Meg Ryan

Blue-eyed blonde with an effervescent personality, Meg Ryan was born Margaret Mary Emily Hyra in Fairfield, Connecticut, to Susan (Duggan) who was an English teacher and actor, and Harry Hyra, a math teacher. Ruthenian and Polish, Irish, German, and German of German descent. "Hyra", her maternal grandmother's maiden name, comes from Ruthenian. Meg has graduated from Bethel High School, Bethel in May 1979. Meg relocated to New York City and studied journalism at New York University. To make extra money while completing her studies, Meg went into acting with her new name Meg Ryan. 1981 was her first big screen appearance. She portrayed Candice Bergen's baby girl in George Cukor's film Rich and Famous (1981). She was cast in the part as Betsy in the television soap as the World Turns (1956) after she auditioned. From 1982 to 1984, she was a part of the team. Meg also played a role in the TV show One of the Boys (1982) which, however, was eventually cancelled. In 1984, Meg relocated to Hollywood and was offered a role in the western 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 co-starred with Dennis Quaid. In D.O.A.'s remake, she played alongside Dennis Quaid. (1988) and was married on Saint Valentine's Day 1991. Meg appeared in 1989's When Harry Met Sally... (1989), and the restaurant scene was made famous. Meg was nominated for 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, Meg starred with Tom in Sleepless in Seattle (1993) and was nominated again for the Golden Globe. In 1994, Meg decided to act as if she was a rebel as the wife of an alcoholic and mother in When a Man Loves a Woman (1994). Then, she was back to "cute" with both I.Q. (1994) as well as French Kiss (1996). People Magazine voted Meg as one of the 50 most beautiful individuals on earth 1994.