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Margaret Mary Emily Anne Hyra (born November 19, 1961), professionally known as Meg Ryan, is a Golden Globe-nominated American film actress whose lead roles in four 1990s romantic comedies - When Harry Met Sally..., Sleepless in Seattle, French Kiss and You've Got Mail - grossed over $670 million worldwide.^[1]

Early years

Ryan was born Margaret Mary Emily Anne Hyra in Fairfield, Connecticut, the daughter of Susan Hyra Jordan (née Ryan), a former actress, casting director, and English-teacher, and Harry Hyra, a math teacher.^[2][3] She has two sisters, Dana and Annie, and a brother musician, Andrew Hyra, of Billy Pilgrim. The main relatives of the Hyra family are in Canada.

Ryan was raised a Roman Catholic^[4] and graduated from Saint Pius X Elementary School in Fairfield, where her mother taught the sixth grade. There, Ryan was confirmed into the Catholic Church, choosing Anne as her confirmation name. Ryan's mother had appeared in one television commercial and later worked briefly as an assistant casting director in New York City. She supported and encouraged her young daughter's study of acting.

She graduated from Bethel High School in 1979. She went on to study journalism at the University of Connecticut and then at New York University, while acting in television commercials to earn extra money. Her success as an actress led her to drop out of college only a semester shy of graduating.

Early career

At age 18, through her mother's connections, Ryan booked her first television commercial, doing chin-ups and giggling to promote "Tickle" deodorant.^{citation needed}

After a role in Rich and Famous, Ryan played Betsy Stewart in the daytime drama As the World Turns from 1982 to 1984; she was featured in a popular romantic story arc. Several TV film and smaller movie roles followed, including Amityville 3-D and Promised Land; for her role in the latter she received her first Independent Spirit Award nomination.

In 1986, she played Carole Bradshaw (wife of naval aviator Nick "Goose" Bradshaw; played by Anthony Edwards) in Top Gun, and appeared in several scenes. Ryan played Lydia Maxwell in the movie Innerspace, which also starred Dennis Quaid. Ryan then appeared in a film-noir remake (D.O.A.) and an action film (The Presidio).

Hit films

Her first full-blown hit in a leading role was the romantic comedy When Harry Met Sally... (1989) which paired her with comedic leading man Billy Crystal. Her portrayal of Sally Albright, which earned her a Golden Globe nomination, is memorable for her depiction of a theatrical faked orgasm in a Manhattan delicatessen.

The film would be the first of three successful Nora Ephron films in which Ryan would be cast as a bubbly, feisty, incurable romantic.^{citation needed}

Ryan then starred in The Doors, and Prelude to a Kiss. Both films were moderately successful. 1993 saw the release of the hugely successful romantic comedy Sleepless in Seattle, which paired Ryan with leading man Tom Hanks for the second of three times. (The first was in Joe Versus the Volcano, which earned a cult following but was a critical and commercial disappointment.)

She made several attempts to break away from the romantic comedy ingenue stereotype, and garnered critical acclaim for her work in When a Man Loves a Woman in which she played an alcoholic and Courage Under Fire, portraying a captain in the Gulf War. Both films were substantial successes at the box office. Many of her films of the 1990s were hits not only in North America, but also abroad. In 1994 Ryan won the Harvard Hasty Pudding Woman of the Year. That same year, People Magazine dubbed her one of "The 50 most beautiful people in the world." In 1995, critic Richard Corliss called her the "the current soul of romantic comedy."^[5] That same year,she appeared opposite Kevin Kline in Lawrence Kasdan's French Kiss, a romantic comedy that catered to her America's Sweetheart persona. The film was a huge success worldwide, grossing slightly over $101 million.

In 1997, Ryan voiced the lead role in the animated film Anastasia, which garnered good reviews and enjoyed box office success. In 1998 Ryan starred in two films. The first, City of Angels, drew negative reviews, but became a huge financial success, topping nearly $200 million worldwide. You've Got Mail, which once again paired Ryan with Tom Hanks, earned her a third Golden Globe nomination and made over $250 million worldwide.

In 2000, Ryan starred in the action thriller Proof of Life opposite Russell Crowe. She also received a paycheck of $15 million^{citation needed}, establishing her as one of the highest paid actresses in Hollywood. The film was a critical and commercial flop.

That same year, Ryan starred opposite Diane Keaton in the comedy Hanging Up, which received poor reviews, but grossed over $51 million. A year later, she once again returned to her romantic comedy roots in the film Kate & Leopold. The film was well-received by some critics, but failed to find an audience. In 2003, she broke away from her usual roles, starring in Jane Campion's In the Cut, an erotic crime thriller. In the film, Ryan agreed to appear nude in a lengthy and rather graphic love scene for the first time in her career. While her decision earned Ryan much media attention, the movie still proved to be a failure with both critics and audiences, grossing only $23 million in theaters. In October 2003, while in the UK to promote In the Cut, Ryan had a controversial interview with Michael Parkinson on the long-running television talk show Parkinson, which resulted in some negative publicity in the British press.

Ryan talked with Oprah Winfrey (March 1, 2006, The Oprah Winfrey Show) about her work with CARE in India and empowering women in poor countries.^[6]

Recent projects

Ryan's most recent project, George Gallo's My Mom's New Boyfriend, was shot in the fall of 2006 in Shreveport, Louisiana and is due to be released in 2008. The romantic comedy stars Ryan opposite Antonio Banderas. Ryan is joined by former co-star Tom Hanks's son, Colin, who plays her son in the film.^[7][8] In 2007 she played the role of Sarah, in In the Land of Women, co-starring Adam Brody, and won over critics and the public.

Ryan's next project was a remake of the 1939 film The Women, and began filming in New York City in August 2007. The $18 million remake of the George Cukor classic was directed by Murphy Brown creator Diane English and produced by Mick Jagger, and released in 2008. Ryan played the central character, Mary Haines, a wealthy woman who is one of the last to find out that her husband is cheating on her with a shop girl. The leading role was originally made famous by actress Norma Shearer. Annette Bening, Eva Mendes and Candice Bergen also starred in the remake.^[9]

Marriage and children

Ryan married actor Dennis Quaid on St. Valentine's Day, February 14, 1991, after starring in two films with him. Ryan agreed to marry him only after he kicked his cocaine addiction.^[5] Quaid and Ryan had one child together, Jack Henry, born April 24, 1992. The couple separated in 2000 and their divorce became final on July 16, 2001. In September 2008 Ryan revealed Quaid had been unfaithful to her for a long time while they were married.^[10]

Meg Ryan had a relationship with actor Russell Crowe for a few months in 2000; however, the relationship did not last.^[11]

In January 2006, Ryan adopted a 14-month-old girl from China named Daisy True.^[12]

Political involvement

Ryan tends to support the U.S. Democratic Party, especially its environmental protection programs and initiatives. In 2003, she supported Wesley Clark's campaign for U.S. president. She supported John Kerry during the 2004 presidential elections.^[13]

Film and television work

• Rich and Famous (1981)
• Amityville 3-D (1983)
• Top Gun (1986)
• Armed and Dangerous (1986)
• Promised Land (1987)
• Innerspace (1987)
• D.O.A. (1988)
• The Presidio (1988)
• When Harry Met Sally... (1989)
• Joe Versus the Volcano (1990)
• The Doors (1991)
• Prelude to a Kiss (1992)
• Sleepless in Seattle (1993)
• Flesh and Bone (1993)
• A Century of Cinema (1994) (documentary)
• When a Man Loves a Woman (1994)
• I.Q. (1994)
• French Kiss (1995)
• Restoration (1995)
• Courage Under Fire (1996)
• Addicted to Love (1997)
• Anastasia (1997) (voice)
• City of Angels (1998)
• Hurlyburly (1998)
• You've Got Mail (1998)
• Hanging Up (2000)
• Proof of Life (2000)
• Kate & Leopold (2001)
• Searching for Debra Winger (2002) (documentary)
• In the Cut (2003)
• Against the Ropes (2004)
• In the Land of Women (2007)
• My Mom's New Boyfriend (2008)
• My Spy (2008)
• The Deal (2008)
• The Women (2008)
• Serious Moonlight (2009)

Television

• One of the Boys (1982) (canceled after 13 episodes)
• As the World Turns (played Betsy Stewart, 1982-1984)
• Charles in Charge (recurring role as Meagan Parker 1984 and 1985)
• Wildside (1985) (canceled after 6 episodes)
• Captain Planet and the Planeteers (cast member from 1990-1991) (voice)
• The Simpsons (Voice of Stacy Swanson)

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Meg Ryan

• Meg Ryan at the Internet Movie Database
• Meg Ryan at TV.com