Meg Ryan

Meg Ryan, blonde-haired and blue-eyed Meg Ryan, blonde-haired and blue-eyed, was born Margaret Mary Emily Hyra in Fairfield Connecticut to Susan (Duggan) the former actress and English teacher, as well as Harry Hyra, a maths teacher. Meg Ryan is of Ruthenian, Polish, Irish and German heritage ("Hyra" is an Irish and Ruthenian surname, while "Ryan" is her maternal grandmother's maiden name). Meg graduated from Bethel high school in Bethel in June 1979. After moving to New York, she attended New York University where she majored in journalism. To make extra money while studying for her degree, Meg went into acting with her new name Meg Ryan. In 1981, she had her big screen debut with a brief appearance as Candice Bergen's daughter in George Cukor's last film Rich and Famous (1981). She was auditioned for and selected to play Betsy in the daytime soap on television As the World Turns (1956). She was in the cast from 1982 to 1984. Meg was also part of the cast in the TV show One of the Boys (1982) However, this show was eventually cancelled. In 1984, she moved to Hollywood and was offered a position with the western-themed television series Wildside (1985). Meg played a minor role in Top Gun (1986), which resulted in her being cast in Steven Spielberg’s Innerspace (1987) in which she played alongside Dennis Quaid. Meg was also a co-star with Quaid in the remake of D.O.A. (1988) and married in Saint Valentine's Day 1991. Meg starred in When Harry Met Sally... (1989), which made the scene at the restaurant famous. Meg was nominated both for the Golden Globe as well as 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. She also was a part of the critically acclaimed Sleepless in Seattle (1993) which received nominations for the Golden Globe. Meg decided that she would act against her peers in 1994, by playing the character of Meg as a mother and wife who is alcoholic in the film When a Man Loves a Woman (1994). Meg returned to being "cute" after that with I.Q. (1994) and French Kiss (1996). People Magazine named Meg "Woman Of The Year" in 1994 with the Harvard Hasty Pudding Award.