Meg Ryan is a well-known American actress, producer and film director.
Early life
She was born on November 19,1961 as Margaret Mary Emily Anne Hyra in Fairfield, Connecticut, USA.
She came from a multicultural family of Irish, Polish and German decent.
She spent her childhood growing up with two sisters and a brother in a Catholic home.
Her parents divorced in 1976. While she was attending Bethel High School.
She went to study journalism at he University and started acting in TV commercials and soap operas to earn some extra money.
She was so good at it that she dropped out of college and joined SAG ( Screen Actors Guild).
In that period she changed her surname to Ryan (her grandmothers maiden name) and started her film career.
Career development
Her film debut was in George Cukor’s „Rich and Famous“ and after appearing in some famous commercials she got a lot of movie proposals.
She became more famous after starring in a movie classic „Top Gun“ in 1986. and in a romance „When Harry met Sally“ in 1989. for what she earned her first nomination for a Golden Globe Award.
The role in „Sleepless in Seattle“ with Tom Hanks gave her worldwide popularity.
She was called „the queen of romantic comedies“.
In the meantime she got married to another actor, Dennis Quaid.
After acting in so many romantic films she wanted to move to another genre so she played a role in a social drama „When a Man Loves a Woman“ in 1984.
The same year the People Magazine has put her on the list of 50 most beautiful people in the world.
Not being able to move completely from the romantic genre she returned to filming romantic movies.
She gave voice to Anastasia in a popular cartoon by Fox Animation studio.
She got outstanding critics for costarring Tom Hanks in „You’ve got Mail“.
Her another big success was the City of Angels with Nicholas Cage.
In 2003. she accepted a role in Jane Campions erotic thriller where she was shot nude for the first time in her career.
In 2015. she made her directing debut with a drama film called „Ithaca“ with her and her son Jack in leading roles.
Philantropic work
She works with a charitable organization called CARE trying to help end poverty and also is engaged in environmental initatives.
Personal life
Falling in love while shooting D.O.A. caused Dennis Quaid and Meg Ryan to marry on Valentine’s Day 1981.
She gave birth to her son Jack in 1992.
Putting her on the first pages of tabloids was her affair with Russell Crowe while filming „Proof of Life“. That caused her marriage to end.
They got divorced in 2001. and five years later she adopted a child from China.
In 2010. she began a relationship with John Millencamp which lasted till 2014.
She is a member of the Democratic Party and has supported John Kerry in 2004.presidental elections.
Meg is often mentioned in tabloids for her numerous plastic surgeries.
Quick summary:
Full name: Margaret Mary Emily Anne Hyra
Date of Birth: November 18,1961.
Birth place: Fairfield, Connecticut, USA
Age: 55
Proffession: actress, director
Height: 1,73m
Weight: 57 kg
Net worth: $45 million