Meg Ryan

Meg Ryan, blonde-haired and blue-eyed, was born Margaret Mary Emily Hyra in Fairfield Connecticut to Susan (Duggan) who was a former actress and English teacher, as well as Harry Hyra, a maths teacher. Her ancestry includes Ruthenian, Polish and Irish, as well as German. ("Hyra") is her Ruthenian surname and "Ryan", is her maternal grandmother's maiden name. Meg has graduated from Bethel High School in Bethel in May 1979. Meg moved to New York City and studied journalism at New York University. Meg Ryan was her new name, and she started acting to earn money as she finished her studies. 1981 was her debut on the big screen. She played Candice Bergen's baby girl in the film by George Cukor Rich and Famous (1981). She was auditioned for and made Betsy in the day time soap as the World Turns (1956). From 1982 until 1984, she was part of the show's cast. Meg also had a part in the television series One of the Boys (1982) however, the show was eventually cancelled. In 1984, Meg relocated to Hollywood, and was offered a position with the western television series Wildside (1985). Meg's small part in the blockbuster film Top Gun (1986) led to her being cast in Steven Spielberg's Innerspace (1987) in which she co-starred alongside Dennis Quaid. In the remake of D.O.A., she starred again with Quaid. (1988) and they were married on Saint Valentine's Day in 1991. Meg appeared in 1989's When Harry Met Sally... (1989), and the restaurant scene was made famous. Meg was nominated for both the Golden Globe and the BAFTA. In 1990, she co-starred with Tom Hanks in Joe Versus the Volcano (1990) and this time she played three roles as DeDe/Angelica/Patricia. In 1993, she appeared alongside Tom in Sleepless in Seattle (1993) for which she was nominated again for the Golden Globe. Meg determined to stand out from the crowd in 1994 when she played the part of Meg as a mother/wife who has a drinking problem in When a Man Loves a Woman (1994). After that, Meg went back to her "cute" I.Q. (1994) and French Kiss (1995). People Magazine named Meg "Woman Of The Year" in 1994. In 1994, she received the Harvard Hasty Pudding Award.