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 actress as well as Harry Hyra, a math teacher. Ruthenian and Polish, Irish, German and German descendents. "Hyra" is her maternal grandmother's maiden name, is Ruthenian. Meg was graduated in June 1979 Bethel high school, Bethel. When she moved to New York, she attended New York University where she majored in journalism. Meg Ryan was her new name, and she began acting in order to earn a little extra cash during her time at university. Her first screen appearance came in 1981, making a brief appearance as Candice Bergen’s daughter in George Cukor's final film Rich and Famous (1981). She was a test subject and was selected to play Betsy in the day time television soap As the World Turns (1956). From 1982 until 1984, she was part of the ensemble. Meg also had a part in the TV series One of the Boys (1982) which, however, was eventually cancelled. She relocated to Hollywood in 1984, and was offered an offer to appear on the western TV series Wildside (1985). Meg had a small role in Top Gun (1986), later 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 married in Saint Valentine's Day 1991. In 1989, Meg appeared in When Harry Met Sally... (1989) and the scene in the restaurant became 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), where she was nominated for the Golden Globe. In 1994, Meg decided to act as if she was a rebel as an alcoholic wife and mother in When a Man Loves a Woman (1994). Following that, Meg returned to her "cute" I.Q. (1994) and French Kiss (1996). In 1994, Meg won the Harvard Hasty Pudding Award for being "Woman of the Year" and was also voted as being one of "The 50 most beautiful women in the world in 1994" by People Magazine.