Biography of Meg Ryan
Meg Ryan was born Margaret Mary Emily Anne Hyra on November 19, 1961 in Fairfield, Connecticut. After graduating from Bethel High School in 1979 and dropping out of the university after studying journalism, she went into acting to earn extra money under the name “Meg Ryan”. (Ryan being her mother’s maiden name. Her mother got her the Screen Actors Guild card under this name)
In 1981 Meg got her first break along side Candice Bergen in the film “Rich and Famous”. She then launched her career by becoming “Betsy” in the wildly popular soap opera “As the World Turns”. Lasting from 1982-1984, she then had a role in the television series “One of the Boys”. After that series stopped and the other TV show she was in, “Wildside”, was cancelled; Meg was cast in Top Gun in 1986 with the now famous line of “take me to bed or lose me forever”. It was that success in Top Gun that led to “Innerspace”, with Martin Short, and then “DOA”, with Dennis Quaid. Her costar in Innerspace and DOA, Dennis Quaid, became her husband on Valentine’s Day in 1991.
Meg was nominated for both the Golden Globe and the BAFTA for her role in the 1989 “When Harry Met Sally…” a movie that has been spoofed more times than she could count. The restaurant scene and the line “I’ll have what she’s having” have been replayed ad nauseum. Since then she has see-sawed between the cutesy comedic roles and the drama roles. She seems to have more success following a comedy than a drama, but have proven herself in both fields. Branching out, in 1993 Ryan established a production company called Fandango Films, now Prufrock Pictures. In 1994, Meg won the Harvard Hasty Pudding Award as “Woman of the Year” and was voted as being one of “The 50 most beautiful people in the world 1994” by People Magazine.
Her marriage has broken up, after providing them a son, in speculation that both of them were unfaithful. Him with an undisclosed woman, She with Russell Crowe. The two seem to have remained friendly, considering they share custody of their son.
Filmography
1981 RICH AND FAMOUS
1983 AMITYVILLE III
1985 TOP GUN
1986 ARMED AND DANGEROUS
1987 INNERSPACE
1988 EL PRESIDIO, DOA
1989 WHEN HARRY MET SALLY
1990 JOE VERSUS THE VOLCANO
1991 THE DOORS
1992 PRELUDE TO A KISS
1993 FLESH AND BONE, SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE
1994 I.Q., WHEN A MAN LOVES A WOMAN
1995 COURAGE UNDER FIRE, FRENCH KISS, RESTORATION –
1997 ADDICTED TO LOVE, TWO FOR THE ROAD –
1998 YOU’VE GOT MAIL, HURLYBURLY, CITY OF ANGELS
2000 PROOF OF LIFE, HANGING UP
2001 KATE & LEOPOLD
2003 IN THE CUT
2004 AGAINST THE ROPES
