A leading contender for the position of America's Sweetheart since the late 1980s, this cute, personable, and petite blonde actress gained fame with her first leading role in Rob Reiner's romantic comedy "When Harry Met Sally..." (1989), opposite Billy Crystal. Ryan's vociferous faking of an orgasm in a NYC delicatessen has been hailed as a modern comedy classic. The Connecticut-born former homecoming queen made her film debut at age 20 as Candice Bergen's daughter in "Rich and Famous" (1981) before turning to TV. She was a troubled teen in "Amy and the Angel" (ABC, 1982), and soap opera cultists embraced her as Betsy Montgomery on "As the World Turns" (CBS, from 1982-84). After the premiere of "Charles in Charge" (CBS, 1984) and the short-lived Western series "Wildside" (ABC, 1985), Ryan pretty much abandoned the medium, though.

First registering in features with a small but memorable role as Anthony Edwards' wife in Tony Scott's "Top Gun" (1986), Ryan went on to play a journalist in the Joe Dante sci-fi flick "Innerspace" (1987), opposite Dennis Quaid, whom she later married. The pair then headlined the unsuccessful noir remake "D.O.A." (1988). Ryan garnered some positive notices for her atypical performance as a tough, desperate drifter in "Promised Land" (1988) but her generally bubbly, accessible persona has been best served by romantic comedies. 

She has been paired with some of Hollywood's most charismatic leading men in comedies and dramas: playing multiple roles opposite Tom Hanks in "Joe Versus the Volcano" (1990); with Val Kilmer as Jim Morrison's spacey common-law wife in "The Doors" (1991); and as Alec Baldwin's bewitched bride in "Prelude to a Kiss" (1992). Ryan has also reteamed with Hanks as his long distance love interest in "Sleepless in Seattle" (1993), directed by Nora Ephron. The trio once again reunited with "You've Got Mail" (1998), an update of the 1940 classic "The Shop Around the Corner".

Although nearly typecast as a lightweight performer, Ryan has offered several change-of-pace dramatic performances; several of the films, however, proved to be disappointments at the box office. She starred opposite Quaid in the moody Texas-set romance "Flesh and Bone" (1993) and Andy Garcia as an alcoholic wife and mother in "When a Man Loves a Woman" (1994). In Michael Hoffman's long-delayed "Restoration" (1995), Ryan undertook the pivotal role as an Irish patient in a Quaker hospice who becomes romantically involved with a doctor (Robert Downey Jr.) and acquitted herself nicely although her brogue had a tendency to come and go. 

She was better served as the US Army captain whose actions during Operation Desert Storm come under investigation in "Courage Under Fire" (1996), as a surgeon romanced by a heavenly creature in the person of Nicolas Cage in "City of Angels" and as a drug-abusing go-go dancer involved with a second-rate actor in "Hurlyburly" (both 1998). But regardless of whether she is playing at being the queen of screen romance or essaying far more interesting and dramatic characterizations, Ryan holds the screen. One senses that her full range and potential remain untapped. Perhaps if she ever undertakes her dream role to portray poet Sylvia Plath, audiences may see her at the real peak of her prowess.

After yet another turn as a cute romantic comedy lead with her male cute romantic comedy counterpart Tom Hanks in "You've Got Mail" (1998), Ryan next starred in the disappointing "Hanging Up" (2000). Also in 2000, Ryan starred in the thriller "Proof of Life" with Russell Crowe. While the movie was of little interest to moviegoers and critics alike, it spawned the highly interesting love affair of Ryan and Crowe which would result in Ryan's eventual divorce from Dennis Quaid.

2001 found Ryan consistently in the gossip pages following her highly publicized split with Crowe in December of 2000. Reports of his abrupt ending of their passionate affair put Ryan in a rather uncomfortable spotlight. She starred in the lightweight romantic comedy "Kate and Leopold" (2001) opposite Hugh Jackman and sported a sexy, revamped post-breakup look on several magazine covers. 

Feeling her image as America's Adorable Sweetheart growing a bit shopworn (and her box office clout diminishing) Ryan--always a tad edgier than her established on-screen persona--relished the opportunity to take some chances with her choice of roles: she starred opposite Mark Ruffalo in the thriller "In the Cut" (2003), directed by Jane Campion. In a role originally slated for Nicole Kidman (who produced the film), Ryan stretches as a dark, alienated woman with masochistic leanings, entering into a potentially troubling relationship with a police detective following a violent robbery. Baring the darker corners of her soul on screen as never before, Ryan also bared her body in controversial full frontal nude scenes that were both a Campion trademark and a radical departure from previous Ryan fare. She next took on anonter non-cupcake role as hard-hitting real-life female boxing promoter Jackie Kallen in "Against the Ropes" (2003) for actor/director Charles Dutton.

• Also Credited As:
  Margaret Mary Emily Anne Hyra
• Born:
  on 11/19/1961 in Fairfield, Connecticut
• Job Titles:
  Actor, Producer

Family

• Brother: Andrew Hyra.
• Daughter: Daisy Ryan. adopted daughter; adopted in 2006 from China
• Father: Harry Hyra.
• Mother: Susan Hyra. former actor and casting director; divorced from Ryan's father in 1976; reportedly got Ryan an audition for "Rich and Famous" (1981), director George Cukor's final film; estranged from Ryan since late 1980s
• Sister: Annie Hyra.
• Sister: Dana Hyra.
• Son: Jack Henry Quaid. born on April 24, 1992; father, Dennis Quaid
• Step-father: Pat Jordan.

Significant Others

• Companion: Craig Bierko. reportedly dating as of early 2002
• Companion: Russell Crowe. began highly publicized relationship during filming of "Proof of Life" in 2000; separated in December 2000

Education

• New York University, New York, New York, journalism
• Bethel High School, Bethel, Connecticut

Milestones

• 1981 Made film debut in George Cukor's "Rich and Famous" as Candice Bergen's daughter
• 1982 Had regular role of ingenue Betsy Montgomery on the CBS daytime serial "As the World Turns"
• 1982 TV debut in the "ABC Afterschool Special" entitled "Amy and the Angel"
• 1985 Moved to Los Angeles
• 1986 First adult role in features, "Top Gun"; played Anthony Edwards' lover
• 1987 First oncreen pairing with future husband Dennis Quaid, "Innerspace"
• 1989 Breakthrough lead role in "When Harry Met Sally..."; had a particularly memorable scene where she demonstrates how easily a woman can fake an orgasm
• 1990 First screen pairing with Tom Hanks in "Joe Versus the Volcano"; played multiple roles
• 1991 Appeared as Pamela Morrison in Oliver Stone's biopic "The Doors"
• 1992 Starred opposite Alec Baldwin in the fantasy romantic comedy "Prelude to a Kiss"
• 1993 Again paired with Tom Hanks in the hit romantic comedy "Sleepless in Seattle", directed by Nora Ephron
• 1993 Formed Fandango Films (renamed Prufrock Pictures), a production company based at Fox, with business partner and co-producer Kathryn Galan
• 1993 Reteamed with husband for the dramatic "FLesh and Bone"
• 1994 Offered a fine dramatic turn as an alcoholic wife and mother in "When a Man Loves a Woman"
• 1995 Feature producing debut, "French Kiss" (also starred)
• 1995 Renewed first-look production deal with 20th Century Fox; Kathryn Galen replaced by Nina Sadowsky as president of Prufrock Pictures
• 1996 Portrayed an Army captain stationed in the Middle East during the Persian Gulf War whose actions come under investigation in "Courage Under Fire"
• 1997 Attempted to change her screen persona by playing a cynical photographer out for revenge on the man who dumped her in "Addicted to Love"
• 1997 Provided the speaking voice of the title character in the animated feature "Anastasia"
• 1998 Had dramatic supporting role in "Hurlyburly"
• 1998 Reteamed with Quaid for the contemporary remake of "D.O.A."
• 1998 Starred opposite Nicholas Cage in "City of Angels", a film inspired by Wenders' "Wings of Desire"
• 1998 Third teaming with Tom Hanks in "You've Got Mail", a contemporary spin on "The Shop Around the Corner" written and directed by Nora Ephron
• 2000 Co-starred with Russell Crowe in "Proof of Life"
• 2001 Starred opposite Hugh Jackman in the romantic comedy "Kate & Leopold"
• 2003 Directed by Jane Campion in the erotic thriller "In the Cut"
• 2004 Portrayed the first female boxing manager in the film "Against the Ropes"
• 2007 Played a struggling mother of two daughters in Jonathan Kasdan's directorial debut "In the Land of Women"

Add Your Link / Exchange Links

Click Here For A Much Larger Selection Of Topics!

[Get FREE Product Samples At FreeLance Free Stuff!]