Margaret Mary Emily Anne Hyra born November 19, 1961, known professionally as Meg Ryan, is an American actress and filmmaker. Known for her leading roles as quirky, charismatic women since the late 1980s. Ryan is particularly recognized for her work in romantic comedies. A genre she dominated during the 1980s and 1990s. Dubbed “America’s sweetheart” by the media, she became one of Hollywood’s most bankable stars of the latter decade.
She made her acting debut in 1981 in the drama film Rich and Famous. She joined the cast of the CBS soap opera As the World Turns in 1982. In the 1980s, Ryan appeared in Top Gun, Promised Land, (1987) and the Rob Reiner-directed romantic comedy When Harry Met Sally… (1989), for which she earned a Golden Globe nomination.
