Meg Ryan Chose To Find Herself Again And Focus On Her Kids: 'Today, I'm Happy Too'

Mar 09, 2022 by apost team

Meg Ryan is an American actress who became known as the queen of romantic comedies in the 1990s and early 2000s. She is most noted for the films "When Harry Met Sally," "Sleepless in Seattle," "You've Got Mail" and "When a Man Loves a Woman." Ryan got her big break when she landed a supporting role in the popular film "Top Gun" in 1986. 

The actress was born Margaret Mary Emily Hyra on November 19, 1961, in Fairfield, Connecticut. As an adult, she decided to use the surname Ryan when she joined the Screen Actors Guild, which was her grandmother's maiden name. Her parents were both schoolteachers and they divorced in 1976 when Meg was 15. 

After graduating from Bethel High School in 1979, Ryan enrolled at the University of Connecticut and then transferred to New York University. While still in college, she appeared in commercials and on the soap opera "As the World Turns."

In 1987, Ryan was cast in the film "Innerspace" alongside Dennis Quaid, who would later become her husband. The pair fell madly in love on set and began dating. They were married in 1991. Ryan and Quaid share a son named Jack; however, they decided to divorce a decade later, in 2001. 

The star decided to adopt a baby girl from China named Daisy in 2006. Ryan dated singer John Mellencamp from 2010 to 2014, and they reunited again in 2017. A year later, it was announced that the couple was engaged. Sadly, in 2019 it was reported that the actress ended the engagement.

Ryan hasn't been involved in any acting projects since 2018 but has shared that she is now pursuing more work behind the camera. Keep reading to learn more about her and how she has been doing recently.

In 2000, when Ryan and Quaid announced that they were separating, she insisted that their reason for divorce was not because of anyone else. "It dissolved before it became a sport for the press," she said and added, "the public and the press tuned in way after. The reasons we broke up have nothing to do with another person."

However, in 2008, Ryan opened up about Quaid's infidelity. "Dennis was not faithful to me for a long time, and that was very painful. I found out more about that once I was divorced," she shared.

There were also rumors at the time that her boyfriend Russell Crowe was the reason for Ryan and Quaid's issues. She revealed, "Russell didn't break up the marriage. He was definitely there at the end, but it wasn't his fault. I was a mess. I hurt him, too, at the end. I couldn't be in another long relationship, it wasn't the time for that. So I got out."

When Ryan spoke up in 2008 about Quaid, he was understandably upset by her claims. "It was eight years ago, and I find it unbelievable that Meg continues publicly to rehash and rewrite the story of our relationship," he said. "Also, I find it regrettable that our son, Jack, has to be reminded in a public way of the turmoil and pain that every child feels in a divorce."

Ryan never remarried, but she was in a long-term relationship with musical artist John Mellencamp which unfortunately ended in a broken engagement. "She'd had enough and ended (their engagement)," a source explained to Us Weekly in late 2019. "She has no regrets."

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In summer 2019, Ryan shared how she found herself again with InStyle magazine, saying:

"By the time I did my second InStyle cover, in 2003, the page had definitely turned for me. I was divorced. All of my expectations about everything had been blown up. And that's a good thing. People think they should be this by the time they're 20 and this by the time they're 30 and accomplished by the time they're 40. I was in my early 40s at the time of the cover shoot. And I said in the interview that I thought the assignment of age was arbitrary. I stand by that — especially now when it's all about pivoting, recreating, and having multiple careers."

Eight years after announcing her separation from Quaid, Ryan was still struggling to heal. "In the interview for my most recent InStyle cover, in 2008, I said I had an inability to accept myself as lovable. That was harsh. I think it stemmed from starting over after my marriage ended. Divorce is hard. I wasn't easy on myself around then. I retreated. But that tough time was necessary. I became a better person after all of that. And I grew up a lot," she explained.

Now, it seems that Ryan is currently more interested in working behind the scenes and focusing on being a mom. She said, "I'm focused on producing. I'm also teeing myself up to direct. But most of all, what I'm ambitious for in the 12 hours a day that I'm awake is my kids' happiness. I just am. I'm either figuring out how to provide for them, figuring out how to say it right, figuring out all those mom things. I want them to be happy. And today I'm happy too."

Are you a fan of Ryan's movies? What do you think about her finding happiness again after her divorce? Let us know and feel free to send this on to your friends and loved ones.