her affair with Dennis Quaid. Others argued that affairs are nothing new in Hollywood – the real problem was botched plastic surgery that changed Meg's appearance. A third group believed that Ryan had simply grown tired of the film industry and wanted to live a normal life, away from the limelight and paparazzi cameras.

Meg Ryan's Personal Life

Meg Ryan has always shied away from the prying attention towards her personal life. She's genuinely baffled by people who track her every move. In her relationships, she's always prioritized harmony and happiness over cheap publicity.

In 1986, she dated actor Anthony Edwards, but the relationship ended as soon as Ryan met Dennis Quaid on the set of the film "D.O.A.". Their romance took its time; they dated for nearly four years before tying the knot on Valentine's Day in 1991.

A year later, their son Jack Henry Quaid (now also an actor known for his lead role in the series "The Boys") was born.

The couple was considered perfect, and they lived together for ten years, but in 1999, the actress fell in love with her co-star Russell Crowe. The charismatic New Zealander was the reason for the divorce: Dennis couldn't stand the betrayal. The breakup was painful, and the actress moved into a new home, trying to start a new life.

Her relationship with Crowe didn't work out; he wasn't ready to settle down and suggested to Meg that they remain friends. After that, Ryan stayed single for ten years, though she was constantly linked to co-stars in tabloid rumors.

Meg Ryan On Her Divorce: I Didn't Leave My Marriage For Russell Crowe The Oprah Winfrey Show

In 2006, her family grew: the actress adopted a Chinese girl, naming her Daisy True and devoting herself to raising her.

In 2011, Meg introduced the public to her new love interest. It was rock musician John Mellencamp. Their relationship hit rocky ground when he had an affair with former model Christie Brinkley. Meg weathered the betrayal and even forgave John when he came back to her.

At the end of 2018, the couple announced their engagement, but ten months later, tabloids began to speculate about the breakup between the actress and the musician. There was also speculation that the bride had botched plastic surgery while trying to freshen up for the wedding, causing the celebration to be postponed. In 2020, unconfirmed reports suggested the wedding ceremony had actually happened, with only their closest friends and family present.

Meg Ryan Now

In 2021, the actress celebrated her sixtieth birthday, remaining as elegant as her fans remembered her from the 90s.

In 2023, Meg Ryan was working on her new film, a romcom titled "What Happens Later." She and David Duchovny play the lead roles in it. In May, she appeared at the premiere of her friend Michael J. Fox's documentary film, "STILL".

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Photos: Meg Ryan