Meg Ryan
Highest Rated: 91% When Harry Met Sally... (1989)
Lowest Rated: 8% Lost Souls (2000)
Birthday: Nov 19, 1961
Birthplace: Fairfield, Connecticut, USA
During the 1990s, Meg Ryan was the queen of American romantic comedy - an updated Doris Day relentlessly touted as "America's Sweetheart" for her wholesome heroines in a steady string of mating mix-ups. Ryan embodied the cute, bubbly but befuddled objects of desire in Nora Ephron-penned hits "When Harry Met Sally" (1989), "Sleepless in Seattle" (1993) and "You've Got Mail" (1998) - films which earned her the rare following of both male and female fans who either wanted to take her home to mom or be her best shopping buddy. Ryan regularly sought to explore new territory outside of her well-worn but popular persona as a dizzy romantic stereotype, and she garnered some positive feedback for a SAG-winning performance as an alcoholic in "When a Man Loves a Woman" (1994) and a U.S. Army captain in "Courage Under Fire" (1996). Ryan's Hollywood A-List status took a dip in the new century when an extramarital affair with co-star Russell Crowe tarnished her girl-next-door image and spelled the end of her marriage to actor Dennis Quaid. When the scandal blew over and enough time had passed, she sought to reclaim her leading actress status, by reinventing herself in more mature roles as middle-aged moms in comedic crisis. Though she was no longer a top leading lady, Ryan became a steadily working character actress.
Photos
Filmography
Movies
| Credit | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No Score Yet | No Score Yet | What Happens Later |
Willa (Character), Director, Screenwriter |
- | 2023 |
| No Score Yet | 20% | Fan Girl | Mary Farrow (Character) | - | 2015 |
| 22% | 31% | Ithaca |
Mrs. Macauley (Character), Director |
- | 2015 |
| 22% | 25% | Serious Moonlight | Louise (Character) | $25.1K | 2009 |
| No Score Yet | 26% | The Deal | Deidre Hearn (Character) | - | 2008 |
| 14% | 38% | The Women | Mary Haines (Character) | $26.9M | 2008 |
| No Score Yet | 29% | My Mom's New Boyfriend | Martha Durand (Character) | - | 2008 |
| 44% | 52% | In the Land of Women | Sarah Hardwicke (Character) | $11.0M | 2007 |
| 12% | 29% | Against the Ropes | Jackie Kallen (Character) | $5.9M | 2004 |
| 34% | 34% | In the Cut | Frannie (Character) | $4.7M | 2003 |
| 52% | 62% | Kate & Leopold | Kate McKay (Character) | $47.1M | 2001 |
| 39% | 43% | Proof of Life | Alice (Character) | $32.6M | 2000 |
| 8% | 22% | Lost Souls | Producer | $16.8M | 2000 |
| 12% | 34% | Hanging Up | Eve (Character) | $36.0M | 2000 |
| 69% | 73% | You've Got Mail | Kathleen Kelly (Character) | $115.7M | 1998 |
| 59% | 65% | Hurlyburly | Bonnie (Character) | $1.8M | 1998 |
| 58% | 82% | City of Angels | Maggie Rice (Character) | $78.7M | 1998 |
| 86% | 77% | Anastasia | Anastasia (Voice) | $58.4M | 1997 |
| 55% | 50% | Addicted to Love | Maggie (Character) | $34.7M | 1997 |
| No Score Yet | 49% | Northern Lights | Executive Producer | - | 1997 |
| 85% | 66% | Courage Under Fire | Captain Karen Emma Walden (Character) | $59.0M | 1996 |
| 50% | 74% | French Kiss |
Kate (Character), Producer |
$36.4M | 1995 |
| 71% | 59% | Restoration | Katharine (Character) | $3.5M | 1995 |
| 43% | 47% | I.Q. | Catherine Boyd (Character) | $25.2M | 1994 |
| 70% | 77% | When a Man Loves a Woman | Alice Green (Character) | $50.0M | 1994 |
| 65% | 41% | Flesh and Bone | Kay Davies (Character) | $9.1M | 1993 |
| 75% | 75% | Sleepless in Seattle | Annie Reed (Character) | $125.6M | 1993 |
| 62% | 39% | Prelude to a Kiss | Rita Boyle (Character) | $19.3M | 1992 |
| 57% | 79% | The Doors | Pamela Courson (Character) | $32.7M | 1991 |
| 65% | 54% | Joe Versus the Volcano |
DeDe/ |
$39.1M | 1990 |
| 91% | 89% | When Harry Met Sally... | Sally Albright (Character) | $90.4M | 1989 |
| 60% | 29% | D.O.A. | Sydney Fuller (Character) | $12.7M | 1988 |
| 37% | 33% | The Presidio | Donna Caldwell (Character) | $18.9M | 1988 |
| 73% | 47% | Promised Land | Beverly `'Bev'` Sykes (Character) | $66.0K | 1987 |
| 82% | 65% | Innerspace | Lydia Maxwell (Character) | $25.9M | 1987 |
| 10% | 39% | Armed and Dangerous | Maggie Cavanaugh (Character) | $15.4M | 1986 |
| 57% | 83% | Top Gun | Carole (Character) | $179.8M | 1986 |
| 10% | 19% | Amityville: The Demon | Lisa (Character) | - | 1983 |
| 60% | 37% | Rich and Famous | Debby Blake, age 18 (Character) | - | 1981 |
TV
| Credit | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Nick Cannon | Guest | 2021 |
| No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Tavis Smiley | Guest | 2016 |
| No Score Yet | 0% | The Talk | Guest | 2016 |
| No Score Yet | 28% | The Late Late Show With James Corden | Guest | 2016 |
| No Score Yet | 53% | The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon | Guest | 2016 |
| No Score Yet | 100% | Funny or Die's Billy on the Street | Guest | 2015 |
| No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Celebrated | Self | 2015 |
| 92% | 92% | Curb Your Enthusiasm | Herself (Guest Star) | 2009 |
| 85% | 75% | The Simpsons | Dr. Swanson (Guest Voice) | 2007 |
| No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Inside the Actors Studio | Guest | 1997 |
| No Score Yet | 0% | Charles in Charge | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1984-1985 |