MEG RYAN

'Meg Ryan' (born November 19, 1961) is an American actress who specializes in romantic comedies, but has also worked in other film genres.

Contents

Early life

Soap opera career 1982-1984

Early film works 1985-1988

Film success 1989-1993

Continued success 1994-1999

Personal and professional setbacks 2000-2005

Personal life

Filmography

Television work

References

External links

Early life

Born 'Margaret Mary Emily Hyra' in Fairfield, Connecticut to Susan Jordan (née Ryan), a former English teacher, and Harry Hyra, a math teacher,^[1] she went by the name Peggy (also her grandmother's nickname) as a child. She has two sisters, Dana and Annie, and a brother, Andrew. Ryan was raised in the Catholic religion^[2] 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. At age 18, through her mother's connections, she booked her first television commercial, doing chin-ups and giggling to promote "Tickle" deodorant.
She graduated from Bethel High School in 1979, where she was elected Homecoming Queen. 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 led her to drop out of college only a semester shy of graduating.

Soap opera career 1982-1984

After her first role in a feature film, ''Rich and Famous'' (1981), Ryan (then using her screen name) played Betsy Stewart in the daytime drama ''As the World Turns'' from 1982 to 1984. Directors for this show especially liked working with her because she could cry on cue. Several TV film and smaller movie roles followed.

Early film works 1985-1988

Ryan's first film role would be a small role in ''Amityville 3-D'', However she would appeal herself to much larger audience's in the 1986 blockbuster ''Top Gun'', opposite ''Tom Cruise''. Ryan then appeared in the indie film ''The Promise Land'', where she would receive her first Independent Spirit Award Nominaton. Ryan then appeared in two romantic movies ''D.O.A.'', and ''Presidio''.

Film success 1989-1993

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 particularly memorable for her depiction of a "faked orgasm" in a Manhattan delicatessen (actually shot at the legendary Katz's on E. Houston Street.) The film would be the first of three successful Nora Ephron films in which Ryan would be typecast as a bubbly, feisty, but incurable romantic.
She also turned down lead roles in ''Pretty Woman'', ''Ghost'', and ''The Silence of the Lambs'' because she felt that they wouldn't be successful. They all were box office hits and big-time blockbusters.
Ryan then stared in ''The Doors'', and ''Prelude to a Kiss''. Both films were moderately successful.
She had much success with her on-screen pairing with Tom Hanks; some compared their chemistry to Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy. They starred in three films together: ''Joe Versus the Volcano'', ''Sleepless In Seattle'' and ''You've Got Mail''.

Continued success 1994-1999

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. 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 Award as "Woman of the Year". That same year, ''People'' magazine dubbed her one of "The 50 most beautiful people in the world". In 1997 Ryan steped in the animated film ''Anastasia'' which garnered good reviews, and box office. In 1998 Ryan released two films, one of them being ''City of Angels'', which drew negative reviews, but it became a huge financial success, topping nearly 200 million worldwide, her final film was ''You've Got Mail'' which garnered her third and final Golden Globe nomination, it also made over $250 million worldwide, becoming her last box office smash.

Personal and professional setbacks 2000-2005

In 2000 Ryan stared in the action thriller ''Proof of Life'' opposite Russell Crowe, but during filming of the movie Ryan had a secret affair with Crowe. The media then pounced on the story. Not only that but the movie also was rejected by critics and audiences.
In 2003, she broke away from her usual roles and starred in ''In the Cut'', an erotic crime thriller in which Ryan had her first total nude scene.
Ryan's most recent project, George Gallo's ''More Than You Know'', was shot in the fall of 2006 in Shreveport, Louisiana. 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.^[3][4] Ryan's next project is a remake of the 1939 classic film ''The Women'', which is slated to begin filming in New York City in August 2007. The $18 million remake of the George Cukor classic is being directed by ''Murphy Brown'' creator Diane English and produced by Mick Jagger and is slated for release in 2008. Ryan will play 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 are also slated to star in the remake.^[5]

Personal life

Ryan married actor Dennis Quaid on Valentine's Day in 1991, after starring in two films with him. Ryan agreed to marry him only after he kicked his drug and alcohol addiction. Quaid and Ryan have one child together, Jack Henry, born April 24, 1992. The couple divorced on July 16, 2001. Although Ryan had a relationship with actor Russell Crowe, with whom she made a movie, both she and Quaid deny it was a factor in their divorce. In a 2006 interview with ''Allure'', Ryan indicated that Quaid had not been faithful to her during their marriage.
It was during Ryan's marriage to Quaid that she had a falling out with her mother over his alleged drug abuse. In interviews, the actress cast her mother, Susan Ryan Jordan, in a negative light, saying that she had abandoned her children to pursue an acting career. In response, Jordan published a book in 1999, ''The Immune Spirit'', about her struggle with breast cancer and her difficult relationship with her famous daughter. Her mother has since given many interviews painting Ryan in a negative light. In January 2006, Ryan brought her newly adopted daughter, one-year-old Daisy True, home from China.
Ryan tends to support the U.S. Democratic Party, especially its environment protection programs and initiatives. In 2003, she supported General Wesley Clark's campaign for U.S. president. She supported John Kerry during the 2004 presidential elections. 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]
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 negative publicity in some British press.

Filmography

★ ''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)

★ ''More Than You Know'' (2007)
Upcoming:

★ ''The Deal'' (2008)

★ ''The Women'' (2008)

★ ''My Mom's New Boyfriend'' (2008)

Television work

★ ''One of the Boys'' (1982) (canceled after 13 episodes)

★ ''As the World Turns'' (cast member from 1982–1984)

★ ''Wildside'' (1985) (canceled after 6 episodes)

★ ''Captain Planet and the Planeteers'' (cast member from 1990–1991) (voice)

★ ''The Simpsons'' (Voice of Stacy Swanson)

References

1. Graham, Caroline. "Meg and Dennis: It's All Over" ''You''. Retrieved 30 June 2007.
2. Davidson, Sara. "Meg Ryan: Isn't She Romantic?" ''Reader's Digest''. February 2002.
3. Laporte, Nicole. "Macy Gets 'Deal:' Actor Co-Wrote Ryan Starrer" ''Variety''. 13 February 2007.
4. More Than You Know [1] at IMDB
5. Schwartz, Missy. "Wonder 'Women.'" ''Entertainment Weekly''. 15 June 2007.
6. Goddard, Anne Lynam. "Salt, Paper and Dignity: A Journey to India with Meg Ryan." ''Care.org''. March 2006.

External links

★

★ Meg Ryan Info

★ Parkinson Interview Part 1

★ Parkinson Interview Part 2

★

★ Meg Ryan Fansite